Road Trip Activities for Preschoolers
By TMoM Team Member Anna Keller
Now that it’s springtime and the world is feeling generally more hopeful, lots of families are starting to get on the road to take trips. We’re currently at the beach with our infant son and 4-year-old daughter – which required four hours in the car – and I’m very relieved to report that the trip here was uneventful in the best way. Now we just have to tackle the drive home in a few days…
If you’re planning for upcoming travel with your preschooler, here are a few activities and suggestions to consider to make your road trip as enjoyable as possible for everyone:
Healthy, Fun Snacks: This one’s worth mentioning first for sure. Everyone’s happier when they aren’t hungry, and so having easy-to-access snacks you feel great about your kiddos eating is key to any successful road trip. Some suggestions of snacks that check the boxes when it comes to (pretty) healthy, fun, AND relatively clean to eat in the car include apple slices, string cheese, homemade mini muffins, dry cereal, trail mix, granola bars, bell pepper sticks, and applesauce pouches. Be sure to have some wipes on hand for easy clean-up post-snack time, too.
Wikki Stix: We LOVE these at our house, and they make for the perfect road trip activity! Wikki Stix are colorful, bendable sticks (similar in size to pipe cleaners) that can be used to build endless creations. Since they aren’t a bit messy, either, they’re a wonderful art option for the car.
Scavenger Hunt: You can make your own or print one off from online (like this one) and let your preschooler enjoy observing the world around them during your road trip and searching for items on their scavenger hunt in the process.
Water Wow Coloring Books: These books are amazing – they use just water (so no mess) and after the pages dry they can be colored again, making for countless hours of entertainment and fun.
Sticker Book: Peel-and-stick reusable sticker books like this one are awesome at keeping children engaged and, since they’re reusable, they aren’t something your preschooler will quickly complete and never be able to play with again.
I Spy: Get in on the fun with your preschooler by initiating a game of I Spy. You can look for things outside the car or inside the car (depending on how fast you’re going!).
Kids’ Podcast: There are tons of kid-friendly podcast options these days, and it might be worth exploring a few to see if your preschooler enjoys those as in-car entertainment. Here’s a list of kids’ podcasts to look into!
Tablet: Our daughter, Maggie, has a tablet that she’s only allowed to use when we travel, which makes it extra special – not to mention effective – entertainment when we’re in the car or on a plane. Here are some app suggestions for preschoolers to help as you’re looking for inspiration on what to load onto your child’s tablet.
No matter what route you take when it comes to road trip entertainment with your preschooler, I hope your upcoming travel is as fun for everyone as it can be – both in the car and once you reach your destination!
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