long car trip with 4 month old

Road Trip with a 4 Month Old: Is It Possible?

• Date: July 18, 2022
• Time to read: 6 min.

Some babies love riding in the car and they fall asleep every time while some babies may cry. Planning a trip with a baby can be difficult, but road trips are one of the most flexible ways to travel. 

Four month old babies can be great road trip buddies. Plan to stop more frequently, about every 2 hours when traveling with a 4 month old. An adult should ride next to the baby to be sure that they are comfortable and breathing well. Pack plenty of clothes to keep the baby dry and be sure to grab diaper rash cream and a white noise machine.

It is important to stop every two hours and get your sweet baby out of the car seat. The main concern is positional asphyxia . 

Babies can slip down into their car seats into a position that makes it difficult to breathe.  Babies at 4 months may not be able to reposition themselves and it can cause trouble breathing. 

This is why it is important to have an adult ride next to the baby and to be sure to take them out of the car seat at least every 2 hours. 

If your baby was born prematurely or has other health issues, run this by your pediatrician . Ask them how long your baby can be in their car seat on a road trip. 

I recommend limiting overall car seat time to 6-8 hours a day. We take a lot of road trips and all my kids are pretty fried by the 6 hour mark. 

I will tell you the truth, 4 months is a tough time. They are no longer newborns, but they are not the curious 6 month old that can be distracted with toys. 

If I have a baby that cries in the car, do your best to schedule driving during baby’s nap or sleep times.

I do not recommend driving through the night because then when you arrive the baby is wide awake and the parents need a nap! This is a recipe for grumpy parents. 

There are a few tips that can make the trip easier on everyone. Here are all my best tips for a stress free road trip with a  baby. 

How long can a 4 month old travel in the car?

A four month old should not be in their car seat for more than 2 hours at a time. This is the recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is recommended to avoid positional asphyxia, or trouble breathing due to their position in the car seat.  

If your baby is sleeping and there is an adult sitting next to them to monitor their breathing, you may choose to drive for longer than 2 hours. Use your best judgment and be sure to monitor the baby closely. 

I recommend that you plan to drive 6 hours or less in a 24 hour period , with breaks every two hours. This is just my opinion. 

While some families push to 8 -10 hours in a day, in my experience this is too much for young kids and babies. 

There are no strict rules for how many hours a day is safe, so keep a close eye on your amazing baby and stop when they are no longer consolable in the car seat. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics Travel Safety page has a few tips that you may want to check out before you hit the road. 

How To Plan A Road Trip With A 4 Month Old

Now you have to plan a trip with stops every 2 hours! How will you find places to stop that often?!

I think the best way to travel with young kids is to:

• Leave early in the morning
• Plan a long lunch stop
• Put in a few more miles before bedtime

If you travel 4 hours in the morning and then 2-4 more after lunch you will have a much more pleasant trip. It is also easier to plan one big stop. 

I have a one page road trip planner that you can print on the linked post. There are also some great tools that will help you divide up the trip easily. 

If you need ideas for places to stop check out the linked post, there are some creative ideas in that post. 

What to Pack for a 4 Month Old

When you are taking a road trip with a baby don’t feel guilty for overpacking, but if you forget something you can always stop.  

These are the must haves that I have found super helpful on road trips with a baby:

1. Blankets

Baby blankets are really helpful on a road trip as you can use them for:

Blocking bright sun

Wiping up spills

Covering a diaper changing table

A clean space for tummy time

An emergency diaper

I like to pack 2-3 a day for each day of the trip (or until I have access to laundry). It may seem like a lot, but I have never regretted packing this number. 

2. White Noise

Many babies like the car because the road noise provides that soothing white noise, but I have found that some of my kids need SUPER white noise, especially at this age. 

The noise of the road plus a portable white noise machine has been good for my irritable babies. 

We have had this portable white noise machine for over 4 years and it is still serving us well. Be sure to hold down the power button to turn it on (I tried to return it and the cashier showed me how it worked…oops). 

3. Extra Clothes for Mama

Be sure that you have a change of clothes that you can get to easily. Between car diaper changes, bottles or nursing and potential car sickness, a new outfit can make the trip much more comfortable for mama. 

An extra outfit or two for baby should also be in the baby bag. Keep baby dry to avoid any uncomfortable rashes. 

4. Your Regular Diaper Rash Cream

Be generous with diaper rash cream or other wetness barriers during diaper changes. Since your baby will be sitting in the car they may be more prone to painful rashes. 

I like to pack the cream that we use at home. It is not a good idea to try a new product while away from home. Even a mild reaction can be painful in the diaper area. 

5. Manual Breast Pump

Breastfeeding moms I think the manual breast pump is a necessity on a long trip. Four month old babies are often still feeding very regularly, but the car may make them too sleepy to nurse. 

This can make the ride uncomfortable with engorged breasts, and could lead to a clogged duct or painful mastitis. 

Pumping while you are driving allows you to relieve the pressure, maintain supply and possibly make bottles to use at stops if your baby enjoys bottles. 

Bringing bottles on a road trip can be a big hassle as there is no place to wash them. You can use pump cleaning wipes or wait to get to a sink. 

Short term I have used the pump to just pump and dump and wash the parts as soon as I can. A microwave sterilization kit can make it all cleaner. 

Expectations for Road Trips with a Four Month Old

Traveling with a baby is very different from traveling kid-free, but it can still be a memorable adventure. 

Keep an open mind and get excited about making frequent stops. You will enjoy the journey and get to see more than when you push through long travel days. 

Babies often make you think differently about the important things in life, slow down and enjoy the journey. 

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Who says you cannot travel with a baby? Yes, it is different, but it is totally doable! One of the best ways to start traveling as a new family is by going on a road trip with a baby.

After one year of road trips with our son, we have learned a lot. From short 2-hour road trips to a 2-week long road trip – we have experienced the best and the worst parts of road tripping with a baby. 

Through personal tried and true experience, I have created this guide of “How to Road Trip with a Baby” to help new parents navigate their way as easily as possible. My guide includes product recommendations, expectations at different months of age, and 12 essential tips for road tripping with a baby.  

Full disclaimer: I am not a children’s practitioner, nurse, or expert. This guide and tips are purely from personal experience and fellow traveling parents. If you have any medical or health concerns, please seek advice from your pediatrician. 

Furthermore, This post may contain affiliate links. When you click on the link you will have the option to purchase a product at no extra cost to you, but I would receive a small commission. I want to thank everyone for following and supporting us on all of “Our Sweet Adventures.” 

Table of Contents

12 Essential Tips for Road Tripping with a Baby

First and foremost, EVERY BABY IS DIFFERENT!

Yes, I believe my guide can help first-time parents navigate their way to a successful road trip with a baby. However, what has worked for other parents and us, may not always work for you. Some tips may work, some may not – you will not know until you hit the road and go through trial and error.

We have found these 12 essential tips to be the most helpful during our road trips with a baby. Whether you are taking a road trip with a newborn, a 12-month-old, or any age in between – these tips can be helpful for any stage.

The Trifecta Checklist

Of all the tips for road tripping with a baby, this one is KEY! We call it the “trifecta checklist.” So what does that mean? Sleep, diaper, food.

If our son was crying, the first thing that helped us was to check for a diaper, see if he was hungry, and find out the last time he slept.

Nine times out of ten (especially before our son was 6-months-old), he would cry for one of those three reasons. He would immediately stop crying once we figured out if he needed a diaper change, a bottle, or sleep.

Moreover, the “trifecta checklist” is a great tip for traveling with a baby , period.

Plan For Several Stops

This brings me to my next tip – you will need to plan for several stops when road tripping with a baby. This is important and inevitable. Depending on your baby and their stage in life, you may need to plan a stop every 1 -3 hours.

Why? Because you need to give your baby breaks. The best way to take breaks is by incorporating fun activities, tours, or stops at cute little towns. As a family who loves to hike, we plan our stops around hiking places.

You also want to be prepared to carve out a couple of hours on your road trip for diaper changes, breastfeeding, and walks. Honestly, these stops are so healthy because a nice break is beneficial for both the parents and child when the baby gets fussy.

Plan for Itinerary Changes

With that said, you can also expect to change your itinerary. Going on a road trip with a baby is not always easy. You may get behind schedule. That is OKAY!

I recommend setting a goal for Plan A, knowing you most likely will end up with Plan B. This could mean taking an activity (or two) out of the day, going to a drive-thru instead of dining inside, taking the highway instead of a more scenic route, etc.

If planning road trips is daunting for you. Do not worry! There are awesome apps for road tripping planning that can help you.

Find Patience!

I am probably one of the most impatient people in the universe, but I had to find the patience to succeed when road tripping with a baby.

As you may have already gathered from my previous tips, a typical 2-hour road trip may take up to 4 hours. So take deep breaths, and remember it’s about the journey and the memories you create with your family. It is not a race to the finish line or, in this case, the destination.

Once you can find patience, your road trip with a baby will be so much more enjoyable.

Plan Driving Around Naps

If possible, plan the driving around your baby’s sleep schedule. We always try our best to drive 30 minutes before our son’s scheduled nap.

If you do not already keep track of your baby’s sleep schedule, now would be the time to start. Our favorite baby app is Huckleberry because it keeps track of sleep, feedings, medicine, and more.

Another tip for road tripping with a baby and their naps – pack a swaddle blanket with patterns and keep it in the car. We use swaddle blankets for three things. Of course, we use it to wrap our son, but we also use it for two road trip tips.

We place the swaddle blanket over the car seat to help provide more shade and a quiet space for our son to sleep while on the road. We also use it to keep our son calm and engaged by looking at the patterns. He would always stare and try to touch the patterns on the swaddle blanket.

Be Prepared to Pack MORE Than Ever!

My goodness, I think we had a full-sized suitcase packed to the top just for our son. From the 2 – 3 clothes per day to diapers, baby wipes, towels, and everything else – our son had more stuff than the two of us combined.

Not to mention, the car seat, the stroller, the pack-n-play… everything will quickly add up. So if you are renting a vehicle for the road trip, I suggest an SUV.

Pack the Car with Easy Access 

What is a road trip without snacks, right? I think this tip works for any road trip – make the snack bag easily accessible. More importantly, when road tripping with a baby, you want to make sure all the essentials are also easily accessible.

Whether that means a cooler with baby bottles, a bag of toys, or a diaper bag, you want to make sure you can easily reach these items.

Pack Extra Batteries

Today, so many of the best ways to keep a baby happy and calm require batteries. Therefore, you do not want to forget to pack extra batteries.

Before your road trip, check all electronics that require batteries and either replace them with new batteries or pack extra batteries for them.

Stretch and Massage Baby

Just like adults, a baby’s body and muscles will get stiff and sore after sitting in a car seat for long periods of time. So it is recommended to massage and stretch your baby when you take breaks or at night in your accommodations.

The benefits of massaging and stretching your baby are significant. It can help calm a fussy baby, ease tummy troubles, boost muscle development, and most importantly, soothe babies to sleep.

Baby Wipes are like Gold 

One of the most important things I have learned as a parent is that baby wipes are gold! We use baby wipes for EVERYTHING!

We use baby wipes to change diapers, clean spills in the car, wipe dirty hands, clean hard surfaces or utensils, and more. With that said, at least two stacks of baby wipes are essential when road tripping with a baby.

New Toys or Rotate Toys

Something we learned from the Montesorri Method is rotating toys. We do this at home and find it useful for road tripping with a baby.

Before a road trip, we will remove a few of our son’s favorite toys. Then when we are on the road trip, we reintroduce the toys (one at a time) so that the toys are “new,” exciting, and engaging. Of course, you can also buy new toys for a road trip.

It is essential to give the baby only one toy to focus on at a time. This way, when they get bored with one toy, there is a new one to play with because, let’s be honest, babies LOVE NEW things!

Music Matters!

Okay, this tip is from personal experience. I am not sure of any scientific research to prove this works, but it does for us – and I hope it does for you too.

During my pregnancy, I listened to this one trance album that I found calming and peaceful while I worked. Adam read that the music I listened to during pregnancy is what the baby would find relaxing after birth. It turns out it worked at least 80% of the time for us.

On our road trips, we would listen to this one trance album on repeat until our son was fast asleep. I swear it made our son calm and fall asleep almost every time.

Now, fast forward to when our son was 9 – 12 months old – things changed. Children’s music that we listened to at home helped our son stay calm during road trips. It was not music to our ears like our favorite trance album, but it kept our son happy, relaxed, and quiet – and that IS music to our ears.

So , music that is familiar with the baby at home will most certainly help put the baby at ease during road trips. You can also use a portable sound machine or play white noise from the car speakers.

How to Feed a Baby on a Road Trip

Whether you breastfeed your baby, bottle feed your baby, or are in the stage of providing snacks/solid foods – here are a few simple tips for feeding a baby on a road trip.

Breastfeeding a Baby on a Road Trip

First and foremost, do not breastfeed your baby in a moving car. This is very dangerous in the event of a car accident. Therefore, allow extra time to stop the vehicle and breastfeed your baby. If possible, utilize this time for restroom breaks, to get gas, food, etc.

If you pump, pack a breast pump car charger , breastmilk storage bags , spare parts, and a cooler to store pumped breastmilk. Moreover, continue to practice good nursing hygiene and habits as if you were at home.

Bottle Feeding a Baby on a Road Trip

Whether it’s breastmilk or formula, you want to pack a cooler to bottle feed your baby on the road.

Make sure you pack enough bottled water and formula powder (if you use formula). To help with space, I recommend pouring a small amount of water into the baby bottles and adding the formula when needed.

Furthermore, a formula dispenser can come in handy in the car. Then store a large container of formula in a suitcase.

Feeding Snacks to a Baby on a Road Trip

Once your baby can eat solid foods and/or pureed food, it can make feeding on the road a lot easier. I recommend packing snacks/food that your baby is familiar with, will enjoy, and is easy to eat on the go.

A few snacks that are easy to eat on the road are the squeezable veggie and fruit pouches , yogurt pouches , and Cheerios.

How to Change a Baby on a Road Trip

Honestly, sometimes there is no easy or right way to change a baby on the road. Through trial and error, find what works best for you!

For us, we have stopped at gas stations, rest stops, and have even needed to pull over on the side of the road to change our son. If a changing table in a bathroom is not available, we utilize our car. Moreover, a travel changing mat has been the key to our success because we can use it on any hard surface.

What to Pack for a Road Trip with a Baby

Believe me when I say you will probably pack your entire nursery when you road trip with a baby. Babies need soooo much! So do not feel like you packed “too much” because you will probably use everything.

Here are a few essential items to pack when road tripping with a baby.

• A car seat, obviously
• Pack n Play for sleeping
• Stroller (if you find you will need/use it)
• Plenty of diapers (if you run out, you can always buy more at a store)
• Plenty of baby wipes (again, if you run out, you can always buy more at a store)
• Portable changing mat
• First aid kit
• Baby Tyenol and Benadryl (approved by your pediatrician)
• 3 sets of clothes per day
• Swaddle blankets and/or sleep sacks
• Batteries for any toys
• Portable white noise machine
• Baby bottles
• Travel sterlizing bags for bottles
• Bottle soap and brushes
• Travel high chair

How Long Can You Go on a Road Trip with a Baby?

There is no exact number of hours that you can road trip with a baby, but it is highly recommended to give your baby plenty of breaks. Just like adults, our bodies can only take sitting in a car for so long. So imagine how a baby feels.

From personal experience, when our son was 2 – 4 months old, we could only go on 3-hour road trips. From 5 to 12 months old, we have only been able to drive up 8 hours a day. When we would drive 8 hours, the day would get divided into several stops at different cities. So really, it was two, 4-hour drives in one day and even then we had to break that up at times.

To figure out what is best for you and your family, I would practice around your city first, especially if you have been nesting for the first few weeks/months. Start with a short 30 minute to one-hour drive.

Then gradually work towards a 2 – 3 hour day trip. Eventually, you will learn your baby’s road trip habits to plan for a weekend getaway with a 4-5 hour road trip.

Road Trip with a Baby ( 1 – 4 Months)

The first few months of going on a road trip with a baby are the easiest and the toughest because everyone is still learning their roles. On one hand, a baby sleeps the most at this stage, so driving through naps is easier. On the other hand, this might be the most challenging stage because, as first-time parents, we are all just trying to survive, right?

Moreover, I recommend waiting at least two weeks before going on a road trip with a baby because the first few weeks as a parent are the hardest!

Additionally, I went with my pediatrician’s recommendation and waited for our son to receive his vaccines at 2 months before we traveled outside of our city. I would always consult with your pediatrician and do what is best for you and your family.

After we figured out the amount of time we could drive without stopping, this was the easiest and best time to road trip with a baby. Our son would sleep for the majority of the time. We would engage him with black and white toys and books when he wasn’t sleeping.

Here are a few products that I highly recommend for road tripping with a baby between 1 – 4 months old.

Road Trip with a Baby ( 5 – 8 Months)

At this stage in life, if your baby is becoming mobile, independent, and napping less – road tripping with a baby might become a little more complicated. Mainly because you may need to help entertain your baby.

In our experience, once our son became mobile and napped less, we had to entertain him more on road trips. It would require one person to always sit in the backseat to play with him. It also meant stopping more frequently to keep him active and happy.

Furthermore, rotating toys will become essential during this stage because of the developmental leaps. A baby will want to be constantly engaged and challenged. At 5 months, a baby should also start seeing colors well.

Therefore, I recommend these colorful toys for road tripping with a baby between 5 – 8 months old.

Road Trip with a Baby ( 9 – 12 Months)

Road tripping with a baby at 9 – 12 months old may or may not be the most challenging time. It could be the hardest if your baby is mobile, enjoys being active, and just doesn’t like car rides – period. If you’ve been road tripping with your baby for several months, it might just go as smoothly as one could hope.

For us, it was hard, but not that bad. Our son had grown used to traveling and taking road trips. So he would be okay for 3 – 4 hours at a time. Granted, we made an epic 2-week road trip through West Texas and New Mexico. Therefore, we had plenty of overnight stays in fun towns such as Fort Davis and San Angelo with fun activities to keep everyone entertained.

The best way to road trip with a baby between 9 – 12 months old is to keep the baby active and entertained by exciting roadside attractions and pit stop destinations. Let your baby be mobile, and your road trip just might be the most enjoyable family vacation you could ever imagine!

We mostly entertained our son with activities at different destinations along our journey, but here are a few products that I also recommend for road tripping with a baby between 9 – 12 months old.

And that’s a wrap! I hope you have found my guide on road tripping with a baby helpful and insightful. Like all parents, I wish I had all the answers, but my knowledge and experience are all I have. I hope it is enough to help you and your family have successful road trips for many years to come!

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Friday 15th of December 2023

Mind blowing article! I have a 1+ years old baby boy.So this blog will be very helpful for us and every guide is very important for newly parents. Thanks for sharing.

oursweetadventures

Tuesday 26th of December 2023

Aww thank you so much for your kind words. I'm glad to hear you found my guide helpful! :)

Katherine Hurt

Sunday 19th of March 2023

Since my baby is 8 months old and we live in San Diego, I appreciate all of your advice. We are preparing to drive to San Francisco so that our baby can meet the family. Many people advised us to travel after the baby has gone to sleep. Then I came across your essay, which has been a huge assistance to us with all of our issues. Many thanks

Aww thank you. I’m glad my post has been helpful to you. I know some say to drive at night when the baby is sleeping, but that never appealed to us. And every baby is different! If you can, I would try a day trip to get some experience. We now have twin babies and the same has applied with them. We drive an hourish before nap and they are out for at least 2 hrs. And have learned that they really can’t do more than 5 hours without getting out of the car for a break. If you have questions, feel free to ask.

Tuesday 7th of June 2022

Thank you for all the tips; my baby is 9 months we live in San Diego and are planning to drive to San Francisco so our baby can meet the family. A lot of people told us drive at night when the baby is sleeping. Then I found your article and help us a lot with all our concerns. Thank you

Wednesday 8th of June 2022

Hi Emma, thank you for your comment. That makes me so happy to hear you found my guide helpful. I hope my tips help you for your family road trip!

LONG car ride with 4 month old

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Road Trip with Baby: How to Survive Long Car Rides

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Our oldest child logged more miles in the car his first few months of life than I can even begin to count.  I’ll thank our family and friends all over the eastern part of the United States for that! A road trip with baby requires a lot flexibility, especially given that the car ride can change so much during each stage of your baby’s life. A road trip with a newborn is MUCH different than a road trip with an 8 month old baby, for example.

With some advanced planning and trial and error, road trips with babies do get easier! Below is a rundown of our best tips and products for surviving long car rides with baby.

Disclaimer: Toddling Traveler participates in the Amazon Affiliate program and other affiliate programs. That means we may earn a commission qualifying purchases through our links, at no cost to you.

Road Trip Tips for Long Car Rides with a Baby

We learned a lot about drives with a baby after all the miles we logged in that first year. (And some things were definitely learned the hard way!) Below are a handful of our best tips for road trips with a baby after many long drives with two kids.

1. Accept that a road trip with a baby is going to take you longer

I typically estimate about a 30 minute stop for every 2.5 hours of driving.  There have been times, however, that I stopped every 2 hours (or even more.) Given the differences in mobility and sleep, a road trip with a 6 week old baby is going to be very different than a road trip with a 6 month old baby. When my son was in that 6-12 month stage, road trips were a little more difficult and often required more stops to allow him to stretch out.

Bottom line, give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination safely and comfortably!

2. Pack as much of the car as you can the night before your road trip with baby

Whether you’re leaving at 5am or 5pm, try to pack the car ahead of time to minimize stress the day you’re leaving for your trip. Ideally, I try to have everything in the car but the diaper bag and cooler well before our departure time. That usually means packing the car the night before for early departures.

The last thing you want to do is to have to jam a week’s worth of stuff into your car while trying to hold the baby or wrangle older siblings. (Especially since there will be times when just walking out the door is a feat in itself.)

3. Try to sync up long drives with your baby’s sleeping schedule

When my oldest was only a few months old, it worked best for us to leave early in the morning. He was taking several naps and would fall back asleep in the car, making road trips with a 1 month old baby and up to about 4 months pretty easy. As he got a little older and was more mobile, he was the most active early in the morning. That meant we had to adjust our approach and leave a little later to coordinate drives with his nap schedule. (Or just be super effective at keeping him entertained first thing in the morning!) This was also the case for our second child.

For really long drives, splitting the drive up also works well. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to stay overnight. Just stopping for an hour or two to stretch and get a change of scenery works well too. Especially when babies start to become mobile and need to get those wiggles out.

For those moms or dads to-be, I don’t want to give you a false impression that every single baby sleeps well in a car. We were lucky with our son in that he always slept in the car at some point during the drive, but you might need try out different approaches to get this right.

4. Pack extra snacks and meals for road trips

Once babies are starting to get into the solids phase, you’re likely going to be bringing a lot of their food from home. For snacks that travel well, we love teething wafers or puffs . We also loved snack catching cups as our son got older and started eating snacks more independently. They’re a lifesaver with preventing snacks from getting dumped all over the keep your car by your little ones!

While we like fruit and veggie pouches for easy on-the-go nutrition, I don’t recommend them for car rides. Speaking from experience, they can make a mess unless you have someone in the backseat to help.

Be sure to also have more food and milk/formula on hand than you think you need. You never know when you’ll get stuck in traffic or your drive will take longer than planned.

5. Bring different forms of entertainment for the car

Babies can easily get bored looking at the same thing for ours on end. (And so can adults, for that matter!) Regardless of their age, proactively keeping your baby entertained in the car definitely helps minimize the fussing.

Screen time is one form of entertainment many parents use in the car with babies or toddlers. We don’t typically use iPads or Kindles at home, so they’ve always been a special treat for long drives or flights. Our favorite device for kids is the Kindle Fire along with a Kindle Fire tablet case for kids . We also have this tablet holder for car that hooks onto the headrest and can be used for a rear or front facing car seat. If you’re planning to use screen time in the car with baby, I recommend using other forms of entertainment first and keep the tablet for playing learning shows like Miss Rachel when they get really restless.

A few of our favorite toys for a road trip with baby are below.

• A sensory   toy that’s multifaceted like  this one .   It also has rings, a teether, a mirror, a rattle as well as multiple sounds and textures.  
• The  Wubbanub Pacifier is great, even if your baby doesn’t take a pacifier. It was a lifesaver on our road trip home from Omaha with a newborn when we weren’t able to stop and feed our son right away.  
• A stuffed animal or lovey is great to give them comfort and something to grasp.
• When your baby starts teething, bring several teether options. Both for back up when they drop them and to switch it up with something new. Some of our favorite tethers are Nubby Chewy Rings , the Chicken Wing Appeteether and the Banana Toothbrush Teether .
• If another adult is able to be in the backseat, you can bring books to read to them. Check out our page on travel books for children for more ideas.
• As your baby gets closer to 1 year old, sticker books are a great toddler road trip activity with adult assistance.

Related Post: 10 Baby and Toddler Toys for Travel Under $10

6. Make sure you can access an open seat in the car

When driving for long periods of time, I’ve found that the car often becomes ground zero for anything you need to do to take care of the baby.   For this reason, it definitely helps if you leave the backseat next to your baby open.  (This gets a little tougher when you have other kids in the car, but it’s helpful for new parents trying to navigate everything.) Whether you need to go back and check on the baby or quickly change a dirty diaper, that extra space is key!

As a breastfeeding mom, I also felt more comfortable nursing from my car with it parked in the corner of the parking lot versus trying to manage it inside a rest stop.  This is totally a matter of personal preference, and I admire anyone who can breastfeed anywhere!

7. Know where the rest stops are for those frequent stops

If you have a navigation or app that shows where the rest stops are, use it! Knowing how many miles away the rest stops are is super helpful when trying to time out feedings and diaper changes in the car.  

Have to stop when there’s no rest stop near you? Many toll roads and major highways have emergency rest stops.  I found these to be especially helpful when I was driving by myself. There were quite a few times that my son became hysterical, and I had to stop either comfort him, feed him or change his diaper. (Hence, why the prior tip on leaving an open car seat comes in handy!)

If your child is just starting to become more mobile, try to use rest stops to help them stretch out and move around as well. Sitting in a car that long is hard enough for adults, much less babies who just want to move and don’t understand why they can’t.

8. Try to bring reinforcements when you’re tackling a long car ride with baby

I’ve probably done as many road trips with my son solo as I have with someone else in the car. For obvious reasons, it’s much easier to get through the long drive with a baby when you have someone to help you. You can actually check on the baby without hanging to pull over. And rest stops are easier to tackle since you can split up getting guess, using the restroom and taking care of the baby.

9. Ziplock bags are your friend

I never leave the house without Ziplock bags when traveling with a baby, whether I’m road tripping or not. You can use Ziplock bags for dirty clothes and diapers, snacks, other trash that you don’t want to stink up the car. We usually have some in the diaper bag, and they’re small enough that you can keep a few large Ziplock bags in the glove compartment or other car storage just in case.

10. Stay focused on the road when you have a baby on board

This one may seem obvious, but it’s easy to get distracted when driving with a baby. As a multi-tasker at heart, it’s tough for me not to feel like I’m super woman and can focus on the road while simultaneously singing to my son and picking up that sippy cup I swear he tried to throw at me.

I’m constantly having to remind myself of this and will often stop to pull over in a safe spot if I need to check on something for peace of mind. It’s much better and safer than trying to do it all from the driver’s seat.

5 Must Have Products for a Car Ride with a Baby

In addition to the above-mentioned items, below are some things we swear by for your road trip with baby packing list. For any moms-to-be out there, I definitely recommend planning ahead and considering these items for your baby registry.  

1. Baby Mirror

A baby car mirror was critical for us for both safety and peace of mind for car rides of any length. We relied pretty heavily on these to see our son when he was rear facing. The mirror especially comes in handy if you’re doing a solo road trip with a baby. It makes it much easier to check if they’re sleeping, crying or throwing their toy for the millionth time when you don’t have a co-pilot to help.  

We have this backseat car mirror . I love that it’s big enough to see the baby’s entire body, and it’s easy to install and adjust when needed.

2. Car Sunshades 

Our son HATES the sun in his eyes, especially in the car. While our newer car came with sunshades, our prior car when we first had our son did not. These white-hot car safety shades are perfect. Not only do they have an indicator that shows if the car is too hot, but they also retract easily. Every car is different, so make sure you measure your car windows to ensure you’re getting adequate coverage for your window size. I’d recommend avoiding the stick-on car shades that fold up, since they easily fall off.

As your little one gets older, baby sunglasses are a great option if they’ll keep them on for the car. You can find the best baby sunglasses here .

3. Small Cooler

A cooler is critical for any road trip, but especially with a baby when you can’t easily get drinks and snacks for them at a rest stop.

We bought this freezable lunch bag cooler after it was recommended by a friend.  The bag itself freezes, and it can keep the contents cold without a separate freezer pack It also easily folds up when you’re not using it.  It’s the perfect size to keep a couple bottles and snacks cold for that long car ride. And it’s also great for milk on a plane ride with a baby or traveling without baby while breastfeeding .

Looking for a larger cooler for car rides? This soft-sided cooler is large enough for several drinks and food. Plus, it’s foldable and easy to pack away when not using it.

4. Hands-free diaper bag

This probably seems too obvious, but the hands-free part is key when making those pit stops while juggling a baby. I have this diaper bag that I wear like a cross body diaper bag. (Although sadly the champagne color I have is discontinued.) I also have this diaper bag backpack that we use periodically.

In addition to the multiple pockets, a changing pad that comes out separately and velcros shut is also a necessity. You will definitely want something that can easily be washed after multiple uses on those dirty roadside changing tables.

5. Light blanket

Whether in the car or just pushing the stroller, we almost always had a thin muslin blanket on our son’s lap. Not only does it help make sure baby is warm enough in the car, but it also gives them something to grab onto for comfort. We love muslin baby blankets because they serve a number of purposes and are light, breathable and easy to pack.  

Target also sells a similar, less expensive set of muslin baby blankets that we’ve used as well.

Do you have any additional tips for long car rides with a baby? Please share in the comments!

Related Posts:

• 9 Baby Travel Essentials + Packing List
• 6 Toddler Road Trip Tips
• 12 Reasons to Travel with a Baby or Toddler

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19 thoughts on “Road Trip with Baby: How to Survive Long Car Rides”

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I love you tips.Thanks for putting this together I will pin for later to have it handy then I travel next time.

You’re welcome! I’m so glad to hear it was helpful.

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Such brilliant tips, which take me back to many years ago – am sure these will be useful for so many parents. Also, the photos are adorable!

Thanks so much!

oh dear. we did not get a car until my son was about 15 months old so on the rare times he was in one as a baby, OMG he hated it! We did a road trip from Raleigh to the outer banks when he was 5months old and he screamed the whole time!!!!!! def takes longer, driver has to stay focused. plastic bags, extra clothes, prepare for it all!

That’s quite the drive! It’s definitely tougher when they get more mobile!!

I agree with you that it was easier when the baby was between 0-4 month old. The baby mirror and car sun shades also helped us a lot. Now our baby is 13 years old. 🙂

Time flies! We’re about to start doing this all over again so I’m hoping these baby road trip tips stick for baby #2!

You always have the best insight for traveling with our youngest travelers! Great tips as always…!

Thanks so much Jen!

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Tips & Tools

Is it safe for my baby to travel in a car seat for hours at a time.

Dina DiMaggio, MD, FAAP

If you need to travel with young infant, a road trip may seem like a good option. After all, packed planes can expose babies to more germs.

If you're considering a longer car ride with your baby, here are some tips to help keep them safe and comfortable.

Check the car safety seat

If you plan to hit the road, it is important to make sure that your infant's car seat is properly installed. Be sure to read the instructions that came with the seat. The car seat needs to be rear-facing and installed at the correct angle.

Following the manufacturer's instructions for installation angle helps prevent your baby's head from slumping down in the seat. You want to avoid a chin-to-chest position that blocks their airway. Also, be sure the five-point harness system is correctly adjusted and pulled snug to your baby at all times while riding in the car.

While on the move, babies can sleep in a properly installed car seat in the car. Car seats are designed not only to protect a baby in a crash, but are also tested to keep babies in safe sleep positions if they doze off.

Still, car seats are not ideal for very extended periods when the baby is not being closely watched while sleeping. And they should not be considered a safe place to sleep for the baby outside of the car.

Ride in the backseat with your baby

It is always best to have an adult or responsible older child in the backseat with your baby to easily take care of their needs during the trip. This can help your baby stay on a schedule as much as possible. It allows you to feed them at their usual times (if bottle feeding), play with them, keep an eye out for issues such as car sickness and know when to stop for a diaper change. Being right by their side to sing, read or even massage them, will help avoid tears and make for a smoother journey.

Take regular breaks

It is important for you and your baby to get out of the car every few hours and take a stretch to avoid restlessness. Try to take a break every 2 to 3 hours for a day trip and every 4 to 6 hours at night to change diapers or soiled clothes, or to feed your baby. Never attempt to breastfeed in a moving car.

Before hitting the road, be prepared and know where gas stations and rest stops are on the way. In case you decide you need a longer break, it's a good idea to know where baby friendly hotels are located. If you aren't sure there will be a safe sleep space at your destination, bring a bassinet or portable play yard with you, since it's not safe for your baby to sleep in the car seat once you arrive.

Have essentials close by

Pack a diaper bag or cooler for the back seat to have handy essentials at your fingertips. This may include:

extra diapers, wipes, diaper cream, changing pad, clothes, garbage bags to dispose of diapers, and hand sanitizer

formula or breast milk kept on ice or in a cooling bag, and bibs

pacifiers, a favorite soothing toy, books, and a device to play music for entertainment

a thermometer

Have snacks and water readily available for yourself, too! If you need to stop for a coffee to go, remember not to leave your baby unattended in the car even briefly. Children can suffer heat stroke very quickly in hot cars.

Consider traveling when it best fits your infant's schedule

If you are traveling for a few hours, consider an early morning trip when your baby may still be sleeping, or during longer nap times. For longer trips, consider driving at night when your baby is normally asleep for the night.

Plan on things not going according to plan

Traveling with an infant can be stressful. It's important to take little bumps in stride and not get too stressed out when things don't go exactly according to plan. Focus on the positives: traveling in a car allows you to take as many stops as needed and to follow your own schedule.

Talk with your pediatrician if you have any questions about traveling with your infant.

More Information

• Ask the Pediatrician: When can children get the COVID-19 vaccine?
• Car Seats: Information for Families
• Preventing Child Deaths in Hot Cars
• Road Trip Play Ideas for Backseat Fun

​Dina DiMaggio, MD, FAAP, is a board-certified pediatrician at Pediatric Associates of NYC and at NYU Langone Health. She is the co-author of ​ The Pediatrician's Guide to Feeding Babies and Toddlers , a comprehensive manual written by a team of medical, nutrition, and culinary experts. She also serves as an AAP spokesperson. Follow her on Instagram @Pediatriciansguide .​

10 Tips for Road Tripping With an Infant

Image Source / Getty Images

Road trips with an infant can be stressful, but they don’t have to be, and the truth is a car ride with a baby is often less stressful than getting on a plane. You can stop your own vehicle for an emergency bathroom break or to move around a restless toddler. And if your baby does throw a tantrum, you can focus your attention on their needs instead of worrying about other passengers.

Whether you're hitting the road to visit the grandparents or heading to a vacation destination geared toward families with infants , you may be surprised at some of the simple things you can do to keep your little one calm and quiet during your trip. Whether you’ll be on the road for five hours or five days, these 10 tips will help your vacation go as smoothly as possible.

While one person is driving, have another sit in the back with the baby. Having that caretaker in the back seat can help address issues as they arise—preparing bottles, wiping up, curing boredom with some old-fashioned “peek-a-boo”—which can help minimize stops and avoid total meltdowns.

It's an old bit of wisdom, but "sleep when the baby sleeps" is solid advice during a road trip with kids . When the baby is sleeping, the person in the back should try to rest, too, so they can be refreshed enough to take over driving when the driver gets fatigued.

Manage Expectations

Any number of things can go wrong on a road trip—a flat tire, bad weather, food poisoning—but those hiccups become exponentially more stressful with a young (likely screaming) infant in tow. Accepting that going in and maintaining a sense of humor about the situation can go a long way to help ease the tension. After all, the difference between a fiasco and an adventure can be as simple as your state of mind.

One way to make light of unpleasant situations is to make a game out of them. For example, put together Baby Road Trip BINGO cards where spaces are filled in with any and all potential disasters—think "blow out in the car seat" or tiny victories like "finished a whole podcast." That way, even bad situations turn into wins.  

Drive at Night

It’s a bit uncomfortable for the parents, but then again, so is a screaming child with no exit in sight. Driving at night means your baby will spend more time sleeping and less time awake and hungry, bored, or needing changes. You’ll be able to drive for longer stretches without needing breaks. 

A great way to maximize drive time is to schedule your departure so that it coincides with bedtime. Go through your whole routine (bath, pajamas, bedtime song—whatever your nightly ritual entails), but put the baby down to sleep in the car seat instead of the crib or bassinet. Drive as long as you're comfortable—or for as long as the baby is sleeping—but be sure to switch drivers, caffeinate, and rest when needed to avoid driving drowsy. 

Plan Frequent Breaks

You might be able to go six hours without using the bathroom or needing to eat, but the baby likely can't. Plan for stops every one to three hours during the day and three to six hours at night to change diapers, stretch legs, eat, and change sweaty or spit-up clothes as needed.

To avoid unnecessary stops, make a checklist of items that you go through during every break so you don’t forget anything, such as changing the baby’s diaper or clothes, using the restroom (for those not in diapers), and refreshing essential supplies. 

Skip the Scenic Route

While scenic overlooks and long stretches of the open road might seem like the very things that make a road trip worthwhile, they can also make it difficult to find help or reprieve when you need it. Choose a route in advance that has frequent access to food, 24-hour gas stations, restrooms, and service areas.

Even better, plot out some pit-stops in advance —including some potential hotels if you think you might need a real rest—so you can pull over when necessary.

Keep Supplies Nearby

You might have a giant suitcase with everything you need to survive traveling with an infant for an extended period of time, but that's not what you want to be digging through at 65 mph while a baby is screaming in your ear, or while parked at a dodgy rest stop in the middle of the night.

Keep a kit within easy reach so you don’t have to unbuckle your seat belt to retrieve any critical items, and fill the bag with small amounts of necessities (you can always refill as you go). You could pack all of these items into a medium-sized backpack or tote bag:

• A portable changing pad with two or three diapers
• A packet of wipes
• Pre-portioned bottles of formula or breast milk in a small cooler bag
• Two or three small but versatile toys
• Infant Tylenol or ibuprofen
• A baby forehead thermometer
• A small portable sound machine
• An extra blanket

In addition to the baby kit, be sure there's one for the adults, too. That could include mobile chargers for your electronic devices, a tablet or e-reader, high-protein/easy-to-eat snacks, sleep aids, sleep mask, a small pillow, earphones, and earplugs. You might also want to bring along a car sun shade to help your little one nap.

Brush up on Baby Massage Techniques

Babies can get stiff and uncomfortable after sitting for hours in their seats, just like adults. Read up on some infant massage techniques that you can modify to use either while driving (if you’re on backseat duty) and during stops. Gently massaging legs and feet, in particular, can often help calm a fussy baby long enough to get you to a good stopping place where they can stretch out their legs in earnest.

Sing Simple Camp Songs

When it comes to fussy infants stuck in car seats, be prepared with a variety of tools at your disposal. Singing songs can often be more effective than the radio at helping to put a baby to sleep, calming them when they’re fussy, and entertaining them when they’re bored. Try to pick songs with simple melodies, but where verses can be added or improvised as with many nursery rhymes or typical camp songs. Taking turns inventing new lyrics can help break up the monotony for parents, too.

Take Precautions

With or without an infant, standard prep and safety precautions should be followed. Make sure you have a spare tire, car jack, and tire iron that are ready to go, especially if you're driving through sparsely populated areas where the nearest mechanic could be several miles away. It's not fun waiting hours for a tow truck to arrive and even less so when you have a baby on board.

While packing the car, be sure not to obstruct the driver’s view, including in the rearview mirror. And always take steps to pull over to well-lit areas when stopping at night.

Admit Defeat

If you’re tired, if you’re frustrated, if everyone in the car (including and especially your baby) can’t take another second on the road, then stop. It’s okay.

Find a place to rest and give yourself a few minutes or hours to regroup. Most hotels will take bookings any time of day and many provide cribs in the room upon request. Take a nap in a real bed or freshen up with a hot shower and a meal at a sit-down restaurant. Giving yourself and your baby a chance to reset can help make the rest of the ride go more smoothly.  

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Driving with your baby or toddler long distance: tips for road trips

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If you’re taking the car to your holiday destination or heading off on a road trip, here’s how to make your drive go smoothly

Car seats: the important part

Before you go anywhere in a car with your baby, the car seat needs to be fitted correctly. Most shops will make sure your car seat is properly fitted when you buy it. Follow all the safety instructions and make sure it’s right for your child’s height and weight.

Your child’s straps should be pulled tight so you can only fit one finger’s width between the strap and their body. Apart from being safe, this will also ensure your baby is comfortable enough in their car seat (Parents, 2012) .

If you’re hiring a car seat, make sure that it fits all of the same criteria. For full instructions, head to the government’s website (GOV.UK 2018) .

Be prepared…for everything

If your child suffers from travel sickness , talk to your GP or pharmacist about suggestions. You can then make sure you have whatever you need for the journey.

If your baby likes a dummy, keep some spare in the front of the car. You’ll be ready to pass one over every time they (inevitably) drop them on the floor (Baby routes, 2012) .

It can be handy to keep some first aid essentials too. This could include any prescription medicines that your baby might need, plasters or travel sickness pills (Parents, 2012) .

If it’s going to be sunny, bring shades for the window. These window shades can protect from lights at night time as well (Child Development Institute, 2003) .

In case you get stuck in traffic, make sure you’ve got snacks and drinks for yourself (Telegraph 2008; Child Development Institute 2018) .

Should I let my child have snacks in the car?

While having some snacks to chomp on can be a handy distraction for a toddler on a car journey, choking is a concern (Consumer Reports, 2018) . The general advice is to avoid giving your child snacks on a journey for two main reasons. First, the risk of choking and being able to deal with it quickly (Consumer Reports, 2018) . Second, the risk of accidents happening if you’re craning round to offer your child a snack (Consumer Reports, 2018) .

Instead, it’s safer to allow time for snacks before the journey and to pull over if you have to during the journey (Consumer Reports, 2018) .

If you’re breastfeeding or bottle feeding, always pull over too. It’s risky to take a child out of their car seat and feed en route (even if you’re sitting in the back seat).

Make the car fun

If they’re having fun, most babies and toddlers will enjoy a car journey. They might be interested enough in a lorry you pass or the child waving from the car in the next lane on the motorway. But toys attached to the overhead bar of the car seat or a book clipped to the seat can also help distract younger babies.

For toddlers, go for sticker books or a child-friendly tablet where they can catch a few episodes of Peppa Pig. Don’t forget music and nursery rhyme CDs on car journeys (Which?, 2018) . You could borrow some books from your library for your child to read or look at during the journey too (Child Development Institute, 2018) .

Having one person in the back seat to comfort or entertain can make journeys easier. Someone singing or playing games can help distract a baby or toddler a little while longer. Babies often prefer face-to-face time with their family than spending playing with their toys (Baby Can Travel, 2017) .

Schedule in breaks and nap times

It’s easiest to accept that with babies or toddlers, your journey is likely to take a lot longer than it would if it were just you (Child Development Institute, 2018) . The best thing to do is schedule your drive around the time that your child would normally sleep.

If it’s a long journey, allow plenty of time for breaks so they can stretch their legs and get a break from the car seat. It’s important not to keep them in their car seat for too long anyway (Baby Routes, 2012; Baby Can Travel, 2017) .

Don’t let your baby sleep too long in their car seat

Experts have warned not to use car seats as a general place for your baby to sleep in  (The Lullaby Trust, 2016, 2021) . It's okay if they do fall asleep for a short time when you're driving, but once you’re home, always move them into their cot, even if it means waking them up (The Lullaby Trust, 2021) .

If you have to travel a long way with your baby, make sure you take regular breaks where you take your baby out of the seat to stretch and move around. Ideally, an adult would travel in the back seat with your baby to keep an eye on them (The Lullaby Trust, 2021) . If that's not possible, keep checking them in your mirror.

For pre-term and young babies, the advice is to avoid travelling long distances. A study found they may be at risk of breathing difficulties if they're sitting in a car seat for too long (The Lullaby Trust, 2021) .

Safety first

Never leave your baby alone in the car, even for a minute (Child Development Institute, 2018) .

We know how a stressful and distracting a crying baby in the car can be. Rather than keep going, take time to stop and calm your baby before continuing with the journey (Child Development Institute, 2018) .

It’s illegal to smoke in the car with anyone under 18 because second-hand smoke in such an enclosed space is dangerous (GOV.UK, 2015) .

This page was last reviewed in May 2019, updated February 2024.

Further information

Our support line offers practical and emotional support with feeding your baby and general enquiries for parents, members and volunteers: 0300 330 0700.

You might find attending one of our NCT New Baby courses helpful as they give you the opportunity to explore different approaches to important parenting issues with a qualified group leader and other new parents in your area.

Make friends with other parents-to-be and new parents in your local area for support and friendship by seeing what  NCT activities  are happening nearby.

Parents. (2012) How to travel with baby in the car. Available at: https://www.parents.com/baby/care/american-baby-how-tos/how-to-travel-with-baby-in-the-car/ [Accessed 12th June 2018]

Child Development Institute. (2003) Taking a road trip with your baby. Available at: https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/ages-stages/baby-infant-development-parenting/road-trip-with-babies/#.W9f3ytX7TIU [Accessed 12th June 2018]

Consumer Reports. (2018) Distracted driving: Why kids’ snacks and mom’s driving don’t mix. Available at https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2010/06/distracted-driving-why-kids-snacks-and-mom-s-driving-don-t-mix/index.htm [Accessed 12th June 2018]

Family Off Duty. (2018) Tips for road trip with toddlers and babies. Available at: https://familyoffduty.com/tips-for-road-trip-with-toddlers-and-babies/ [Accessed 12th June 2018]

GOV.UK. (2018) Child car seats: the law. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules [Accessed 12th June 2018]

The Lullaby Trust. (2016) The Lullaby Trust's statement regarding new research on car seats. Available at: https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/the-lullaby-trusts-statement-regarding-new-research-on-car-seats/ [Accessed 12th June 2018]

The Lullaby Trust Car seats and SIDS (2021)  https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/car-seats-and-sids/

Which? Top 10 baby and child travel tips. Available at: https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/travelling-with-children/article/travelling-with-children/top-10-baby-and-child-travel-tips [Accessed 12th June 2018]

Baby routes. (2012) Ten top tips for long car journeys with babies and young children. Available at: https://babyroutes.co.uk/ten-tips-long-car-journeys-children-babies/ [Accessed 12th June 2018]

Baby can travel. (2017) Road trip with a baby: 7 essential tips. Available at: https://www.babycantravel.com/2015/09/14/road-trip-with-a-baby-7-essential-tips/ [Accessed 12th June 2018]

Telegraph. (2008) Twenty tips: Travelling in a car with children. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/familyholidays/2433320/Twenty-tips-Travelling-in-a-car-with-children.html [Accessed 12th June 2018]

GOV.UK. (2015) Smoking in cars with children banned from today. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/smoking-in-cars-with-children-banned-from-today [Accessed 12th June 2018]

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All of our articles have been thoroughly researched and are based on the latest evidence from reputable and robust sources. We create our articles with NCT antenatal teachers, postnatal leaders and breastfeeding counsellors, as well as academics and representatives from relevant organisations and charities.

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Tips for a Road Trip With a Baby: How to Survive the Long Drive

Setting off on a road trip with your little one? I know – it sounds like a mission. Trying to figure out nap times, packing enough but not too many toys, dealing with sudden mood swings (and that’s just from the parents!) – it’s enough to give anyone a slight headache. “Will my baby be okay? How on earth am I going to keep them calm? Did I pack enough diapers?” These questions whirling around in your head are perfectly normal, and I’m here to help with my tips for a road trip with a baby.

Over the years, I’ve taken my kids on so many road trips, I’ve lost count. Short weekend jaunts, epic cross-country adventures, you name it. And you know what? Every single one was a learning curve. Sometimes, it felt more like a rollercoaster than a curve, but that’s parenting for you. I’ve had my share of forgotten essentials and messy surprises, but each hiccup has helped me perfect my road trip routine.

Don’t worry – by the end of this blog post, you’ll be a lot more confident about hitting the road with your little partner in crime. You’ll know what to expect, what to pack, and how to handle those inevitable bumps along the way. I’ve done all the hard yards, the late-night packing, and the frantic roadside diaper changes. Now, you get to benefit from my road-tested wisdom and plan a trip that’s all about the fun stuff.

Table of Contents

Road Tripping With an Infant FAQs

I know how different it is to take your kids with you on a long drive compared to a fun and spontaneous road trip as a couple . Especially if you’re taking a baby with you. And if it’s your first trip as a family, you’d be forgiven for feeling overwhelmed and nervous . 

Jumping in the car to explore the country can be such a fantastic memory-making experience. Plus, showing your kids (even the teeny tiny ones) magical places is part of what all parents dream of doing. 

So to calm your worries and help you plan a fabulous vacation, I’ve gathered some of the most frequently asked questions and answered them as best I could. 

Have another question? Or a tip for new parents about to hit the road? Let us all know in the comments, and keep the support going!

What to Expect When Traveling With a Baby

The question most parents would love to be able to answer with a crystal ball; I promise, even if you have a few hiccups on the road, at the end of the day, the memories will be worth it. 

A road trip with a baby under 12 months isn’t the nightmare that some may make it seem, as long as you prep properly . Your baby has their usual routine, space, and expectations in their daily life—all of which go away once you put them in the car for an extended period of time. 

You definitely should expect them to be a little fussy , possibly get bored, and very likely make a bit of a mess . With a few important steps, you can ensure the ride is pleasant for the baby and parents. You want to make fun family memories , which means enjoying the journey just as much as the destination .

I’ve been using Roadtrippers for years to help me plan out my trips and find fun stops along the way. Use my code “BTR5QTP” for $5 off when you sign up!

What is The Best Age to Road Trip With a Baby?

This depends on your baby, of course. Generally, it’s best to start planning your family road trip only once your baby is about three months old. Between three and six months , babies are in their developmental stage and will begin to gain more head and neck control. 

This means they can sit in a car seat and be comfortable for slightly extended periods. They’re also typically on better sleeping schedules at this age, allowing you to plan accordingly. 

You can entertain your baby between three and six months with bright, colorful, and noisy toys. They’re interested in the world around them but not yet crawling or walking , so they won’t be too antsy to get out of their seat for the whole ride.

Also taking Fido? Here are some tips for a road trip with a dog .

How Often Do You Have to Stop With a Baby on a Road Trip?

When you’re planning a road trip with a baby, your stops will need to be planned around their routine . You’ll likely need to stop for feeding, diaper changes, and as they get fussy . You may find that a stop is needed as they wake up from a nap or before they fall asleep. 

On average, I would say plan for a stop every two to four hours . Try not to go longer than this, for the whole family’s sake. Although, if you’re driving overnight and your baby sleeps through, you may be able to extend this a bit. 

The shorter driving times when you’re traveling with a baby may just give you the perfect excuse to stay over in more small towns. Driving four hours and then retiring for the night at a quaint hotel or BnB only adds to the entire road-tripping experience is one of my best tips for a road trip with a baby.

How Do You Occupy a Baby in a Car?

Unlike older kids, babies are not going to be interested in games of I Spy or a traveling trivia quiz . So how do you keep them busy for the ±four hour stretches of driving?

One way is to play music in the car — not the latest pop songs, but nursery rhymes and calming tunes. Sing along and make it a fun time for the baby. Give them a rattle to play with as well, as this will help stimulate them. This is ideal when on a road trip with a baby and toddler, as it can entertain both of them at the same time (I used this trick many times on drives).

You can also set up a sort of mobile in the car, with animals and colorful toys for them to look at and grab. If their heads can’t reach the windows, give them a plastic handheld mirror or position a mirror to help them see the fun sights outside. 

If all else fails, chatting with your baby is normally always a winner. Play peek-a-boo , describe your journey, and tell them where you’re going. Even if they don’t seem to understand it all, your attention and the sound of your voice are often enough to keep them engaged. 

Make sure to reserve your rental car ahead of time! I love using Discover Cars for my trips.

Can You Give a Baby a Bottle While Driving?

The short answer is no. 

It might be perfectly fine to have your older kids snacking while driving, but the risks are too high for an infant. You shouldn’t have a baby drinking from a bottle without your attention being fully focused on both the baby and the bottle . 

Even if you are breastfeeding, it’s not safe to do so while the car is moving . So it’s best to plan your stops according to the baby’s feeding schedule . 

How Do You Calm a Crying Baby on a Road Trip?

There’s always a reason why your baby is crying. First, check that they’re not uncomfortably hot, cold, or perhaps have a dirty diaper . It’s also good to check that they’re not hungry . 

If their basic needs are met, and they are still crying, they may just not be enjoying the drive as much. Try playing soothing music, talking to them, or giving them a toy to distract them . If none of that works, then it may be best for everyone to stop the car at the next safe spot, get out, and cuddle the baby until they are calm again . 

Are Car Seats Uncomfortable for Babies?

As long as your car seat is properly installed and has all of the right cushioning, it should be comfortable enough for your baby to sit in during a drive. Sitting in one for too long for a more extended, cross-country drive with a baby can become uncomfortable . 

Staying in one position for extended periods of time will agitate anyone, and babies are no different. There are a few ways you can ease this discomfort until you stop, though:

• Keep the car’s temperature pleasant. 
• Give the baby a little extra cushioning where you can. 
• Distract them with toys and excitement. 

How Long Should a Baby Be in a Car Seat on a Trip?

Even though babies can’t walk around yet, they still need to stretch during road trips . If you’re doing longer newborn travel by car, you should aim to take them out of the car seat every two hours or so (a very important tip for a road trip with a baby). 

If your perfectly planned road trip falls within the three- to six-month sweet spot, then two to four hours is fine . Be sure that when you’re stopping, you’re taking the baby out of their car seat and letting their bodies stretch in different positions for a bit. 

What Do I Do If My Baby Hates the Car Seat?

So, your baby cannot stand when you put them in a car seat — are your dreams of a family road trip over? Not necessarily. 

First, I would check with a doctor if anything makes the baby hate sitting in the car seat. If there are no medical concerns, then it may just be personal preference. You can slowly introduce long road trips with a baby and make the experience more pleasant. Both my kids hated drives at first, but they got used to it the more I traveled with them.

Don’t begin right off the bat with a 15-hour trip from LA to Lake Tahoe ; begin with an hour-long drive and gradually increase the time and distance . Doing this will allow you to test out a few soothing options and hopefully find one that works. Driving while the baby sleeps is also an option. 

What Should I Pack for a Baby on a Road Trip?

You can read my full family road trip packing list for a more detailed list , but here are a few essential items to include that are important road trip with baby tips: 

• Extra diapers — Pack a little more than you think you’ll need. It’s better to be overprepared with a little one than scramble to find a grocery store while on the road. 
• Wipes and rash cream — These should be with your diapers, but again, pack a little more than you think you need in case of emergencies. 
• Extra sets of clothing — This is standard when going anywhere with kids and babies. Make sure you have extra clothes for messes as well as enough clothing for all kinds of weather. 
• Their favorite blanket — Keep babies comfy and soothed with whatever blankie they would use at home. This will help them sleep better in the car and may keep the tears away on the drive. 
• A few fun toys — There isn’t much space in the car, so you want to make sure that the toys you bring along will entertain the baby for long periods. Choose colorful toys, squishy ones, and even ones that make a bit of noise — just remember, you don’t want to have a distracted driver. 
• Bibs and utensils — Quick meals on the side of the road or at a gas station may be necessary. Pack in any mealtime essentials so you’re not left in the lurch if you need to make an emergency dinner stop. 
• Sippy cups and bottles — Ensure you have enough of these with you so that even if you can’t wash them out for a few hours, there’s still a clean one to use until you reach your hotel. 
• First aid kit — Always keep a car first aid kit on you. Include things like pain syrup for little ones, bandaids, and any medication your baby usually takes. Also, bring sanitizer, mosquito repellant, and a thermometer. 
• Baby car rier — Pit stops and impromptu hikes will be much easier and more enjoyable if you can comfortably carry the baby around. 
• Milk and snacks — While you can find food along your route, you definitely want to pack some easy-to-eat snacks and enough milk to avoid a hangry baby. 
• Bin bags — You’re going to want to keep the car clutter-free and as clean as possible. This will eliminate frustration, help you quickly find what you need, and make the drive more enjoyable. Keep plastic bags to throw trash in and discard them as soon as possible once you’ve stopped. 

What Food to Carry for Babies While Traveling?

We’ve mentioned packing in food and snacks, but what else can you take that won’t make too much mess or require any prepping? Some great options to keep in the car for emergency snacking include:

• Extra milk and/or water – I always warn parents against packing juices for road trips because they’re sticky and can get everywhere if spilled. Pack milk for the ride if your baby is too young for water. 
• Sipping yogurt – Driving may take away the baby’s appetite. Sipping yogurt is easy to eat in the car, will fill them up a bit, and often tastes good enough to entice them to eat. 
• Finger foo ds – Beef jerky, cheese puffs, finger sandwiches. These are all ideal for packing into a lunchbox in the car and handing over if your little one starts to complain about tummy grumbles. 
• Pre-packaged & single-serve baby food pouches – What you don’t want to do is try and handle large amounts of anything to dish anything out in the car. It might be a little more work, but getting pre-packaged snacks before you set off makes eating and sharing easier on the drive. 
• Pre-cut fruit – Cut up apple slices, pears, or oranges, as these will be a fun, sweet (but healthy) snack to keep the little mouths busy for a while. 

Read more in my post with 101 road trip snacks for kids .

How Do You Pack Baby Milk for Travel?

If the baby is still exclusively on milk or only just starting on solids, you’ll want to bring quite a bit of this with you on your road trip with an infant. Keeping it fresh is important; no one wants to drive for hours with a car smelling like spoiled milk. 

If you’re pumping breastmilk to take with you, keep it frozen before you leave . Then when you pack the car, put the milk into a well-insulated cooler box to stay cool and frozen during the drive. If you’re packing formula , pre-pack servings in either bottles or secure containers/bags is an easy way to do it. Then have a flask or bottled water to mix it up.

Sterilize your bottles before you pack them and again when you stop at your nightly accommodation. 

My Top Tips for Long-Distance Driving With a Baby

If this is your very first road trip with a baby, just remember that it can only get easier from here. I’ve found that getting the kids used to traveling and being on the road from an early age means it becomes a splendid experience as they get older. 

Besides keeping the car organized (and booking any accommodations you’re going to need well in advance), here are some other things I’ve found helpful when taking a 0- to 12-month-old on a road trip. 

Check the Car Seat Before You Go

Most importantly, ensure that your car seat is safe , follows regulati ons , and is properly installed. 

A car window safety shade is another must-add for a baby’s comfort and safety. Having the sun pelting down on their faces is a sure way to end up with a miserable baby. 

Plan Your Route Carefully

Know where you’re going (as well as possible detours in case of roadworks, etc.) and how long you have between each possible stop. Know where you can stop to walk, where you can get gas, and where there are shops to top up on essentials . 

This will give you a bit more control over how long to keep baby busy, when nap time should be, and where you can get out and stretch your legs if needed. You can also plan any activities along the way. 

Make a Note of Doctors and Hospitals Along Your Route

While planning your trip, keep a log of hospitals, emergency doctors, and medical care units in each town and city you’ll be passing through . Hopefully, you won’t need to use this list when going on a long drive with a baby, but if you have a feverish kid or an unfortunate accident, it’s better to know where to go. 

And on that note, be sure to keep important medical records on you while driving . From vaccination cards to allergies, bring anything that may be important in the event of an emergency. 

Keep Essential Travel Items Packed in The Front of The Car

You don’t want to take up too much leg room, but you also don’t want to have to stop the car just to reach a pacifier. Before you pack the car, separate items for the drive from things you’ll only need when you stop or reach your destination . 

On the other hand, don’t put items that you won’t need while driving in the front of the car. Keep extra clothes, bulky toys, and similar non-essentials in the boot instead. 

Stick to Routine as Much as Possible

This may seem harder once you’re actually on the road, but if you can keep to regular nap times and feeding times , it will help your baby stay regulated and feel secure. Similarly, taking some of their personal items with you to put into hotel rooms can help them feel at home. 

Get your free road trip packing list here!

Have Someone in the Back Seat

If you can, have one adult in the back seat with the baby if there’s a need for snacks or a quick drink. If you’re stopping often enough for food and drink, having an adult sitting at the back might still be helpful to talk to and entertain the baby . 

Of course, if older siblings take up space in the back seat, try to get them to play nicely with and speak to the baby. 

Look After Yourself Too

Just as it’s important to remember everything needed for the baby, it’s equally important for parents to stay happy and comfortable on long drives . Not only is it good for the parent driving, but it’ll also help keep the car’s atmosphere pleasant and calm . 

Stop when you are feeling uncomfortable, too. Pack in a few of your own favorite snacks. If the baby is fast asleep, take the time to play some of the music you used to play on long drives. You can’t take adequate care of your baby unless you also care for yourself.

Again, these tips for a road trip with a baby are from my real-life experiences, so I hope you feel more confident to plan that drive you’ve been putting off!

Marissa Pedersen

Marissa is a passionate road trip enthusiast who has traveled extensively throughout the United States and Canada via car and continues to go on new trips every year to explore more of the country. Her love of road tripping has given her a unique perspective on the best routes, hidden gems, and must-see attractions along the way.

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15 HELPFUL TIPS TO ENJOY A ROAD TRIP WITH A TODDLER

Post Summary: 15 tips from full-time road trippers on how to survive, and actually enjoy, a road trip with a toddler or baby. Plus everything you need to bring on the road.

Planning on taking a road trip with a toddler or baby and wondering if it’s an awful idea? I get it. Our first road trip with our baby was when he was five months old and what was supposed to be a six hour drive to visit the grandparents turned into a ten hour drive with five hours of him crying nonstop.

Listening to a crying baby is hard no matter where you are. In your car, when all you want is to desperately arrive at your destination…it’s agony.

Cut to two years later and our little family left our life in California and decided to travel full time from state to state in our car. Are we professionals now at this whole long road trips with toddlers thing or just gluttons for punishment? I like to think a little bit of both.

We are so into road tripping we managed to do a four month cross country road trip with our toddler!

Along the way, we’ve learned a lot about what works and what does not work when going on a road trip with a toddler or baby. Traveling with kids of any age always provides some challenges, but doing a long road trip with a toddler is definitely a step up and requires a good dose of preparation and finesse.

Whether you’re on a road trip with a 4-month-old or a road trip with a two-year-old, this post is perfect for anyone who wants to know what to bring on a road trip with toddlers and simple, actionable tips on how to road trip with a toddler .

NEED MORE ROAD TRIP TIPS? CHECK OUT OUR OTHER POSTS BELOW 160 Fun, Deep, And Sometimes Silly Road Trip Questions The Ultimate Road Trip Food List 40 Road Trip Essentials You Need To Pack 80+ Road Trip Trivia Questions To Cure Boredom 17 Things To Do On A Road Trip To Pass The Time

This post about road tripping with a toddler may contain affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission if you purchase from them. This is at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products and services we truly think are helpful.

FAVORITES FOR A ROAD TRIP WITH TODDLERS

Favorite Podcast : Kids Short Stories: A Bedtime Show By Mr. Jim Favorite Audible : The Gruffalo Favorite Educational App : Homer

TIPS FOR HOW TO ROAD TRIP WITH A TODDLER

1. KEEP THE ROAD TRIP SHORT

To the best of your ability, try to keep the total driving time 4-6 hours a day. I know that’s not always possible. Sometimes you have a set plan and need to arrive somewhere and don’t have the luxury of taking your time to get there. But if it’s something you can do, we highly suggest it.

For instance, if you are going somewhere that’s 8 hours away, can you break it up into two days and find an interesting midway point to stop at for a night? Perhaps even spend an entire day there and add it to the itinerary? During a two-week road trip from Los Angeles, CA to Sandpoint, ID we were able to fit in interesting cities like Santa Rosa, CA, and Bend, Oregon.

If you’re trying to plan a road trip with a baby and have no set destination in mind, a good idea is to see what’s 4-8 hours away from you within driving distance. Maybe plan a family road trip around that and opt to arrive in two days, rather than one long haul.

We have found that slow travel is the best way to travel with toddlers or babies. It allows for everyone to be less stressed and puts the focus on spending time together rather than accomplishing a lot in a short window of time.

If that’s not something you are able to do due to timing and finances, don’t worry, we have plenty of other road trip with toddler tips up our sleeves.

Follow us on INSTAGRAM for more Family Travel Inspiration

2. TIMING IS EVERYTHING

We have a very set schedule for how we do long car rides with toddlers. We either:

• Fit in about one hour of driving in the late morning and stop for a long lunch at a rest stop or playground. We’ll make sure to play around and get a lot of physical activity before getting in the car at about 30-45 minutes before he typically naps. Thankfully, we have a toddler who sleeps pretty well in his car seat. We can often get 2-3 hours of uninterrupted driving.
• We play really hard with our son in the morning and make sure to get in a lot of physical activity. Then we load him up with carbs (our go-to is always spaghetti) for lunch, do a diaper change, and get him in the car seat about an hour before his regular nap time. When we do this, he usually sleeps for longer, and we can sometimes get 3 hours of napping in.

Many parents swear by nighttime driving when making a road trip with toddlers. The idea is that your toddler will sleep the whole way, and you can potentially avoid all the troubles of driving all day with them.

We’re kind of split on if this is a good idea. Neither of us are too keen on nighttime driving or the idea of arriving super late to our destination. Also, being tired the next day never seemed that appealing to us. Not to mention the genuine fear of falling asleep at the wheel.

Ultimately, the choice is up to each parent and the needs of each family. If your baby doesn’t sleep well in the car, perhaps driving at night would be better when their physical need to sleep is much stronger.

3. ROAD TRIP SNACKS

Snacks are the answer to everything. Are you upset? Have a cracker. Are you bored? Have some cheese. You’re angry that the car seat is too tight? Here’s a pretzel.

I joke. Except…I’m not.

Keeping your little one and their blood sugar at bay is key to keeping a happy road-tripping kid, so come prepared with all the snacks. For babies who are still getting used to solid foods, pre-made baby pouches like these are the best. While eating healthy is a wonderful thing, when going on a road trip with your toddler, we find it’s best to be lenient and let them have some of their favorite snacks.

If you want even more inspiration for road trip snacks, check out our post about the best snacks and meals for a road trip.

4. ROAD TRIP GAMES

Road trips with your kids are a great opportunity to create lifelong memories that you’ll talk about forever. A fun way to create those memories? Road trip games. Keeping everyone entertained and laughing is paramount to making the experience a happy memory.

Admittedly, road trip games with babies aren’t as complex and will be one-sided, but it never hurts to engage with them and get them excited about the journey. Simple games include pointing out the colors of things, counting how many times you see a red car or a game of I spy. It’s more about engaging with them to keep them stimulated and a part of the journey.

With toddlers, there’s an opportunity for more back and forth. Our favorite road trip games to play with toddlers include I spy, would you rather prompts, 20 questions, and a round of fun and silly road trip questions.

For more road trip inspiration here’s our list of 57 road trip questions for families.

5. ROAD TRIP MUSIC

Music is a great tool to keep your “road trip baby” happy. While playing your child’s favorite kids’ music is always a winner, don’t be afraid to try out music that you’ll actually enjoy too! On our road trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park , we played a continuous selection of bluegrass music and Johnny Cash to help get us in the spirit of our surroundings. He loved it! We’d get in the car and I’d ask him, “What do you want to listen to?’ Without fail, my two-year-old would say, “Johnny Cash!”

So while it’s good to have a selection of upbeat kids music, you can also use it as a time to introduce them to other types of music. Pop music is always a great option because it tends to have simple melodies and repetitive hooks.

You can stream from a music service like Amazon Music or Spotify.

6. LISTEN TO AUDIOBOOKS AND PODCASTS

Audiobooks or podcasts are GREAT road trip activities for toddlers. It’s also a great way to lull them into sleep. Before you leave you can peruse through podcasts made for little kids on iTunes or Spotify to see what your kids might like. Make sure to download them before you leave so you don’t have to rely on a strong signal.

Some podcasts your toddlers might like:

• Kids Short Stories: A Bedtime Show By Mr. Jim (Our son loves this one!)
• Deep Blue Sea (Learn about sea creatures, perfect if they enjoy the show Octonauts)
• Story Pirates
• Stories Podcast: A bedtime show for kids of all ages
• Little Stories for Tiny People

You can also opt to do audiobooks through Audible. Audible is Amazon’s audiobook service and like Prime Music, you can do a free trial of the service. Click here to learn more about Audible. Some popular books for toddlers and babies are:

• Where The Wild Things Are
• The Gruffalo
• Dragons Love Tacos
• My Magic Breath

TIP: If the option is available, make sure to download everything on to your phone before you leave so you don’t have to rely on a good signal.

7. ROAD TRIP TOYS

When going on a road trip with a toddler or a baby, bringing old standby toys is always a great option. Even better, bring some new toys they’ve never used. I’m not suggesting you have to spend a lot of money on expensive toys. An easy option is to go to a dollar store or a used children’s store. Another option is to borrow some toys from a fellow parent who doesn’t mind you using them for a week or so.

We suggest keeping the travel toys in a bag with you upfront and doling them out one by one when your child starts to fuss and needs something to focus on. Think of it as your secret tool bag that you dip into only when you need it.

Here are some of our favorite travel toys for babies and toddlers.

• Water Wow Toys are mess-free and inexpensive. This toy is better suited for babies and younger toddlers as it might not hold the attention of an older toddler.
• Reusable stickers from Melissa and Doug are always a great standby. You don’t have to worry about them putting stickers all over the windows and car seat because they’re super easy to peel off.
• Our son LOVED his magnetic doodle board and was one of the only things that kept his attention for more than 5 minutes.
• Links from Manhattan Toy are great simple toys for babies that some young toddlers might enjoy as well. They double as teething toys so they may provide relief if you have the fortune of having a teething baby on your road trip.
• Lacing cards for toddlers give their hands something to fiddle with and helps them to develop their fine motor skills. Plus, if you’ve been reading to them the Hungry Caterpillar book, they’ll love seeing one of their favorite characters in a toy. Check here for prices.
• A travel busy board is a great car seat toy that can keep their little fingers busy trying to latch and unlatch different compartments.

8. FIRST AID KIT

While this won’t help you keep your kid calm, it’s always a good thing to have a fully prepared first aid kit when you’re doing any kind of car travel with toddlers and babies. I prepared a medical kit in preparation for when we left for our year of full-time travel and within 5 months I had already used every item in our bag. There’s always something that comes up. You can buy a fully prepared first aid kit or you can opt to make your own. Some things to include would be:

• Bee Sting Relief
• Antibiotic Ointment
• Kids Tylenol and/or Ibuprofen
• Kids Dramamine
• Thermometer
• Instant Ice Pack
• Antiseptic Cleansing Wipes
• First Aid Tape

9. PACK THE ESSENTIALS

Now that you’ve got your toys and packed your first aid kit, there are a few other things that will make your toddler road trip a success:

• Antibacterial wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Sunglasses (we love these for toddlers and babies )
• Sunblock (even though you’re inside, the sun can be just as powerful shining through the window.)
• Diaper changing mat (we like to use this one for babies, but in a jam, a swaddle or towel can work as well)
• Travel potty for the potty training toddlers
• Blanket and/or comfort stuffed animal
• Headsets (Perfect for when you want them to listen to music or watch a show and you don’t want to hear the noise. We love these for babies and toddlers since they’re small and kids can easily fall asleep wearing them.)
• Having an organization system will help to create order amongst all the road trip supplies. We like this  back seat organizer  with SO MANY pockets for all your gadgets, notebooks, and snacks. We particularly like that it has a tablet holder. You can put a movie on without them having to hold the device the entire time.

For a thorough list of road trip essentials check out our post on the ultimate Road Trip Packing List.

10. COMFY CLOTHES

This may feel obvious, but make sure to dress your child comfortably for the car ride. Loose-fitting breathable tops and pants so their bodies can be as relaxed as possible. I can’t imagine sitting in a constricted car seat is comfortable, especially for agile toddlers who need to move around as much as possible. You can even dress them in their pajamas to help coax them towards sleeping in the car.

11. FOLLOW THEIR LEAD

When going on road trips with toddlers and babies, we have found it’s best if we follow their lead to maintain a calm car ride. If he’s getting fussy, instead of forcing another hour of driving, we know to stop and do what he needs to keep his mood stable. Perhaps that’s eating lunch, doing another round of diaper changes, or running around to get his body moving. We’ve learned that keeping him in an even state, keeps everyone happy. Road tripping with a baby means you might have to let go of the strict agenda. Be open to taking lots of breaks when needed and everyone will be happier!

12. GET IN THE BACK SEAT

A great idea when driving long distances with toddlers and babies is to get in the back seat with them. Since their car seats face away from the front of the car, your baby might be soothed by visually seeing you. I did it on my first road trip with my five-month-old baby and it was helpful….until it wasn’t and he cried for five hours. But it might work for you!

Reading books to them or just being able to see you could go a long way toward keeping them content.

13. YOUR ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING

Keeping a sunny attitude will go a long way towards keeping morale up in the car. If something happens, say a tire blows out or a baby has a blowout, keeping a calm steady demeanor will help to keep everyone in a good mood. Our child is such a sponge for the energy around him that if we let our hot-headed ways (and yes, we are both hot-headed) get the best of us, then it isn’t long until our little one starts going off the deep end with us.

The last thing I want my kid to feel is that road trips are NOT fun. So we try to make it fun by channeling our best ability to “go with the flow.”

14. LET GO OF THE RULES

Whenever you’re traveling with young kids and especially when doing a road trip with toddlers, it’s okay to let go of rules a little. You’re on vacation, so if you have to give them extra snacks or let them stay up later than usual…it’s okay.

For us, the main goal of car trips with toddlers is to ensure the most easeful and stress-free journey. If that means giving him a bag of gummy worms, so be it. At home, he gets plenty of structure and healthy food, so a few allowances aren’t going to ruin all the well-laid rules we’ve set down. This leads me to my final tip for traveling with toddlers by car.

15 ALL HAIL THE TABLET

Use a tablet.

I promise you it’s okay. I know we’re all trying to reduce screen time, but on a road trip where you want to stop a meltdown, don’t be afraid to use it. If it works, it works. I believe that parenting isn’t defined by one singular moment in time but rather by the values and habits you consistently uphold. If all your toddler does is play on an iPad, yeah…you might want to consider reducing it, but a few times on a road trip…it’s fine you guys.

I would suggest using the iPad as a final tactic. If the above tips don’t work, then hand it over and call it a day.

You can preload it with educational toddler apps and already downloaded movies from Netflix. Our favorite App to use is Homer . I used to do free apps because I didn’t want to dish out the money, but they were always glitchy and bombarded with ads. Plus, they make those apps so that the kids are continually led into wanting to buy the paid version. I found it’s better to buy a high quality app that offers fantastic content that is continually being updated. I like that Homer has animated popular books and teaches them in a fun and engaging way. My son loves it! You can try out the free trial for 30 days here.

I also like to use a thick toddler-proof cover like this to keep the iPad safe. Also, if it’s any consolation I grew up in the ’80s when every parent’s idea of a babysitter was plopping their kids in front of a TV screen. And we all managed to turn out okay! Right? Right?

I hope you use all these tips on how to road trip with a toddler and have the ultimate family adventure! Let us know if you have any great tips in the comments below.

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Hi, we’re Christina and Brad, Idaho based writers and photographers who live to explore. We did a short stint of traveling full time with our two year old and discovered we're much happier as part time nomads. What does that mean? We travel a lot! And then we go home. We love helping fellow parents and everyday adventurers discover new places and experiences.

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Travel Advice

Road trip with a baby: 10 essential survival tips + packing list.

How to plan successful long drives traveling with an infant

The prospect of a long road trip with a baby can fill even the most experienced traveling parents with anxiety. We know; we’ve been there!  There are just so many extra items that are needed for baby car travel and don’t forget those ill-timed diaper blowouts while you’re inconveniently between stops.

We’ve put our own traveling experiences to work for you by compiling ` 10 Tips for Road Tripping with a Baby to help make your journey as stress-free as possible. You’ll also find a helpful list of baby road-tripping gear at the end to make packing a breeze.

This post is part of our family road-tripping and best baby travel advice series

If your child is a little bit older, then pop on over and read all our best toddler road trip travel advice here.

10 Tips For Road-Tripping With A Baby

Before we dive into traveling tips for baby’s first road trip, we’d like to emphasize the importance of having a suitable rear-facing car seat for your baby .  Please check to make sure it has not expired, and if you are traveling to another country, it’s best to look up child safety laws for the area you’re driving to. 

1. Get as Much Practice as Possible

You may have heard horror stories of families embarking on a long drive with their baby only to turn around because their little one dissolved into hysterics. We have experienced a fair amount of crying while traveling ourselves, and the best solution we’ve found to this has simply been to get your baby used to being in their car seat. 

We know that getting out and about with your baby is easier said than done, especially if you have more than one child.  Even a few trips to pick up groceries or going to the park will help your little one realize that being in a car seat is not the end of the world. 

Once that is going well, perhaps plan a day trip to a park or location an hour or two away.  By increasing your baby’s time in their car seat incrementally, you’re decreasing the chances of constant crying when you’re committed to a longer trip.

2. Be Reasonable With Your Itinerary

If you thrive on making schedules and sticking to them, you’ll need to adjust your expectations when it comes to baby car travel. As tempting as it is to reach your destination as soon as possible, as new parents, you’ll need to keep your baby’s needs and your own sanity in mind when planning your first family road trip. 

Even the most well-traveled infant can only spend so many hours in a moving car (and you shouldn’t leave a baby in their infant car seat for more than a couple of hours at a time). When taking on long car journeys, build in plenty of pit stops for the whole family.

You also wanted to make sure that you are taking care of yourself and your partner.  Sleepless nights and babies often go hand-in-hand. If you’re already running on fumes, avoid trying to drive for more than five to six hours a day or through the night. Your family’s safety is the most important thing.

We’ve always found it helps to time the long stretches for what would be your baby’s normal nap time – but “normal” doesn’t always apply when traveling with a baby! If you have older children to consider too, you may have multiple napping schedules to consider, and there is no ‘best time.’

3. Bring Pumping Supplies or Extra Formula

Whether you’re a breastfeeding mum or you’re feeding your little one with baby formula , you’ll need to pack extra feeding supplies when on the road with an infant. Bringing along ready-to-feed formula can be a lifesaver during travel, as mixing formula on the go can prove to be a hassle, especially on extended journeys.

In the event that you either aren’t able to pull over and nurse your baby or that they are sleeping soundly in their car seat at feeding time, you’ll probably want to bring a travel breast pump along with you.

This can be one of the bulkiest items to pack, and you’ll need to remember to bring extra batteries or have a charging cord that plugs into your car’s adapter (naturally, this is if you’re the passenger, not the driver!).

I can’t say enough good things about the Spectra breast pump . The latest model even has a rechargeable battery. A car adapter is also available for additional purchase. The Spectra is powerful and easy to clean, both of which are pluses when traveling.

Additional recommended supplies for feeding on the move:

• Nursing Cover
• Milk Storage Bags
• Insulated Bottle Cooler
• Travel Bottle Warmer
• Milk Bottles
• Cleaning Kit

You can find our complete guide to breastfeeding on the go here, as well as our complete guide to bottle feeding on the go .

4. Car Seat Additions

In some ways, babies are both easier and more difficult to entertain than toddlers .  Your newborn won’t be screaming because you took their tablet away from them, but they may scream because of a dirty diaper, they’re hungry, or they’re tired of being in their car seat.  Yes, taking a baby on the road can be a different animal altogether.

Babies are sometimes easier in the sense that they can be distracted by much simpler items, such as favorite toys that rattle or make noise, or merely seeing their own reflection in a mirror. 

We suggest a toy strip that attaches to the handles of your baby’s car seat.  This ensures they will have a variety of engaging travel toys that can’t be thrown on the floor (A toy tether is also an excellent way to avoid this scenario!).

Some of our favorite baby road trip toys

We also recommend having a car seat mirror when you’re on a long trip with your baby so that you can keep tabs on how they’re doing.  It’s always helpful to know when your baby is napping, as this can help determine whether or not you can squeeze in another hour of driving.  A mirror can also alert you to those unfortunate milk spit-ups that will more than likely result in an extra pit stop.

Some babies will go through phases of simply not settling in the back seat. Particularly if they are the only one in the back, a quick way to a happy baby may be simply having another adult or family member sit with your infant to entertain them in their car seat.

5. Pack a Travel Bag

You’ll want to have some of the essentials within arm’s reach in your vehicle, which is why you’ll need an extra travel bag inside the car, aside from your suitcases in the trunk. 

Your regular diaper bag can be perfectly suitable for this, or you can simply pack an extra tote.

Here are some helpful items to stock your car baby bag with:

• Travel changing pad
• Extra diapers
• Diaper Cream
• Healthy Snacks
• Hand sanitizer
• Burp cloths
• Plastic bags (for dirty diapers)
• A change of clothes (for baby and for you!)
• Ziploc bags or wash bags (for dirty clothes)
• Extra pacifiers (if needed)
• First Aid Kit

We’ve found that it’s always helpful to have a small selection of baby’s favorite toys for when we would have to stop and eat while traveling. 

These could be brought into the restaurant and swapped out, and sanitizing wipes certainly came in handy when those toys inevitably hit the floor. Bibs also became a necessity, as they helped protect our baby’s clothes from spit-ups in the car. 

• You’ll find our complete baby travel checklist here .

6. Expect a Few Diaper Blowouts

Ah, diaper blowouts.  These are a fact of parenting life, and traveling with a newborn by car practically guarantees that a few will occur between Point A and Point B – we’ve learned the hard way! 

While there’s nothing you can do to prevent blowouts, you can minimize the cleanup, thereby reducing your own stress in these situations.

We absolutely recommend a car seat liner .  Many are universal, but you should also be able to find one that fits your specific car seat.  Car seat liners can be wiped clean and are machine washable, and they prevent anything from soaking into the actual car seat (you’ll use these right through the toilet training stage up to the pre-school years).

Baby car travel also dictates the necessity of packing backup clothing, and onesies are extremely convenient.  We advise packing 2-3 onesies in your travel bag to cover all of your bases – it’ll save you needing to dig them out of suitcases on the side of the road for those emergency diaper changes.

7. Prepare for Frequent Stops

Taking baby on the road goes hand-in-hand with stopping. Frequently.  It’s just a fact of life, and if you accept it at the onset of your road trip, this will probably reduce the chances you’ll be cranky about it later. 

Babies simply require extra handling, whether it be an unanticipated nursing or feeding stop, milk-spit-up-fiasco, or the dreaded diaper blowout.  It’s best just to buck up, pull over, and take care of business.

It’s also a good idea to bring along your stroller .  This really is an essential road-tripping item, as you’ll need to stretch your legs as well as transport your baby to and from your hotel room or take in some trails during a rest stop. 

8. For Mom – Take Care of YOU

This article may be about road trips with a baby, but we’re going to take a moment and focus on you, Mom.  It can be tempting to put your needs last, as it so often seems to be a part of being a mother.  However, your own well-being is directly linked to the health and happiness of your little one, and it’s important to remember this.

For one, don’t be afraid to speak up if you’re exhausted.  Letting your partner or spouse take the wheel while you’re on the road is an excellent way to catch up on any sleep you may have missed the night before.  Even a half-hour of added sleep can do wonders, as we’re sure you know!

If you’re a nursing mom , you’ll also want to make sure that you’re staying hydrated.  You’ve already adopted the mindset that stops will be more frequent, so if that means a few extra trips to the bathroom, so be it.  Don’t sacrifice your own health because it may be temporarily inconvenient for others.

9. Pack A Few Travel Dining Essentials

Car travel with a baby means that you’ll be stopping along the way to eat, which means you’ll need to pack a few travel dining essentials.  If your baby can sit up with support, a travel high chair can make indoor dining much easier.  These fold up when not in use and can easily be stored in the trunk of your vehicle. 

As we’ve mentioned before, it’s best to pack several bibs in your travel bag for easy access while travelling.  We’re big fans of these silicone bibs , as they can be easily wiped clean for repeated use on your journey. Don’t forget surface wipes before sitting at a table and for wiping little hands that will want to touch EVERYTHING before serving up baby food!

10. Prepare for Hotel Stays

Staying in a hotel with your baby usually means that you’ll get much less sleep than normal, but we have some tips to make these experiences less tiring for everyone involved.

• Ask for a corner room.  These are often quieter and farther away from elevators.  Many hotels will work to accommodate families with infants, and you should not be afraid to speak up.  The worst they can tell you is that they don’t have any available. 
• If financially possible, spring for a suite room.  These generally have a separate space (such as a common living room area) where you can place your baby’s travel cot. 
• Bring a portable baby travel bassinet , not a bulky pack n’ play.  While useful, pack n’ plays can take up space in your vehicle that you’ll need for other items. Most hotels offer some sort of travel crib, but that doesn’t guarantee that the mattress will be lined or as thick as your baby is used to. A travel bassinet can be placed in the crib and provide all that your baby needs for a restful night’s sleep.

Baby Road Trip Essentials – Gear You’ll Need

We’ve mentioned several pieces of essential gear to prepare for a successful road trip with your infant or baby. To help you pack, here is a convenient list for your reference (you can also head straight to our Amazon store , where we set out all our favourite baby travel essential items)

• Travel Breast Pump
• Car Adapter
• Toy Teether
• Silicone Bibs
• Car Seat Liner
• Travel diaper change kit
• Travel High Chair
• Travel Bassinet

 What about when you arrive at your destination? Download our complete baby packing list when you sign up for our newsletter here – never forget an essential item again traveling with a baby!

Final thoughts on taking baby on the road

Remember, it’s all about setting realistic expectations. Give yourself plenty of time, pack well, rest frequently, and go easy on yourself if things don’t go exactly to plan! Traveling with a newborn may not be your best road trip, but it IS achievable with a little thought and planning. Safe Travels!

More Top Travel Tips With A Baby

Before you leave home with a baby in tow, firstly pop over to our Best Baby Travel Advice homepage. We cover a huge range of baby travel topics here including:

• How to Handle Baby’s First Flight – from booking the tickets to getting on the plane and surviving mid-air meltdowns, here’s how baby air travel works.
• Hiking with a Baby – babies can make great travel companions in the early days – here’s how to get yourself set up for a successful baby hike.
• Essentials Camping with a Baby – undoubtedly, tots do come with a lot of stuff! Here are the essential baby items we always recommend you take on a baby camping trip & hitting the trails.
• Bringing Baby to the Beach – Top tips for when you’re out in the sun and the surf to keep baby safe and make sure its a fun day for all of you.
• Baby Travel Essentials – the most important things for baby we never leave home without.

You can find all of our family travel product reviews here

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2 thoughts on “ Road Trip With A Baby: 10 Essential Survival Tips + Packing List! ”

I’m also bring my electric breast pump just in case!

great tip for newbie parents

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Road trip with a baby: The essential guide including Tips and Packing list

• Post author: Lovicarious
• Post published: November 19, 2022
• Post category: Traveling with Kids

The thought of traveling with a newborn can sound intimidating, especially when it involves spending long hours inside a small enclosed vehicle. How do I calm my baby during a road trip? What should I pack? From travel tips to packing essentials, this guide covers everything you need to know on how to road trip with a baby from newborn to 24 months.

My family grew up taking 12-hour road trips from Washington DC to Chicago every Christmas. That time spent in the car as a family created some of the best childhood memories for me. I enjoyed singing in the car with my sister, raiding the cooler for snacks, stopping at different travel stations, and sleeping in “quirky” hotels .    Road trips were an enjoyable experience for me, and I don’t doubt that there was a lot of planning that happened before we ever hit the road. Now as a parent, I want to continue the same tradition of spending quality time together as a family, traveling, exploring, and seeking out adventure. By the time our son was 10 months old, we had already driven well over 6,000 miles.

We have learned quite a bit when it comes to taking a road trip with a baby. We are here now to answer your questions in the hopes that you will be prepared to plan a successful road trip journey of your own.

*Disclaimer: Some of the links contained in this post are affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.*

What Should I pack for a road trip with my baby?

Your questions answered:.

How much time should I allocate for a road trip with my baby?

This really depends on a few factors including your child’s age, temperament, and ultimately how many times you need to stop. Babies move through stages quickly and with each stage comes a shift in their sleep/wake cycles, their attention spans, and their needs.

When our son was between 3-5 months old, his threshold was about 3 hours before he would need a break from the car seat. During that 3 hour-period he would nap and play with the soft toys dangling from his car seat. After that, he was bored, hungry, and ready for a diaper change. This cycle dictated our need to stop every 3 hours.

By 12 months, our son was only taking 2 naps a day so we needed to find a way to entertain him in his car seat for longer. In our case, the 3-hour threshold before boredom set in stayed about the same. (We were lucky.) Some 12-month babies might not be able to sit in a car for 3 hours straight, necessitating more frequent stops.

On average I would advise at least doubling the time it normally takes to arrive at your destination. If your baby is sleeping through the night and you are able to drive while they sleep then this would shorten that time frame. If you are driving through the day and are expecting more frequent stops, it might mean tripling your drive time. The key to remember is to let go of expectations, practice patience, and enjoy the ride. You’ll arrive at your destination eventually.

How do I change my baby’s diaper on a road trip?

Our son’s first out-of-home diaper change (excluding the hospital of course) was on a flat slab of rock. We took him hiking at one month old and changed his diaper on the mountain summit. That was the first of many mountain tops that would be graced with his bare little hiney. I tell that story to say that you can change your baby’s diaper pretty much anywhere as long as they have a clean surface to lay on.

Before ever leaving our home, we typically pack the trunk of our vehicle keeping in mind that we may need to perform a diaper change at some point along the journey. If it is not possible to leave one side of the trunk clear, we pack in a way that the items are easily moveable to quickly accommodate a changing mat or blanket. This flat space is usually the best location in a vehicle for changing a baby’s diaper while on a road trip.

Alternatively, a backseat or passenger seat also works. If you happen to be stopping at a restaurant or rest stop, most locations do have changing tables in their restrooms. The quality and cleanliness of public restrooms are not always reliable so I would strongly advise always using a portable changing mat if possible.

How do I prevent my baby from crying in the car?

It’s every new parent’s dream to discover the secret to preventing a baby from crying in the car, on an airplane, or any other enclosed space. If you can prevent your child from crying in the first place, an unlikely yet ideal situation, it will be a much easier car ride for everyone. Believe it or not, there are a few things you can do to help prevent or at least stave off the inevitable cry session for a bit longer.

Drive while the baby is sleeping .

The easiest way to plan a road trip with a baby is to drive at night while your baby is fast asleep. If that is not possible, try to drive during nap times. You can take advantage of wake hours for meals, exploration, and even spontaneous roadside attractions . While this may increase the duration of the car ride, you will be enriching your road trip with various activities and irreplaceable moments of family bonding. Furthermore, working with instead of against your baby’s regular sleep schedule, will result in an easier transition when you arrive at your final destination.

Take timely breaks .

Your baby is staring at the backseat of a car for hours so of course, they will get a little antsy. Take breaks every 2 to 3 hours for your child to eat and stretch those little limbs. Find a playground along your route or simply set a blanket down in a patch of grass. 

Sit in the backseat.

Toys are entertaining for a time, but nothing can replace the joy and contentment of seeing a familiar face. Babies are fascinated by faces at this age and derive great excitement from simple activities such as imitating facial expressions and playing peek-a-boo. Even if they are too young to interact in that way, your simple presence can often be enough to make a baby feel safe and secure.

My baby won’t stop crying. What do I do?

If prevention is no longer an option and your baby is already crying in their car seat, what do I do next?

There are a number of reasons why babies cry, but they typically fall under one of three reasons. They are uncomfortable, they want your attention, or they simply do not like the physical restraint of being confined to a car seat.

With this in mind, if your newborn is crying in their car seat the first thing that you should do is check to see if there is an obvious cause. Do they have a wet diaper? Has it been a while since their last meal or break from the car? Is it too hot or cold in their car seat? Is the sun in their eyes? Are the seatbelt straps too tight? Are they sitting on a toy or sock? If none of these questions seem to resolve the problem, then you can try to pacify a crying infant with one of the following methods.

Give the baby a pacifier.

Pacifiers are called that for a reason. They provide temporary relief to babies who enjoy the sucking motion as it reminds them of being in the womb.  Some studies show that the act of sucking a pacifier can help to lower the heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels. We highly recommend using a pacifier clip as they are prone to popping out, dropping behind car seats, and otherwise getting lost.

Use the “baby shusher”.

We swear by this miracle sound machine. The Baby Shusher uses a rhythmic “shhh” to imitate the same cadence and sound of a parent soothing their child. If you have ever read the Happiest Baby on the Block, the “shhh” sound we make actually mimics the environment inside of the womb where babies hear all kinds of wooshing and swooshing sounds. This Baby Shusher worked best for our infant over other white noise sound machines. It is always one of our top travel tips for road-tripping with a baby.

If this didn’t work to prevent your child from crying, it might not help so much to soothe them once they are already crying. However, if you are still in the front seat, then I would certainly recommend moving to the backseat where your baby can see your beautiful comforting face. Try playing some peek-a-boo, playing with their toes, or engaging them in a crinkly toy, book, or song. Sometimes just letting them hold on to your finger is enough to calm them.

Give them snacks.

If your baby is old enough and used to eating solids, then you may consider giving them some soft snacks or a bottle during the drive. Always follow a few precautions when feeding a baby in the car: an adult should be sitting next to the baby to supervise, and avoid hard solids that might lead to choking. Some car seat-safe foods for babies include snack pouches and dissolvable rice-husk teethers. We provide some recommendations in the road trip packing list below.

Babies grow fast. Their needs and preferences seem to change just as fast. Here are some baby road trip essentials to keep your little one up to 18 months happy, comfortable, and entertained. Toddlers will require a different list of road trip essentials that are geared more toward their level of maturity and development. This list of travel toys for toddlers highlights all of the best toys to keep a toddler entertained during travel.

Road Tripping with a Baby: Packing List

Entertainment.

• Dangling car seat toys – For newborns and infants, dangling car seats are essential entertainment. They might not have developed their grip strength or coordination yet to be able to grab other toys and rattles. Similar to a crib mobile, safely attached dangling car seat toys can capture a baby’s attention, while also helping them to develop spacial awareness. We recommend Baby Links and the interactive Hug & Tug Caterpillar which is appropriate for both infants and older babies.
• Teething toys and rattles . Teethers help to soothe babies’ gums when their teeth begin to come in. Like rattles, teethers provide a safe form of entertainment in the car while helping baby to improve their fine motor skills, group strength, and spatial awareness.
• Books – Babies like to chew, rip, and crumple books. With this in mind, it is best to pick up a selection of books that will stand the test against curious babies. Soft crinkly books like Peek-a-Boo Forest by Lamaze and Taggies are durable, washable, and engaging with flaps and tabs. Cardboard books are not indestructible, but they will serve their purpose and last you through many road trips with a baby. Our son was always the most engaged in learning books like First Numbers and First Words by Priddy.
• Favorite stuffed animal – Stuffed animals are great travel toys for children at any age. Children can begin forming a bond with their toys at a young age so it is important to bring their “best friend” along for the car ride and journey.
• Random items around the car – If all else fails there are many things that you likely have in the car that would keep a baby entertained for example an empty water bottle or a box of tissues. Just make sure that anything you give to your baby is safe: no small detachable parts that can pose a choking or suffocation risk.

Food and Drink

• Milk and Bottle . If you are nursing exclusively, that eliminates a large portion of your packing needs! If you are not nursing, make sure to pack formula or milk (babies 12 months and older), along with a bottle or two. If you prefer to pack one bottle only,  XYZ make kits for cleaning baby bottles on the go.
• Snacks and pouches. A baby’s capacity to chew and digest certain foods evolves over time, so always reference the age recommendations on a food label. Up until 6 months, babies will pretty much be fine with just milk/formula. After you begin to introduce solids, prepacked baby food and snacks become an essential road trip item. Rice husks and yogurt melts are excellent road trip snacks. They dissolve quickly, don’t leave many crumbs, and our son loves them! For a more substantial meal, we find that pouches are more convenient than the more traditional glass jars. If baby is a bit older or if you are pulling over for a roadside picnic, other road trip foods for babies include yogurt, sliced soft fruit, and graham crackers. Our son is partial to breakfast bars, peanut butter Bamba puffs and Pirate’s Booty.
• Snack cups . The more proactive you are in keeping the car seat free of crumbs, the easier it will be to clean and when it comes to babies every last bit helps. Using snack cups like the Munchkin Snack Catcher helps your little one to slow down the process of palming all their goldfish in one gulp. It also reduces the number of crumbs spilled into the car seat and the floorboard below.
• Bib. If your baby is eating milk and purees exclusively, a cloth bib works just fine. If your baby has moved on to eating more crumbly solids like crackers and fruit slices, I would highly recommend using a silicone bib with a catcher. The Mushie silicone bib is easily washable which is ideal for travel, and the pocket catches most crumbs making clean up a much easier process.
• Diapers.   Diapers are an obvious item for your baby road trip checklist. Consider overnight diapers if you plan to drive through the night while your baby sleeps. The added material and increased absorbency will help to reduce leaks and keep baby dry.
• Wipes. Wipes are essential for diaper changes, but they can also be used to clean faces, little fingers, and sticky surfaces. Pro tip: Wipe dispenser is almost empty? Keep the dispenser and fill it with toilet paper or ribbon. Babies love pulling things out of boxes and containers. This do-it-yourself baby toy will entertain your child for hours.
• Diaper rash cream. Did you know that diaper rash cream is used not only to treat, but also to prevent diaper rash? If your baby will be spending long stretches of time in a car seat, it is wise to apply diaper rash cream as a preventative measure against rash and discomfort.
• Portable changing pad – Using a portable changing station provides a more comfortable changing for the baby. It also provides an extra layer of safety when doing a diaper change in a public restroom.
• Extra changes of clothing. You don’t want to be left unprepared when the inevitable blowout or spit-up happens. We recommend packing at least 2 extra changes of clothing.
• Swaddle/ burp cloth. Swaddles are a bit universal and reduce the need for packing additional items. Although you wouldn’t swaddle a baby before placing him in a car seat, they do serve as great burp cloths and blankets. After arriving at your destination, you can then of course use the swaddle as intended…to wrap your baby like an adorable burrito bundle.
• Baby Tylenol. There are many baby medications on the market, but really the only medication we have ever needed was baby Tylenol. Teething can bring about bouts of pain and fever. Baby Tylenol is a fever reducer that can help assuage your child’s discomfort. Always contact your pediatrician before administering to your child.

Supplies for momma

• Breast pump. Depending on a number of factors (your milk production level, how much baby is drinking, etc) you may need to pump while on the road. While the manual breast pump is tried and true, the Elvie is a newer brand that many swear by. They make a wearable rechargeable breast pump that can be inserted into a nursing bra. It is discreet and portable making it possible to pump almost anywhere including at restaurants, in the office, and during a long car ride. Speaking from experience, make sure you have access to a pump! You do not want to get stuck in a situation where your body is telling you to empty the milk, but your baby isn’t hungry and you do not have a pump around. Women who have to delay pumping or nursing risk painful breast engorgement which can lead to medical problems and a reduction in milk supply.
• Nursing Cover . It is likely that you may end up nursing your child in a busy parking lot. While I have nursed my son in a parking lot without a cover, I did receive some unwanted prolonged glances from individuals passing by my window. If this is something that makes you feel uncomfortable, it may be wise to pack a nursing cover just in case. I recommend the Bebe au Lait nursing cover with it’s peek-a-boo hole. It allows me to keep an eye on my son, but also provides him with some nice airflow.
• Water. It is important for mothers to stay hydrated when nursing.

Additional items that make for a more comfortable trip

• Portable blanket. A soft clean surface is a great item to bring along when traveling with an infant. If you are stopping by a travel plaza, gas station, or rest area there is usually a nice grassy area somewhere nearby. This is a great opportunity to unbuckle your little one, and let them have some fresh air. Lay a soft blanket in the grass and allow your baby some time to roll around, stretch their legs, and enjoy the change of scenery. We recommend the Rumpl blanket that compresses into a convenient bag perfect for traveling and road trips.
• Car seat fan. When a baby is in their rear-facing car seat they don’t always have the same pleasure of cool air circulating around their bodies. This combined with warm sunrays peeking through the window can make a car seat pretty toast. It is a good idea to bring along a portable fan that clips onto the car seat to ensure that your child is cool and comfortable.
• Car seat liner. If you have a 10-hour drive ahead of you, you do not want to deal with a wet soiled car seat. A waterproof liner provides protection from wet bathing suits, diaper leaks, and other accidents.
• Backseat organizer to keep essentials close at hand. As you can see, there are many things to bring on a road trip if you want to ensure a smooth journey. You can be saved from headaches and stress in the long run if you are able to keep toys and baby essentials organized. A backseat organizer is helpful for keeping anything you or your baby might need close at hand.

Now that you have your questions answered and your car packed, the last step is to check out our top list of road trip with baby tips .

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How to Take a Road Trip With a Toddler

Fact-checking standards, latest update:, tips for taking a road trip with a toddler, consider your departure time, plan for breaks, read this next, map your route, bring out the entertainment big guns, but don't hand everything over at once, alternate drivers, if possible, prepare for queasiness, expect some stress, road trip essentials for toddlers, personal care items, entertainment, toddler comforts, best snacks for a road trip with a toddler, toddler road trip activities.

Long car trips with toddlers can certainly be taxing, and reaching your destination will likely take longer. But with a little advanced planning (and plenty of breaks!), you can navigate the inevitable speed bumps and reach your destination with a happy passenger. 

What to Expect the Second Year , Heidi Murkoff.  WhatToExpect.com, 9 Fun Travel Games for Kids on the Go , October 2021.  WhatToExpect.com, Healthy Snack Ideas for Toddlers , February 2021.  WhatToExpect.com, Toddler Air Travel: What to Know Before You Fly , January 2019.  American Academy of Pediatrics, Is It Safe for My Baby to Travel in a Car Seat a Few Hours At a Time? , August 2021.  American Academy of Pediatrics, Travel Safety Tips , August 2018.  KidsHealth From Nemours, Staying Healthy While You Travel , January 2021.   

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8 Ways to Keep Your Baby Calm and Content on a Road Trip

By Amy Marturana Winderl, C.P.T.

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Any road trip comes with challenges, but a road trip with a baby is its own special sort of tough. While some little ones conk out as soon as the engine starts, others have a difficult time being in the car for hours—or any time at all. If you and your family are hitting the road for the holidays, keeping your baby calm, safe, and content throughout the trip is important for everyone involved. Before you strap in for a long car ride with your baby, first be sure to read through the travel recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics . They advise creating a travelers’ kit that includes child-safe hand wipes, diaper rash ointment, and water. You’ll also want to read through their car seat safety guide to make sure your little one is safe and secure. 

As for tips on how to keep your baby happy and (relatively) chill, we asked other parents who have been there, done that for their advice. Here’s what might help:

1. Invest in sun shades.

If you can, Elizabeth C., 30, recommends buying—and remembering to use—high-quality sun shades for your backseat windows and rear windshield. They’ll prevent sunburns on long rides and also keep the light from getting in your baby’s eyes. Plus, it makes the car more conducive for sleep.

2. Drive during their sleep time.

Every parent we spoke to said something similar: Planning long car rides around your baby’s sleep schedule is a great way to avoid fussiness. Corinne N., 31, started a 12-hour road trip after her 11-month-old went to sleep. “She did a normal feeding and bedtime routine, but instead of being placed in the crib, she was placed into the car seat,” Corinne explains. “She slept the whole way while we drove throughout the night. She was well-rested when we returned home.” (Quick note here: Drowsy driving is really dangerous. If you’re not used to being up for long stretches into the wee hours of the morning, this may not be the safest tactic for you.)

3. Drop-proof all of the things.

Caitlyn S., 34, puts a lot of toys in a basket next to her son so he can play with them as he pleases. But the key is that she also creates a barrier—using something as simple as a towel—between the car seat and the door “so if he does drop the toys, they won’t fall past where he can reach.”

4. Be prepared for when hunger strikes.

When her twins were babies, Lindsey H., 35, says she swore by taking Mixie bottles on long car rides. “It’s a bottle that allows you to keep the water and the formula separated until you are ready to use it,” she explains. Then, just push a button to release the powder formula into the water and shake to mix. “Totally a lifesaver in the car when our twins would get restless,” Lindsey says.

5. Get out of the car.

“Some kids and babies just need a leg stretch or car break to make it the rest of the trip,” says Lauren. If traveling for more than two to three hours, Lindsey says she stops every couple of hours to get out, walk around, and let the babies out of their car seats.  “When we stop to use the restroom, we make sure to find a nearby park or field so he can run around,” says Caitlyn.

6. Play music.

Look for songs, playlists, or even toys that play music that your baby gravitates toward, Lauren suggests. Ideally, you’ll find something you can stand listening to as well. Disney film soundtracks, Raffi , and Caspar Babypants are good options. Or you can download this calming playlist developed by a musical therapist for Montefiore Medical Center. Even if the music grates on your nerves, if it keeps your baby calm and content, it might be worth grinning and bearing it. 

7. Travel with a portable sound machine.

Elizabeth always brings a portable white noise machine when planning a road trip around her baby’s sleep time. “Our sound machine has a good battery life, so we play it along the way and plug it in when we get there.” If you don’t have a sound machine, Caitlyn suggests playing white noise over the car speakers—just find a playlist on your music streaming app of choice. You’ll want to be careful of the volume if you use this strategy. The American Academy of Pediatrics says babies shouldn’t be around sustained noises louder than 50 decibels. Download a decibel-measuring app like Sound Meter to test the volumes on your machine at home before using it in your car. 

8. Keep them busy.

Any interactive toys that keep your baby engaged and occupied can help. Of course, the specific toys you use will depend on the baby’s age, but try a few things and see what sticks. If all else fails, try putting one adult in the backseat next to the baby to keep them entertained throughout the drive. In some cases, just having someone back there with them can be calming on its own.

This article is presented by Volvo. Related :

• 9 Road Trip Survival Tips From Parents Who Have Been There
• 5 Road Safety Tips Even the Most Experienced Drivers Sometimes Forget
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SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

11 Smart Tips For A Road Trip With A Baby

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Planning to take a road trip with your baby or toddler in tow? You can do it! Learn all the best tips and hacks  for surviving a long drive with your young child from our parenting experts.

Over the river and through the woods, to Grandma’s house we go!

Only problem is: Grandma’s house is an 8-hour car ride away, and you’ve got a baby or toddler, plus maybe a few big kids, to cart along with you. But don’t let that stop you from embarking on that road trip – with some smart planning and preparation, you can make it to your destination relatively unscathed.

We’ve teamed up with our friends at Stonyfield, to bring you the absolute best tips and advice to make it through a marathon car journey with your baby. So buckle up and read on to learn how to make some road trip memories that will last a lifetime.

PIN for when you’re planning your next road trip:

1.  CHECK YOUR EXPECTATIONS AT THE DOOR

First things first, it’s critical to not set your expectations too high. Remember that babies and toddlers don’t have the patience that you do (or that you might hope!). With this in mind, don’t expect to drive straight to your destination without stopping…multiple times.

Depending on the age of your child, you may have to stop every hour or two to feed, change, or give them a break from their car seat. If you go into the trip with this in mind, you’ll have a much better, less-stress experience.

2.  PLAN WISELY

Keeping #1 in mind, plan your trip so you avoid driving too far in a single day. Map out your journey with the help of an online tool so you can get a sense of how long the trip will take. An app like  Waze  will even take into consideration what day and time you’ll be leaving and factor in the consistent travel patterns like rush hour.

Plan a few potential pit stops along your route so if baby is getting fussy, you’ll already have done your research. Depending on your child’s age and stage, you may want to find a park or playground for them to explore, or somewhere to go for a short walk to stretch your own legs. Pack some bubbles and a ball for some fun, interactive play during your stop.

Inevitably you’ll need to find a clean bathroom at some point, so we suggest downloading the  SitOrSquat app  before you leave so you can view public restrooms based on your current location. It also includes an interactive map with how long it will take to reach each stall, can filter those with baby changing tables and even gives a cleanliness rating. Major high five to that!

3.  TIME IT RIGHT

The most successful road trips are timed right.

If your baby sleeps well in the car, plan your trip to coincide with a time where you know your baby will sleep – either over naptime, or at bedtime. This way you’ll be able to get in a good chunk of quiet, peaceful driving that can recharge everyone’s batteries.

If your baby isn’t a great car sleeper, plan to leave shortly after they wake up in the morning, or right after a nap. Then at least you’ll start the journey with a well-rested, happy baby.

Either way, make sure that baby has a full tummy and a clean diaper before you leave!

4.  PACK/ORGANIZE YOUR CAR LIKE A PRO

We suggest packing your car the day/night before you leave, and while you pack, really think about what you’ll need to keep at arm’s reach vs. what you can stow away.

Keep your suitcases and large baby items like a travel crib at the back of your trunk, as you likely won’t need to access these until you reach your destination. Pack a separate “necessity bag” with all of the essentials you’ll want en route like toys, pacifiers, burp clothes, and bottles.

We like to pack a separate “Changing Station” that includes a changing pad, plenty of diapers, wipes, diaper cream, small trash baggies and an extra set of clothes for any spit-ups, spills or worse! Stick everything into a plastic zipper bag, or buy one of  these handy dandy organizers . You could even just grab the pre-stocked caddy you use in your home.

If you can, leave a free space in the back of your car for a make-shift Changing Table (especially if you have an SUV where the trunk is flat and the perfect height for diaper changing). This makes it super easy for quick changes during pit stops, and you don’t have to worry about finding a clean gas station bathroom.

Create an easy place to throw your trash – we love  this amazing car trash bin , but a trash bag around the front seat headrest can work just as well.

These back-of-the-seat organizers  are also great for keeping toys, books and other necessities close at hand.

 5.  BE STRATEGIC WITH NURSING/BOTTLE FEEDS

Your baby will need to eat during your travels, and whether nursing or formula feeding, make sure you have all of your supplies close at hand. If nursing, a comfy pillow for feeds in the car while filling up with gas can make a huge difference. For bottle fed babes, pack a thermos 1/3 full with hot water so you’ll have room to place your bottle inside to warm it up. Do this just before you arrive at your next pit stop, so the bottle will be ready and your baby won’t have to wait.

We know several mamas who nurse but also bring a pump and bottle so that they can pump while their partner drives, and feed with a bottle from the backseat if need be.

6.  BRING A FULLY STOCKED COOLER WITH SNACKS OR MEALS

For babies who are eating solids, make sure to bring a cooler stocked with healthy, nutritious options for pit-stops or eating on-the-go.

To save room in the cooler, we love to use  Stonyfield Organic Whole Milk Yogurt Pouches  as ice packs. Simply stash a few in your freezer 24 hours+ before you depart, and then line your cooler with the pouches. Not only will they keep your food and drinks icy cold, but once they thaw, they can turn into a great snack for the whole family. We especially love that they contain real fruits and veggies and have 35% less sugar than the leading kids’ yogurt.

We also like to travel with our favorite  Stonyfield YoBaby yogurt  so we have plenty of them for meal time and snack time once we arrive at our destination. If your baby is at least six months old, YoBaby is a great choice as it’s made with only Certified Organic ingredients and supports digestive health with its blend of live and active cultures and the probiotic BB-12. We love that the  YoBaby Veggie  and  YoBaby Plain  have no added sweeteners, and they’re thicker than other baby yogurts which makes it much easier for them to eat. That being said, remember to bring pack some napkins/wipes, spoons and a bib.

And although it’s important that you pack foods that baby will enjoy, don’t forget about yourself! Even if you plan to stop along the way for your meals, if your baby is content or asleep, you may want to keep driving. So throw a few healthy snacks in the cooler for yourself as well.

7.  RECREATE THEIR SLEEPING ENVIRONMENT

As we mentioned earlier, having your baby sleep for a portion of your trip is essential for everyone’s happiness. So do whatever it takes to recreate their ideal sleeping environment: bring any comfort items like a blanket, lovey or pacifier and if they’re used to white noise, download an app to play on your phone/iPad or use a  portable white noise machine .  These window shades  can also help protect your baby from the sun and create a darker, nap-inducing environment.

8.  KEEP BABY ENTERTAINED

After baby has awoken from their nap, they’ll be ready to play, so be sure to bring a vast selection of age-appropriate toys for them to explore. We find that new toys often hold their attention for the longest spans. Pick up a few new ones at your local discount store, or plan a toy-swap with a friend. You could even stash away a selection of toys a week or two before your trip so they will be forgotten and feel new.

Or try your hand at these DIY ideas to keep baby engaged:

Make your own “baby garland” by taping a piece of string across the back of the seat where they sit, and attach photos of other babies or family members to it. Babies are fascinating by studying people’s faces, so this can keep them surprisingly occupied.

Alternatively, fill an empty tissue box with long scraps of fabric or smaller mouthing-friendly toys – baby will love reaching in and pulling out each new surprise.

9.  WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, JUMP IN THE BACKSEAT

If you are traveling with another adult, it helps if one of you can ride in the backseat next to your baby for at least a portion of the trip. Think of it as free time to bond with your baby – read them books (interactive ones with lift-the-flaps or things to touch/feel are extra engaging), sing nursery rhymes and play peekaboo. Switch off with your travel partner every half hour so baby gets a new face and fresh entertainment!

10.  MAKE A PLAYLIST

Listening to music both you and your kids will enjoy can make your road trip so much more fun for everyone. If you’re able to sync your phone or device to your car’s speakers, make a playlist of your family’s favorite songs. If it’s just you and your baby, listening to podcasts or books on tape can make the time go quickly, and the sound of voices often helps a baby relax.

You can even try listening to music in another language – exposing your kids to new sounds and cultures.

11.  BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING

Although we hope with fingers tightly crossed that your road trip will be a smooth one, with no unforeseen circumstances, we always suggest to be prepared for the worse!

We’ve learned the hard way, that it’s always helpful to have a bucket (or small garbage pail) and towel within an arm’s reach. You may learn that your baby (or even yourself) gets car sick, or comes down with a sudden stomach bug.

Having a First Aid kit with band-aids, bug spray, sunblock, prescriptions, and over-the-counter drugs like Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen, could stop your trip from taking a disastrous turn.

And make sure that your vehicle has emergency supplies like jumper cables, flares, a spare tire and jack, and if applicable to your location, a small snow shovel and brush.

Believe it or not, traveling with a baby can actually be a pleasant experience. After all, they aren’t old enough to ask “are we there yet?” over and over again!

Plan carefully and use our tips and you’ll be at Grandma’s house in no time. Safe travels!

Thank you to our sponsor, Stonyfield, for making delicious yogurts that are better for our children, families, and our planet. We’re grateful for their dedication to this mission.

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All the Gear That Helped Me Survive a 3,000-Mile Road Trip With a Baby

My husband and I recently completed a two-nation, eight-state, 3,000-mile road trip from Minneapolis to the East Coast and back via Canada. Because we’re masochists, we brought our 11-month-old son along for the ride.

Not that it was an entirely masochistic endeavor. Despite Julian’s first flight being a total disaster, we felt confident planning a cross-country journey because he’d joined us for shorter, several-day road trips since he was 6 weeks old. We kinda knew what worked: syncing long driving stretches to his morning and afternoon naps. And what didn’t: riding in the back seat with him, which just gave our budding Oscar nominee a captive audience. We mapped the route accordingly, building in enough overnight stays that we wouldn’t need to drive more than four to six hours per day and planning breaks every 90 minutes or so to eat, pee, and stretch our legs at curious roadside attractions like Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland , the world’s biggest and creepiest Christmas store.

Casual adherents to baby-led weaning, we fed Julian whenever he was hungry and kept the mood in our Mazda CX-5 upbeat with El Reino Infantil and Daddy Yankee’s “Rompe” on repeat. (Don’t knock it till you try it.) It’s absolutely worth noting that I don’t breastfeed or pump , which makes traveling with a small tyrant about 2,000 times easier. Furthermore, Julian doesn’t get carsick — I know from friends of puke-prone kids just how paralyzing that is for would-be road trippers. (FWIW, two out of two parents recommended Dramamine for Kids , which is safe for ages 2 and up; a third with an up-chucker under 1 vouched for the long-sleeved smocks from Bumkins, noting gravely, “I can’t stop her from projectile vomiting on the backseat, but at least I can keep her shirt clean.”)

Although we still made rookie mistakes in those 2.5 weeks — did you know babies hate idling in traffic? Never again will we drive through Chicago instead of around it — we also carried a few products that saved us serious grief. In addition to a trustworthy car seat (the Graco Extend2Fit Convertible is aces when paired with a piddle-proof liner ) and a good travel crib (we’re Camp Guava Lotus , despite having to YouTube instructions every time we fold it up), what follows are some of our less expected essentials for hitting the road with a BOB (that’s “baby on board” for those of you who still have lives).

Eating on the road

Before I discovered this stackable snack organizer, I was jamming random crumb-filled Ziplocs in Julian’s diaper bag. The snacks would get crushed beyond recognition, and I was wasting a ton of plastic. The modular design of this twist-off container keeps me in check: I replenish the snacks regularly, they hold their shape, and food — especially fruit — stays fresher longer. Each compartment holds up to eight ounces, and the hooked lid can be hung off strollers and totes. Julian hasn’t figured out how to open it himself yet, but he lights up whenever he glimpses his neon tower of treats — its mere existence makes it an antidote for backseat meltdowns.

Julian has been teething since he was 4 months old but didn’t pop his first tooth until two weeks ago. At home, he enjoys gumming these vaguely fruity styrofoam teething biscuits from Happy Baby, but we learned the hard way that they make an icky-sticky mess when ground into the fabric of a car seat. So somewhere between Philadelphia and Cleveland, we gave these tomato-flavored puffy sticks a whirl and haven’t looked back. They’re baked, not fried, and made with certified-organic corn meal, rice, quinoa, tomato, carrot, and rosemary, meaning they check all the feel-good boxes while still tasting awesome. (Not gonna lie, I eat a third of every bag I open for Julian.) More importantly: no gunk! The sticks are easy for Julian to hold, so he feeds himself, and they magically melt the second they touch his tongue.

It doesn’t matter how divey a roadside diner is, my husband and I would never leave a mess for a server to clean up. Julian, on the other hand, is at that unreasonable age when the only way he knows how to eat is Jackson Pollock style. We travel with a thousand million baby wipes for this reason, but this placemat came in handy when dining at restaurants on our road trip. Made of supple, food-safe silicone, it’s available in an array of cute prints (ramen, sushi, anthropomorphic avocados) and takes up minimal room in his baby bag. We park Julian in a high chair , spread out the placemat like a picnic blanket, and wait for the chaos to rain down. When he’s satisfied with his edible work of art, we roll it up like a taquito and take it to the bathroom for a quick rinse under the faucet. The mat doesn’t catch everything, but it’s that much less food we have to wipe up while apologizing profusely to the waitstaff.

Sometimes dining in a restaurant with a baby isn’t worth the hassle/public humiliation. When we needed to eat in a hotel room or Airbnb, we used this two-in-one, infant-feeding seat we found at the resale chain Kid to Kid . For babies 6 months and up, it works like a compact high chair with an attached tray. For toddlers up to 33 pounds, you remove the tray and it acts as a booster seat at a table. On our road trip, we used the safety straps to secure the seat to an array of chairs, making feeding time so much easier. At first, I worried that the hard plastic design would suck up too much space in the car, but it’s surprisingly compact when folded down, fitting on the floor behind the passenger seat. It’s also easier to clean than the fabric versions.

Changing on the road

When Julian was around 8 months old, I fell for some Instagram momfluencer clucking about her beloved Caraa baby tote . The bag is useful from an organizational standpoint, but it’s the size of a clown car and throws my back out of whack when fully loaded. And I certainly didn’t want to lug it around when I was bolting into a rest stop for a quick diaper change. That’s where this roll-up changing pad came in. It slips over my wrist like a clutch and fits everything we need and nothing we don’t to get our son cleaned up: baby wipes, disposable bags (see below), Aquaphor, and fresh diapers (truth: overnight swaddlers are the MVPs of long car trips). It also has a built-in memory-foam pillow, providing a clean, padded surface for nasty restroom counters and floors (or, in a pinch, the trunk of our car).

At home, we rely on an Ubbi steel diaper pail to keep our baby’s stank under control. On the road, there’s no such option. Considering many hotels did away with daily housekeeping services during the pandemic, it was even more important that we find an interim solution to soiled nappies. Enter this pocket-size, disposable diaper-bag dispenser from Munchkin. It comes with 72 baking-soda-infused bags from Arm & Hammer, and let me tell you: These bags are big enough to hold the heaviest pee-soaked diaper and deodorized enough to block noxious smells the minute they’re tied off. They even have a faint lavender scent, which is about as pleasant as a bag designed to hold baby poop gets. We now keep a roll tucked in our changing pad, another in the diaper bag, and a third in our glove compartment — just in case.

Bathing on the road

Bathing a baby in a hotel, motel, or Airbnb is always a dicey prospect. If the bathtub or shower isn’t immaculate enough to sit in while shaving my legs, I don’t want my kiddo splashing around in there — and no way am I schlepping a free-standing baby tub on a 3,000-mile road trip. By 11 months, however, Julian was too big-boned and squirmy for sink baths. Our road trip solution: micellar water, the same quick fix I use at home when I’m too lazy to wash my face. Mustela’s hypoallergenic avocado- and aloe vera–infused cleansing water is specifically formulated for babies. I put a few squirts on a cotton pad or washcloth and go to town, wiping down Baby Boy’s face, neck, body, and diaper area. It’s a fine stand-in for a bath because it requires no water and smells soapy-fresh with a hint of spring flowers. I use it on Julian’s hair, too, as it’s very good at taming a cowlick without matting down his baby-fine locks.

Sleeping on the road

For me, the most anxiety-inducing part of this road trip wasn’t the driving bit; it was the prospect of our melodramatic offspring having a nuclear meltdown in a hotel with whisper-thin walls. (At least when he screams bloody murder in a car, nobody suffers but us.) I know a lot of parents use SlumberPods to create blackout sleeping conditions for their babies, but those seem awfully bulky when packing space is at a premium. To emulate Julian’s nighttime routine on the road, we aimed to check in for the night by 7 p.m. Airbnb rentals were ideal because we could set up his Pack ’n’ Play in a separate room, but when we had to make do with a studio-style hotel room, we’d stick his travel crib in a dark closet or bathroom, switch on a white-noise app, and plug in his rotating night-light projector — the same kind we use in his nursery back home. The Moredig is small and portable and, depending on the filter you select, turns any ceiling into a galaxy of slow-churning moons and stars or a colorful aquarium teeming with fish. We still had to sneak around all mouselike behind closed doors, but the light show provided a familiar enough distraction that Julian usually drifted off to sleep after ten or 15 minutes.

Julian is a pretty good road tripper, all things considered. On the rare occasion that he acted a fool in a restaurant, hotel, or bumper-to-bumper traffic, and no amount of tomato sticks or Daddy Yankee jams could snap him out of a tantrum, we called into play our final line of defense: Infant+, a.k.a. hypnotherapy for babies. Despite the tsk-tsking of the anti-smartphone crowd, we’ve used this app since Julian was able to turn over. Its pleasant piano music and high-contrast black, white, and red animations of simple shapes like stars and circles grab a baby’s attention like André Leon Talley at an Amish barn raising. It’s repetitive but incredibly soothing — a Sandman for the 21st century.

Playing on the road

This stupid-simple rolling car meets all the demands of helicopter parents: no electronics, sustainably made with rubberwood and nontoxic paints, yada yada yada. But here’s what I really love about this toy : It’s quiet . No blinking, buzzing, drive-you-bananas, jibber-jabbering tomfoolery to disturb other hotel guests or make you contemplate a forever walk into the ocean. It rolls like Mario Andretti on hardwood floors, tile, and low-pile carpeting, and when Julian inevitably mic drops it, it doesn’t clatter quite as loudly as its plastic and metal brethren. Its diminutive size also makes it easy for Julian’s clumsy baby paws to grasp. Although his ability to play with this toy when strapped into a car seat is limited, he takes pleasure in simply holding it, bending its articulated body this way and that and spinning its wheels with his chubby little fingers. We’ve even brought the quiet car on plane rides, grateful for the brief diversion it provides during takeoff and landing.

Car trips are tough on a baby. They’re long and boring, and I’m sure it’s very lonely in the backseat when all your people are riding shotgun. One thing that alleviated some of Julian’s restlessness was this alpaca that we mistakenly named Llama. The important thing here is not what type of camelid Llama is, but that he’s a floppy, raglike creature that wears a placid expression on his face. Like every animal in the Slumberkins’ lineup , he’s designed to teach children how to cope with big feelings. Llama the Alpaca’s particular superpower is absorbing stress and anxiety, which seems apropos for a baby on a 3,000-mile road trip. Julian loves to chatter at his friend, squeeze and strangle him, gnaw his ears, chuck him across the backseat, and then cry until I undo my seatbelt and fish him back. Their relationship is a one-sided emotional rollercoaster, but every dumping session ends the same way — with Julian passed out in the car seat, his Llama slumped in his lap and us enjoying the silence.

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Creating Really Awesome Fun Things

16 of the Best Tips for Road Trips with Toddlers

Updated on April 9, 2024   |  By Jamie Dorobek   |   16 Comments

We love to travel! My son took 10 plane rides before he was 5 months old! (Here are my tips for traveling with a baby via airplane .) Our longest car ride to date with two toddlers (1.5 year old and a 3 year old) was from Texas to Florida. I put together a list of 16 tips for road trips with toddlers. Oh and if you have older kids, don’t miss these 26 car games for kids .

* A giant thank you to Kia for letting my family borrow a Kia Sorento for our 12 hour road trip to Seaside, FL! What a difference a car can make!

After meeting the Kia team at Mom 2.0, a blog conference, and then checking out their fleet of eco friendly cars in San Diego, CA I was sold on driving a Kia Sorento for our family road trip this summer. I can’t get over that 10 years ago Kia was at the bottom, and over the next decade, Kia dedicated itself to quality craftsmanship. In 2016 Kia earned the top spot on JD Power and associates study of best initial quality in the entire car industry, above all of the luxury car brands! That’s impressive.

*This post contains affiliate links.

16 Tips for Road Trips with Toddlers

If you’re new here we have a 1.5 year old and a 3.5 year old and we drove to Seaside, Florida from Texas. According to Google Maps, 788 miles should take a little less than 12 hours. It took us about 15 hours. I put together a list of tips I wish I would have seen before we set off on on our crazy road trip adventure.  #9 ensures 4 hours of peaceful driving, don’t lose kids shoes with #14, and if you get nothing else out this article, pack whole apples for car snacks!

1. Dry Car Snacks

Next to #9, this is the most important tip for my hungry crew! I love to use diaper boxes for traveling. The boxes are sturdy, have built in handle, and I have plenty of them on hand. I rip the flaps off of the diaper box and fill it with easy, healthy snacks. I also put the snack cups and paper towels in this box too. ( These snack cups are the best!)

Here are a few of our favorite car snacks

• Apples (Whole apples are the best because they aren’t messy and take longer to eat.)

2. Cooler Bag Car Snacks

We use a medium sized soft cooler so that it can fit on the floor in the middle of the back seat of the car. We also love this kind of cooler for bringing snacks and drinks to the beach. At some point on the road trip, we grab a bag of ice from the gas station to keep our cooler cool. Plus my kids love ice cubes! ( This is the cooler we use! )

Road trip cooler snacks

• Peeled whole carrots (Same idea as the apples above)
• 2 no spill 360 cups filled with water
• Cut up strawberries in zip lock bags
• Bottles of water
• Yogurt pouches

3. Car Activities

I fill another diaper box with car activities including books that I know my 3.5 year old loves. I like to pick a few books that he knows by heart and can “read” to his 1.5 year old sister. ( Pout Pout Fish  and Brown Bear, Brown Bear are always winners!) I usually buy at least one new book too.

Travel toys for a 3 year old

• Magnetic drawing board
• Rescue bots
• Toy vehicles with moving parts

Best toddler travel toys

• Hand held mirror
• Leap Frog word book
• First 100 Words Book
• Anything the 3 year old is holding, ha!

4. Best Car Activities for Toddlers

Sticky notes and pipe cleaners will bring your toddler and preschoolers hours of fun in the car!

Post It Notes

Pick up a few packs of Post It notes in different colors and let the kids go wild sticking them all over the car. Or make a fancy container like the one below and hand it to your toddler.  Sticky notes on an oatmeal container, who knew that could provide so much entertainment? Oh and store the extra sticky notes inside of the container so that you can remake this fancy contraption if necessary.

Pipe Cleaners

As for pipe cleaners, I got this idea from my friend Cassie who wrote a blog post for C.R.A.F.T years ago. You can read all of her great ideas to keep kids busy on road trips  with pipe cleaners here.  Since my kids are both really young their favorite thing to do is make loops and connect the loops. My 3 year old enjoys stringing Cheerios too.

5. Electronics

Feel free to judge, but electronics are a must for us on long car rides! I’m all about that iPad or Kindle Fire . My 1.5 year old could care less about shows, but the 3.5 year old will almost watch an entire movie. So, if the little one is sleeping, I insist the big guy watch a movie. We have about 10 of his favorite movies/shows downloaded on the Kindle Fire, and it wedges perfectly wedges between the 2 front seats the Kia Sorento.

6. Find Playgrounds

There will be lots of pit stops when road tripping with babies, toddlers, and/or preschoolers. Our 3.5 year old is potty trained so we stopped multiple times for him to use the restroom. We typically tried to combine that with getting gas, changing the 1.5 year olds diaper and possibly grabbing coffee or a real meal. If you’re traveling through small towns there might not be playgrounds readily available so one thing I like to do is search Google maps for “Elementary schools”. If it’s the weekend or summer, likely no one is on the playground and it’s the perfect place to stop and play.

How to find a playground while traveling

• Chick-fil-a
• Search “Elementary school” or “public park” on google maps
• Download the app “Playground Buddy”

7. Music and Car Dance Parties

My kids love a good dance party. At home, we turn the music up really loud and “do circles” around the dining room table. Dance parties cure most bad moods even in the car. Find a song with a good beat and turn it up loud! It’s even better if your kids are familiar with the song or you have a few favorites ready to go on a Spotify playlist or a CD. Maxwell’s very favorite right now is the Hamster Song . (Listen at your own risk, kids love it, but it’s fairly annoying.)

8. Learn Something New

Since you’ve got lots of time, why not teach the kids something new! I found number flash cards in the Target Dollar Spot and decided to teach Maxwell to recognize numbers 0-9. On one side of the card was the number (3) and on the back side was for example, 3 apples. Sometimes I quizzed him, sometimes he quizzed me, sometimes he would ask for a hint and I would hand him the card so that he could count the items on the back of the card. We worked on numbers in sets of 3. So, we started with 0-2. Once he mastered those we would try and find those numbers on road signs. We did this in spontaneous spurts of 5-10 minutes or whenever he asked to “learn numbers”. There was also a prize involved, ha! It worked surprisingly well, upon arriving home he could identify all 10 numbers!

9. Leave Early or Drive Through the Night

Driving through the night is not an option for us, but I know lots of people that swear by this method. Mama needs sleep or everyone will be grumpy! We were on the road by 4am to get 4 hours under our belt while the kids were sleeping. When both kids were up and ready to move by 8am, we stopped and had breakfast. Here’s picture proof we were on the road by 4:36am! For the record, I love the navigation system in the Kia Sorento. It’s bright, user friendly, includes street signs, speed limit sign, and you can see how many miles until the next turn on the driver’s dashboard.

10. Leave Room Between the Car Seats

We are going to talk about car organization in #12, but I think this is worthy of its very own bullet point. It’s very simple: Do not pack anything to go between the 2 car seats in case you need to jump back there and console a total meltdown. I only had to use this tactic once per 777 mile trek, but when you need it, you really need it.

11. Window shades

The Kia Sorento comes with window shades built into the back windows! You can roll down the window and the shades stay up. It’s amazing! I’m a big fan. If your car does not have built in shades, you can buy these that suction cup to any window .

12. Recline Car Seat

This is especially important for our 17 month old. Our Britax Marathon car seats have 7 recline positions and we adjust hers to recline to the 7th position. It ensures she is ready for sleep at any moment! Also fair to note here, dress kids comfortable and bring their favorite sleep item in the car. Don’t pack it in the suitcase like I did one time. My kids need their “blanks”! After all, the ultimate goal of the road trip is to get the kids to sleep! Also, I spy a lone Cheerio on the “blank”, ha!

13. How to organize a car for a toad trip

The next tip for road trips with toddlers involve how and where to put things in your car. I swear just knowing where stuff is hiding in the car is half the battle. I cut the flaps off of diaper boxes and use them to store dry snacks and books/activities on the floor of the back seat. The soft cooler goes in the middle.

Another tip for road trip car organization

Use a hanging jewelry organizer ( this one is perfect! ) to hang on the back of the passenger seat to house things like toy cars, kid sunglasses, hair ties, socks, chap stick, and small fidget toys!

14. Road trip shoe trick

In the name of car organization and knowing where things are, Andy invented this shoe trick. After hunting for kid shoes at multiple pit stops, he started stowing kiddo shoes in the space behind the carseat. Genius!

15. Hand Sanitizer

Go ahead and stick it right in a cup holder so you don’t loose it.

16. Diaper Bags & Trash Bags

The diaper bag should include bazillions of diapers, a ridiculous amount of wipes, and at least one change of clothes for each kid. I pack these goodies in my everyday backpack diaper bag and make sure it is the last thing packed in the trunk of the car. If you have a diaper situation, you’re stopping anyway so I prefer the diaper bag in the trunk versus at my feet.

If you are looking for more travel tips with kids, I’ve got you covered:

• Tips for  long road trips with a bab y
• Tips for traveling with a baby via airplane
• Traveling with a  mobile lap baby via airplane
• Tips for  flying with a toddler
• 26 Car games for kids

Did I miss any tips for road trips with toddlers? I’d love to hear…

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Reader Interactions

Leave a reply cancel reply, comments & reviews.

September 3, 2020

Is it okay to have his seat reclined forward facing? My son is 3 and I have the option to recline it and just want more tips on how to make it safer!

September 4, 2020

Hi Amber! I would check with the maker of your brand of carseat.

August 27, 2020

Thanks for the great article, love the tips. But, with the pandemic still in effect, do you have any additional tips that are specific to travelling now? We have an 18 hour drive planned for October and we have a 4.5 year old and a 1.5 year old who have never done more than 2 hours in the car. I do not think we will be able to stop at playgrounds and we have to be really particular about what “to go” food we partake in because restaurants will be out of the question. Thanks!

October 18, 2020

The only thing extra that I’m adding to my list that isn’t suggested here, is an on the go potty station for my trunk (with corresponding toiletries in diaper bag). We’ll be stopping for picnics and stretches in parking lots as opposed to utilizing restaurants and public spaces (6month old and 2.5 year old)

December 1, 2019

When temps are high slip an icepack behind the cushion of their car seat.

July 30, 2019

1.5 year old should be rear facing..

August 7, 2019

I bet the kid survived just fine.

August 10, 2019

Not if thay are over 20 lbs

August 16, 2019

In several states Amber is correct- it is legally required that a child under two is rear facing. And the thing about driving through other states on a road trip is that you’re required to follow their laws. (You wouldn’t tell a cop pulling you over for speeding, “Well, the speed limit is higher in my state!” would you?). Regardless of laws, children under two are safest rear-facing according to science.

October 22, 2020

You are correct. Best practice is to leave. A child read facing until at least 2 years old or they maximize the harness weight for the rear facing position of their car seat.Children are much safer in an accident rear facing.

June 20, 2019

This was really helpful for me as we are about to take our first road trip as a family with my 2 year old in August. He’s never been in the car longer than 3 hours and even then it seemed challenging. I would love to get more information on who to contact about a collaboration with Kia as well if you don’t mind sharing? Ironically I own a 2017 Kia Sorento but would also be very interested in testing out a newer one with a navigation system like the one you drove and bonus features. Thanks so much!

June 16, 2019

Best tips I have read. Affiliate links are subtle, ads are not overwhelming, I love it so much. Great travel hacks, we are traveling soon and I will be using all of these! Thank you! Just gained a fan.

July 21, 2018

August 29, 2017

I have a trip tomorow with my kid… Definitely going to have to give that a try.

August 26, 2017

These are all fantastic tips! We have three kids between ages 2 and 8, and road trips are becoming more and more common. We love to have the oldest run a few rounds of Mad Libs during a trip. It’s a great way to reinforce language skills and writing during the summer. Though, using the post-its is total genius with the little one. Definitely going to have to give that a try.

Ohhh Mad Libs is a great idea with oldder kiddos!! PLus I LOVE them! Thanks for the tip!

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A deranged mother allegedly stabbed her boyfriend to death and threw her daughters out of a moving car — killing an infant — before smashing into a tree in a twisted murder-suicide that spanned several Los Angeles neighborhoods.

Police first learned of the mayhem when they found an 8-month-old and 9-year-old in the middle of the 405 Freeway around 4:30 a.m. Monday.

The baby girl was pronounced dead at the scene, but her older sister had managed to survive the fall with “moderate injuries,” according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Just half an hour later, the kids’ mother Danielle Johnson was found dead in her crushed car several miles away in Redondo Beach.

The 34-year-old had driven her SUV at a “speed in excess of 100 miles per hour” when she collided with a tree. Whether the crash was intentional or not is not yet clear.

Nearly three hours later, investigators discovered the body of 29-year-old Jaelen Allen Chaney in the luxury Woodland Hills apartment — where a one-bedroom fetches up to $5,000 per month — he shared with Johnson and her children.

Neighbors called 911 after spotting a trail of blood down the hallway toward the couple’s open door.

“Their door was wide open, there was blood on the floor leading into their apartment, and then a trail of it in the hallway leading up to the elevator, and I saw some blood on the walls,” a 26-year-old neighbor told ABC 7.

At the direction of an EMT, the neighbor’s father went into the unit to check on Chaney, who was found dead and “facedown on the floor.”

“And there was a lot of blood,” the man said.

According to police, Johnson stabbed Chaney to death when the two became involved in a verbal argument around 3:40 a.m.

Johnson allegedly grabbed a knife and attacked Chaney before piling her two daughters into a dark-colored Porsche SUV, which she plowed through the apartment complex security gate.

That’s when she peeled toward the highway, where “the minors fell or were thrown out of the moving vehicle,” according to the California Highway Patrol.

The 9-year-old child — the sole survivor of the horrifying attack — had witnessed her mother slay Chaney, sources told ABC 7.

Johnson killed herself more than 30 miles south of the site of Chaney’s murder.

The motive for the murder-suicide is not yet clear.

Investigators are also still working to determine if the baby had died before being thrown from the car.

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