Preparing to pack your car for a day trip with the little ones is easier said than done, however, Bébé Voyage has some tips and tricks to help pull it off with relative ease. Car travel has become increasingly popular as a means of escaping the lockdown unit without venturing too far from home. It only helps that gas prices have dropped and public transportation is neither as safe nor as consistent as it was in the days before COVID-19. There are plenty of summer destinations suitable for this strange new world, so buckle up and let Bébé Voyage help you take it on the road!
Things to Bring
Some items simply can’t be left behind. Cleaning wipes, a small first-aid kit, your phone charger, an extra sweater, and hand sanitizer should definitely make the cut. Another important item is water. Always make sure you have water for everyone in the car. We recommend these water bottles as they are insulated and can stay cold for extremely long periods of time. Don’t forget a bag of snacks as well. We all know how kids can go from “I’m not hungry” to “I’m starving!” in about 5 mins flat.
A safe and age-appropriate car seat safely fastened in a rear row should also be on the essentials list. Cybex offers a full range of car seats for newborns through school-aged children that have been held to the highest safety standards and pass hundreds of safety tests per year. SensorSafe technology, which is integrated into the Cybex car seat chest harness, alerts parents via smartphone notifications when the temperature in the rear rows is getting too high when your child is left unattended or has been in the car seat too long. Such measures help ensure that your trip proceeds as smoothly and safely as possible.
Plan
One of the most important parts of a good day trip is a thoughtful game plan. Trying to find the best playground or the ideal picnic spot upon arrival can be tricky. The kids will be squirmy from sitting in the car and phone reception may not be as good as you’d like it to be. One trustworthy solution is to make a fairly detailed itinerary before you even leave the house. Think about your destination and identify what your family hopes to get out of this day trip. Is there a hiking trail to be conquered? A new town to be explored? Then consider logistics. You may need to book a time slot or tickets ahead of time, especially since many locations have visitor limits due to COVID-19. And finally, find a few family-friendly places to eat or write down what you will pack in the cooler for a picnic. Preparation is key when traveling with younger children!
Weather
Be sure to check the weather forecast for both the drive itself and your destination. The last thing you want is to have planned a fun beach trip with the kids only to get there and have a thunderstorm roll in. It’s also a good idea to double-check you packed sunscreen and a hat as well as a light raincoat and rainboots if the weather is proving to be unpredictable. Be flexible if the weather does look like it will take a turn for the worse and always have a backup destination nearby. Have a couple of spots for a good family-friendly restaurant for lunch if you had planned to originally eat outside. Or if there aren’t any nearby restaurants, turn the rain into a unique experience and have a picnic in the car! If you really want to be a day trippin’ pro, you can bring one of these pop-up tents along and be ready for whatever Mother Nature throws your way!
Just remember, kids want to be with the family and have fun. So even throwing on their rain boots and puddle jumping for a while can be a memorable experience for them. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to make it perfect.
Things to Remember
Coronavirus is still a very real concern, so take a look at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s coronavirus travel guidelines before your family heads out the door. Different states have different policies at different stages of reopening, and it’s important to keep tabs on shifting regulations. A state-by-state list of reopenings and COVID-19 guidelines as well as tips on how to safely take a family road trip can be found on the Bébé Voyage blog.
Also, note that your family’s packing list will change as the kids grow up: portable potties replace diaper bags, cell phones replace building blocks, and reusable water bottles replace sippy cups. The important thing is to know what your family can’t live without and pack it. But even more importantly, have fun!
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