How to Make Your Car Ready For Your Kids To Travel In #CP

Planning on taking your kids on a family day out and having to spend a significant amount of time in the car on a long journey?

I have an eight month old son and we often make long journeys all over the UK every weekend. At first we didn't feel too comfortable with taking him out on long journeys in the 307, but after making sure that we had our car ready for him to travel in on these long journeys they are now almost effortless.

The Journey
The most important things to consider when preparing for a long journey are the basics:

• Have you checked your Tyre pressure and condition?
• Have you checked your oil?
• Do you have a good amount of screen wash?
• Do you have break-down cover?
• Check that all your lights are working?

You'll will have probably already checked the above, however if you haven't it is often one of the basics that can throw a giant spanner in the works on long journeys so please make sure you do put in the effort and check. The last thing your children and partner will want is the opportunity to be stuck on the hard-shoulder in the cold and rain. You should also make sure you have a usable spare-tyre in the boot, i use point-s.co.uk for my new and replacement tyres.

So now that you have done you utmost to ensure your car will make it to your selected destination you will now need to consider gather and preparing the things that will make your journey a safe, fun and pleasant one. Here are a few point to consider:

Clean The Car
It is more than likely that you have packed your car up with a wide range of items from the push-chair to the lunch boxes. You should try and clear the car of all the clutter before loading it up. Why you ask? Because less clutter means less weight.. less weight means a better fuel efficiency and less clutter also means that your children will be less likely to find dirty old unwanted trash that they fancy playing with! A clean car will hopefully create that much needed space for you to squash in the picnic basket and those other essential items and treats.

Screen/Sun Shades

The chance of you getting lucky and experiencing warm weather and sunshine is unlikely, but if you get lucky you need to protect your little explorers from the sun. Investing in a good pair of window-screen shades will help protect your kids and mean that they won't be blinded by the sun every-time you turn a corner.

You do not need to spend a fortune on these screen-shades, you should find a set in some of the bargain shops and maybe some pound shops and of course your Mothercare!

Car-Seat
It is vital that the car seat you use for your kids are appropriate for the height and weight of your children. As children grow up fast and it is ill-advised to continue to use a car-seat that is no longer suitable for your little ones. An adjustable car seat can mitigate this problem and save you from buying several chairs as your little one grows – you can find seats like this at Nuna, Premium Car Seats, Pushchairs, and Baby Gear AU. Make sure that the seat is installed correctly, make sure the straps are secure and any adjustments like the headrest, harness, and seatbelts are at the correct position for their height. Also, check to see if you have not left a toy in the car seat before you put them in. . 

Have a quick peek at this video should you need help and or reassurance:

Toys
Having an arsenal of toys and books can help keep the little one occupied for a large proportion of the journey. If you have their favorite toys you should bring them along, consider taking the family to the local library to pick up some new books and maybe if you have the budget go to the charity shop and invest in some second hand toys.

Sickness Tablets
If the kids are not to familiar with travelling long distances it would be wise to consider investing in sickness tablets and or bands. The chances are that they will be fine but just in case pack some in your bags along with sick bags and air freshers.

Change of Clothing
Spillages, sickness and food are all a danger to the cleanliness of your children so it is wise to pack a few extra items of clothing should something happen. You might also want to consider chucking a blanket into boot so that any wet patches or stains can be avoided by being covered.

Food & Water
Even if you only travel for an hour or two consider taking some snacks along with you. This will keep them occupied and off your back when you drive past every fast food establishment on the motorway. Avoid heavy foods like chocolate and bring light-bites along!

Music

Another great-way to keep the pups happy is to bring along the music they love. Sing alongs always kill time and your children will feel at home listening to the songs they love. I have best 6.5 car speakers in my car so the songs sound incredibly clear!

Travel Times
If you can travel in nap times then this is recommended. It can be hard planning a journey around nap times for multiple children, but you should always satisfy the younger child's needs above the older children as the younger ones can be harder to manage and keep happy. Pack pillows and covers to encourage napping!

Toilet Breaks
You should always plan or encourage multiple stops on the journey. You can reinforce the need to go to the loo by offering them a treat every time they stop and go to the toilet. You do not want your little ones wetting themselves in the car so take breaks whenever possible.

If you have any questions you have a nuggets of wisdom you would like to pass onto to other parents please do leave a comment or email me!