5 must haves when traveling with kids!

After traveling up north to visit family for the past 7 days were finally home and Dorothy was so right when she said "there's no place like home". Traveling with young kids is challenging and not always the most delightful event but since most of my family live anywhere from 5 to 17 hours away, I've been doing it since my oldest daughter Ella was three months old. She is now 3. I take about 3 road trips a year. Truthfully the younger they are the easier they are on the trip. Once they hit 6 months and older it gets trickier and trickier. The key is making sure they are comfortable and entertained. Here are my top five items I can not and will not travel with out when traveling with my kids.

Portable DVD player: If the right movie is playing this can keep my kids occupied for 70% of the trip.

Stickers: As long as you don't mind your child covering themselves and your vehicle with stickers this is a great activity. You can get packets of stickers and a sheet of paper and you have entertainment for a good 15 minutes!

Snacks: I love traveling with applesauce pouches and juice boxes! They are easy for kids to eat in the car (I would say they are mess free but I always have one child who squeezes too hard and they squirt everywhere). Fruit snacks are a favorite of my kids so they are a must have! I also use them to reward my kids for behaving well during the car ride! Your kids favorite snacks are the best to get especially things they don't get all the time.

Extra clothes: I dress my kids in comfortable clothes (I even have put them in pj's before) and I always have extra clothes in my car for them. This way if they have any kind of accident I don't have to unpack my car to get them new clothes. This is a big one for me because usually at least one of my babies needs to change their clothes. It actually is a good idea to have a change of clothes for the adults traveling as well, just in case your child's mess gets on you :)

Music: Your child's favorite songs are also a great way to keep them entertained during the ride!

Some additional tips are: stopping every three hours so their diapers can  be changed or use bathroom, stretch their legs and just get out of their car seat. Also starting your travel time around when they will  be sleeping is a great time to leave. If you can travel at night ( I can't do this) it's a really great option for the kids, but not always for you. My final and most important tip is having a sense of humor because at some point something will happen that the best thing to do is laugh your way through it!

Comment below and let me know what your must haves are when traveling with kids!!