5 Ways to Make Long Car Journeys with Children Easier

Any car journey with little ones can be stressful can't they? But long journeys can be especially tough! We have been on quite a few with our three now; to places such as Somerset, Wales and Norfolk. And most recently we've driven to Dorset for a little family staycation. I feel we've learnt a few tricks now we've got a few under our belts, so I thought I'd share 5 ways to make long car journeys with children easier!

Time your Journey Right

Our biggest tip is to time your journey right. Leave at your little ones nap time so they sleep through most of the journey. Or even pop them in their pjs before you leave and travel at bed time, so you can just transfer them when you arrive! This also applies to the time of day you leave to - check what times the route is busiest (avoid rush hour, especially if you're going on the motorway), and plan accordingly.

Make them Comfortable

Of course if you want them to sleep, you need to make sure they are comfortable! We specifically bought Parker (2) a carseat that reclines, so that he was more comfortable when he fell asleep. As Indie is now in a high backed booster, this neck pillow from LittleLife keeps her head in a comfortable position for sleeping (and helps with it flopping forward!). They also sell these fantastic window shades, that cover the full window like a giant sock, so there's no worrying about the sun being in their eyes either. 

Take Plenty of Snacks

If your little ones are anything like mine, they'll be asking for food before you've even left the house. So make sure to pack ALL the car snacks (especially for yourself as well!). We always make sure to take more than we need, especially when it comes to milk for the baby. This then means you don't have to dig for food / bottles when you arrive, and that it is there if you get stuck in long queues too.

Take Regular Breaks

Another one that's just as important for you, than it is for the little ones. Baby's shouldn't stay in their Stage 1 carseat for longer than 2 hours at a time, and toddlers usually need a wee break, so it's best to stop at least once on your journey. We usually time it with lunch or snack time, so we can all refuel, go to the loo and stretch our legs, before getting back on the road. It's better to stop and have the journey take longer, than to try and battle through we've found.

If in doubt, use you iPads or Kindles

If you've run out of car games, and don't want to fill them with anymore snacks, then a trusty iPad will definitely work! We usually download a few films or TV shows, from Netflix or BBC iPlayer (make sure to do this with wi-fi before you leave), and this will keep the big two happy for a while. A backseat holder for the iPad will stop them from pressing all the buttons while they're watching. But if you don't have one, you can go into the settings and turn on the function that disables the home button instead.

What top tips do you have for making long car journeys easier?

We received these LittleLife products in exchange for this post. All opinions are honest and my own.