Most non-parents have no idea how much a small child can derail the best of plans. I’ll never forget the time it took us 7 hours to drive the 150 miles from my brother’s house to mine with our two small children in the back. Within a few miles of the motorway it was a constant round of ‘I need a wee’ and ‘I feel sick’ and ‘I need a very quick wee’ – ok, hold on, the next exit is 15 miles away…
Ok, that trip was unusually bad, and sometimes there’s really nothing you can do but stop. But in many cases planning ahead can make a road trip more child friendly.
1) Planning for Safety
This is a whole topic in itself, but obviously ensure that you have the appropriate car seats for the size and weight of your children, as well as working seat belts and general safe maintenance of the campervan as a whole.
From personal experience (in my mother in law’s Toyota!) I can also tell you it is a disaster for safety and your sanity if excited kids are in a new vehicle where for the first time they can reach the door locks, window locks and door handles. So if you are renting a campervan or car, test it out with a short drive first so that if this is an issue you can lay down the law without having to shout from the front to back seat at 70mph.
And whether you’re in your own campervan or renting, if you’re planning a long road trip with small children, I’d strongly recommend a good breakdown assistance or roadside assistance policy.
2) Planning for Comfort
If you know you’re going on a long road trip, try to make your vehicle as comfortable as possible. Make sure the windows, air conditioning and heater work. Try to clear any smells out of the car, to prevent travel sickness. If you do have a child that gets travel sick, try to avoid anything involving reading, and keep a big bowl and towel within their reach.
Keep water bottles within reach, although not so much that they’re constantly needing the toilet (see above!). We prefer water to juice for two reasons:
* It doesn’t give them that sugar rush
* It isn’t sticky if they spill it, which they will
Keep tissues and wipes handy anyway, and also changes of clothes.
When you do stop, whether it’s for fuel, bathroom breaks or refreshments, take note of particular rest stops or motorway service station chains that are more or less child friendly. In the UK, we found the Moto service stations had the best baby changing rooms, healthy snacks and feeding options for babies and small children.
Meanwhile, pack a selection of snacks, such as granola bars, apples, boxes of raisins, string cheese or Babybels and bread rolls, and keep them where somebody sensible can reach them, and anyone who’s likely to throw them can’t 
Which brings me to the last section:
3) Planning for Interest
Kids are not often as interested in looking out of the window at the scenery, or listening to interesting radio shows. So pack something to listen to that they will like as well. It’s a good idea to have a mixture of short stories, audiobooks if you can break them up over several days, soothing music (lullabies etc) and catchy songs. Our kids think ‘One Step Beyond’ by Madness is the funniest song ever.
Think ahead and remind yourself of games you can play with them that don’t require supplies. Games like I Spy, Go Fish, and Just a Minute can work well, depending on the ages of your children.
We also have a box of toys, including crayons, colouring and puzzle books, bendy toys, and etch a sketches. Books are also a good idea, as long as your child doesn’t get car sick. It might well add interest for the other child, but it’s not going to be good for the trip as a whole!
Finally, before you go, look for places of interest to your family along the way, and bear in mind that plans may need to change, and you might not make it as far each day as you would like to. If you can break it down, with alternative overnight stops and bathroom breaks where there is something nice to see or fun to do, your family road trip will be much more pleasant for everyone.
