luggage isn’t the only thing you should bring on a trip with your family.  Long car rides can be especially trying for younger children.  They get restless… stir crazy if you will.  It is a good idea to pack up the following items if you are looking to take a road trip anytime soon:

1.  Snacks — Arm yourself with snacks or you will hear “mommy!  I’m hungry!” more than once.

2.  Travel games — Choose age-appropriate games for your child to play.  If you have a travel companion (i.e. your spouse), see if he/she would be interested in playing “I Spy” or another fun road game to pass the time.

3.  Music– Even if you don’t want to listen to the latest Dora The Explorer CD the whole way, it is still a good idea to bring some kid music along.  Then, you can take turns putting in their CDs and your CDs.  You can even let them be the “road DJ” if you want.  They’ll get a kick out of it!

4.  Comfy pillows and blankets –  sleeping in a car is not comfortable in the slightest, and kids under a certain age/height are generally stuck in their car seats.  So it is a good idea to bring comfort items from home such as blankets, pillows and even stuffed animals.  Your kids will sleep better on the trip trust me!

5.  And finally, if your children are of the age where they enjoy watching television and you think that it is something they will miss on the car ride, pack up some of their favorite DVDs and a portable DVD player.

These are just a few tips that will make any long car ride a little more headache free!