If you are taking a road trip you might think it's just packing your bags and hitting the highway. But how well you plan your family road trip can make the difference between fun and frustration. To get you into gear, here are some tips from family travel writer Kate Pocock.
Be flexible
Plan ahead. This is really important because you need to be flexible about how many kilometres you need to cover. Men tend to like to cover a lot of territory but be realistic. Figure out what kinds of roads you will travel if you are going down the 401 or up to Bruce Peninsula, or smaller roads in Newfoundland. You have to stop before the kids go ballistic. You should drive no more than three hours at a time. Then you should take a break for rest and food. If kids are young you can plan it around a nap time.
Make pitstops an adventure
Do some research. Phone local tourist boards and get maps and brochures. For example, small towns have free access pools. Stop at park let the kids have swim and then dry off. Find some family friendly restaurant the local burger place. Look for a restaurants with parks beside them. Bring soccer balls and a Frisbee, so they can burn off that energy because that what can make kids impossible to handle in the car.
Test Your Tires
The tires are really important. People are concerned with gas and oil and forget about their tires. Tires at the right pressure can save you money because you end burning less gas when tires run at full capacity.
A good trick to check the tires treads is to take the penny and place inside the tire tread.
Get your kids to help navigate
Don't forget the kids. Get their involvement in the stop over. Have them follow the road trip along with a pen to mark territory on the map. It's good practice for them to learn about map reading and navigation.
Sit down and have a conversation to prepare them and come up with ideas beforehand what they'd like to see.
Also switch around the seating arrangements. Get mom to sit in the back and switch who sits on the middle.
Have a child's medical history on hand
Have list of shots and tetanus shots if, for example, they step on rusty nail. But also if you forget your child's medication at least you have the name on hand. It is also practical to have the number of poison control on hand.
If you are going out of province, check with health insurance provider on what services can be covered. Also, make sure to record every detail of the medical attention that you sought while travelling
Finally, bring a medical dictionary on the road to evaluate any suspicious rashes or symptoms.
