How To RoadTrip With Your Child Screen Free

A Socially Distant Survival Guide for Parents on a Screen Free Road Trip

With the car packed the night before, we picked up bagels and coffee and hit the road heading for Lake Ouachita, AK where we would camp during our first night of travel. The trip would be two days total, or about 16 hours drive time. Our screen free road trip has begun!

Road trips were screen free when I was growing up. I would look out the window and wonder about the world. I would play with small toys, I would read, and I would probably annoy my parents at times. It’s healthy for kids to be bored. It promotes creativity and teaches them patience. 

I’m a big fan of fostering independence in kids and teaching them to be responsible for their own stuff. I “help” Em pack his own backpack. We packed his backpack (excluding snacks) a few days before we left. He wasn’t allowed to play with anything in the backpack until we were en route.

Screen Free Toys Your Child Can Pack:

1. My son is 3 and loves trucks and cars. We went through his collection and he picked 5 to pack. Focus on packing a minimal mess toy that will keep your child busy.
2. A small stack of newly rented Curious George books from the library. While driving, I asked Em to look at the pictures and tell me what he thought the story was about. Go to the library beforehand and pick out books with your child. Don’t let them read the books until the road trip. Side note, I ended up paying late fees on these which still cost less than buying new books.
3. Window stick ons. These were sold out when I tried to buy them. I’m eager to try them on our way back if I can find any. 
4. Dry erase board and pens. Kitchen rag for an eraser. My 3 year old was fascinated by this. You can also get a dry erase board with a map on it. This could be especially great for older kids.

Screen Free Road trip friendly snacks:

1. Raw carrot strips, bell pepper sticks and cauliflower florets. Road trips are the only time I allow food in the car.
2. Reusable water bottle he can open by himself. We don’t drink juice or soda. Most gas stations and restaurants will allow you to refill your water with their soda machine.

A note about snacks. I like to stop for sit down meals – especially if we can picnic outdoors. Em behaves better at mealtime when he’s hungry. For that reason, I don’t give him more conventional processed snacks that are going to fill him up.

Road trip rules in the car:

1. Any requests for toys need to be before I start driving. Once I’m behind the wheel I can’t hand him anything. Every time we stopped, I reminded Em of this rule as I buckled him in and asked him what toys he wanted. This gave him a chance to load up before we set off. (He can’t reach toys on the seat from his carseat).
2. If he drops toys on the floor, they stay on the floor till our next stop. Its not safe for me to dig for toys behind me while driving.
3. If he throws a toy, I take it away for the rest of the trip. 

Road trip organization suggestions:

1. Stick to your usual routine. Encourage nap time at its regular time if your little still naps. 
2. Plan your route. Find out which rest stops are open and have green space. Pack a picnic lunch and eat at a rest stop. This gives kids a chance to be outside and runoff energy.
3. Make two playlists. One for you to enjoy during nap time and a second playlist for your little to sing along. If you’re into podcasts, load up on the latest episodes of all your favorites. If the kids are old enough, podcasts can be a great activity to work on their listening comprehension as well.
4. Mentally prepare yourself. This may be the most important tip. Get a good night’s rest. Eat breakfast and have coffee – or whatever your usual morning routine is. I considered the 5am departure to beat traffic, but ultimately, I realized we were both better off getting our usual full sleep window and departing closer to 8am. 
5. Pack over the course of a couple days. As a single parent, don’t try to do it all in a day. I like to keep a packing list on the counter that I add to as I think of things throughout the week. Get everything packed and in the car the night before. This way, you’re not stressed out the morning you set off. You deserve to enjoy this trip too, and that means being in a good headspace and not feeling exhausted by noon.

Set Expectations for a Screen Free and Stress Free Road Trip

One of the most important things you can do before setting off, is to set expectations. Since we never eat in the car, having a snack, even just carrot sticks, seemed like a special treat. For a few days before the trip, we regularly talked about it and what a looooong drive it would be. I kept reiterating it will be two long days. Just two. And we’ll camp in the middle. 

Setting expectations about behavior and sharing the itinerary with kids helps them feel in control and prepared. When Em complained it was taking a long time, I agreed and sympathized with him. And then talked about how great it’ll be when we get there. 

Things happen . . .

We did have one mishap along the journey. While stopping for takeout at a restaurant outside of Memphis, Em disturbed a Great Black Wasp nest while poking around a bush in the restaurant’s landscaping. What was at first just one wasp, quickly turned into ten. And they were angry. My feet were moving before my brain caught up. As the wasps started to swarm around Em, I grabbed him, threw him over my shoulder and dashed into the restaurant where he burst into tears. 

He suffered one bite but was otherwise okay. If not a little terrified and shocked. The bite swelled a couple days later but thankfully he’s not allergic. 

Finally, alive and well, we made it to Fountain Run, KY where our rustic AirBnb cabin awaited us. On to the next journey!

Need help planning your next trip?

Check out our articles on The Best Way to Choose Your Next Vacation Destination and The 5 Best Ways to Find Cheap Vacation Accommodations for help planning the details of your next trip!