When it’s time to hit the road for family vacations, the idea of spending endless hours in the car can feel intimidating. Don’t get discouraged. There are things that you can do to get kids to burn off some extra energy on road trips. One year, I spent the entire summer on the road with my three kids (six, eight, and 10) and we drove 14,000 km across Canada. Many times, I’ve been asked how I did it. Here are some of my tips and tricks:
Stop at provincial parks for lunch
I can say with certainty that we have many incredibly well-taken-care-of provincial parks sprinkled across Canada. Personally, I’d rather spend time outside than in restaurants so that the kids can run around and work out their wiggles. These areas often offer natural sightseeing, lakes for quick swims or paddles, and/or beautiful trails with short hikes, perfect for little legs. The bonus is that provincial parks often have bathrooms available to empty wee little bladders before getting back in the car.
Pack an outdoor recreation bag—and keep it handy
A duffel bag with some outdoor toys is a great way to keep kids moving on driving breaks. Our rec bag is one of the last things to go into the car, filled with baseball gloves, balls, skipping ropes, buckets, toy cars and shovels. On most stops, this bag comes out with us.
Play “Find the Monkey”
We play this on stops where the kids need a little extra exercise. Our sock monkey mascot (any stuffy would work) travels with us, the game is simple. Set inbound parameters and then you hide the monkey while the kids close their eyes. Our rule is that the monkey has to have a little bit showing, so you can see him from a distance. Whoever finds the monkey hides it next.
We have loads of fun with this game. It’s so much fun!
Save your recycling for creative time
I save our recycling (egg cartons, containers, plastics, and collapsed cereal boxes). If we’re at a campsite, or stopping for a longer period of time, we pull out the recycling, with tape, scissors, and string. Then we challenge the kids to create. On our trip last summer, I challenged the kids to build the best boat they could. They put some serious work hours and finishing touches continued on the road over several stops.
Let the kids help set up camp
On our 64 days on the road, the kids help to set up camp. My oldest helped with the tent. The youngest carried her sleeping bag and mattress to the tent and set up her own sleeping zone. The kids for water runs on arrival. They love this because they have to find the water taps and they can fill the kettles and carry them back. Endless hours are spent running to and from the tap, strengthening their bodies from carrying small water loads.
I always plan to do something at the destination after we’re set up. Those nights, camping meals are simple. We explore the park on bikes or on foot and, we love to soak in the sunsets. The mornings before we hit the road again, the kids stuff their sleeping bags, tidy their things, and help with the takedown. Trust me, they don’t always want to do this, but this gives them sense of responsibility, a feeling of helping out, as well as confidence in their own camping skills.
Happy summer road trip!
