Summer is nearly upon us! I spend many hours travelling with kids & without. Whilst sat in another jam on the M6 it got me to thinking, it’s possibly the worst time of year to get stuck in the car with small people!
As a veteran of travelling with kids (my three have been doing the 6 hour runs to the grandparents home for the last 10 years) I thought I’d bring you my top recommendations for in-car kit for each stage your baby will go through.
Travelling with Young Babies
Travelling with kids is testing enough on a bright sunny day. Travelling with a young baby brings its own considerations. Whilst we all leave home with our change bag in good order, after a busy day out getting caught in a Broken down car with depleted supplies is a nightmare. I recommend keeping a safety net in the boot or under the passenger seat! A Poonami Pack: vest, sleep suit, travel pack of wipes, two nappies (who doesn’t love to go again in a fresh one just as mummy relaxes?!) You can roll the clothes like this to save space.
Also handy is a tea towel to put under baby after a car seat affecting explosion or to save your car upholstery. Pop a muslin or bib in for under the chin of a sicky baby & save car seat straps. Tuck it in well around the straps to keep baby safe. Combat the hangry baby: pre-sterilised disposable bottles are a genius invention (check out BOOTS & NIKIDOM) keep a carton of pre-mix in your emergency pack & you are all set. Add a thin fleece blanket, hat, mitts, & thin fleece onesie in case you need to leave the car.
Travelling with an Older Baby
Travel sickness can become an issue as your baby gets older. Swap your sleep suit for leggings, vest & long sleeve tee as your baby gets bigger. Perfect to change into if you get caught out late – lift the straight from the car to bed. This back up outfit lets you carry on your day if baby is sick en-route. (got my 11 year old out of a sicky situation just last week) Don’t forget to update your nappy size & add a carrier bag & kitchen roll to your
Poonami kit for handy disposal or laundry. Carry on keeping that hangry baby at bay with snack packs such as dried fruit, cheese
biscuits, rice cakes & cereal based food pouches. These will all provide low mess meals with slow release energy. A small bottle of water with a sports cap is a great addition to the kit. Has baby graduated from breastmilk or formula? Swap the pre-sterilised bottle for a carton of UHT & a sippy cup. Don’t forget to update the sizes of your emergency layers.
Travelling With Kids – Older Children
Getting caught out in the car travelling with older children is less than fun & oh do they let you know about it! When travelling more than half an hour with my three into the car goes what we know as the ‘vom bag’ believe me it’s 1 in 3 odds & not so fun! Into this bag goes a full change of comfy clothes or a onesie if we are going to be out late. its also a life saver for impromptu beach trips or Huey paddling in whatever filth he can find! That kid is a mud magnet! We also keep on hand:
- bottled water (grab a mini cordial if yours are anti water)
- towel
- kitchen roll
- coats
- gum
- first aid kit
- mini extinguisher
- cereal/protein bars or kendal mint cake
Hubby’s car has a wheel well but no spare (run flat tyres) its the perfect out of the way spot for our emergency stash. Lunch bags make perfect small world play bags to stash under the seat & combat boredom. (forgotten about toys are far more fun)! Think along the lines of:
- Duplo
- Blind bag toys
- Fuzzy Felt
- Trading Cards
- Lego
- Pad & Pencil or Colouring Book
- Playmobil people
- a story
- magnetic board games like O’s & X’s
And of course, tablet charger cables, lighter adapters for multiple chargers and comfy headphones.
For The Grown Up’s!
The AA recommends travelling with the following in the car (Read the full list HERE)
- A fully charged mobile phone (with the AA app installed).
- An in-car phone charger or power pack.
- Sunglasses.
- Personal medication.
- First aid kit.
- A road atlas – in case of diversions.
- Sat-nav or a printed route for an unfamiliar journey.
- Your AA membership card.
Here is the RAC’s info on What to do if you Break Down
What are your top top tips for surviving travelling with kids? Comment below
Cass xox
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