A screen-free road trip is possible, it's an invitation not a death sentence. My family has traveled thousands of miles through 15 states by car. From stunning vistas in the Adirondacks to a middle-of-the-night breakdown in rural Tennessee, we love the glamour and tolerate the grittiness a road trip offers. It’s the stuff of family lore.
We play car games, count down to state lines, invade each other’s space, eat an inordinate number of snacks, and, of course, ask how much longer until we arrive. Overall, we have pleasant drives despite the crumb-filled floors and the momentary thrill of antagonizing a sibling. And we travel (typically) sans screens.
I could wax poetic about the advantages of a screen-free road trip – children daydream as they look out of their window instead of down at a device. We read books aloud, enjoy music together, tell stories, and forge a unique family culture through car games, solving arguments, and shared experiences.
While there are many advantages, it is also true that a screen-free road trip is not the easiest choice. It requires planning and active participation from the parents of young children. But we have found the effort to be well worth it every time.
Without further ado, here are a few tips and tricks I have learned along the way.
Prepare the space
When we begin a road trip, the car is vacuumed (thanks to my husband!) and each child has a water bottle, a lunch box filled with a meal and snacks, and a backpack filled with their road trip supplies. I have one bag filled with extra snacks and another bag filled with family activities, both easily accessible. We have wipes ready for spills and sticky hands, a few garbage bags to keep a tidy car, and blankets and pillows for cozy napping. And, most importantly, a coffee thermos for the grown-ups!
Favorite supplies for kids’ road trip backpacks:
A blank notebook
Pencil pouch with colored pencils (crayons melt, we have learned the hard way)
Paint by sticker books for 5 and up; Sticker pads and blank paper for the younger crowd
Yoto and Yoto card library
Search-and-Find books (Where’s Waldo books are always a hit!)
Window clings
Books of mazes and connect-the-dots
Mini dolls and figurines
Surprise dollar store treats
Extra fun surprise snack
Embrace the crumbs
My favorite part of road tripping while growing up was the snacks. I think my kids might say the same! We focus on crowd pleasers, an easy-to-eat protein, and a few unique snacks. For our family, this looks like applesauce pouches, peanut butter-filled pretzels, beef sticks or jerky, mandarins, Goldfish, chewing gum, a new-to-us snack from Costco, and occasionally an old-time candy of choice.
Besides their lunch boxes, I am the keeper of all snacks, which are stored in my large bag. From there, I dish them into the kids’ lunch boxes or to-go cups along the way at the opportune moment.
Read-alouds, audiobooks, and music
Each road trip, I bring a new novel to read aloud as a family. Between our novel, picture books, audiobooks, podcasts, and playlists, our ears have a hard time feeling bored! Find some amazing audiobook suggestions here.
When it comes to music, our family prioritizes albums that everyone (even the grown-ups!) can enjoy. Our personal favorites artists are The Hillbilly Thomists, ABBA, and Queen, but we also create trip-specific playlists on Spotify for easy listening.
I would be remiss not to share our ultimate road trip MVP – the Yoto Player. The Yoto is a screen-free audio player that allows children to choose their own story by simply inserting a Yoto card into the player. Especially for young children who are emerging readers, it has given us hours of happy listening both at home and on the road.
Participation is key
As stated earlier, a screen-free road trip is not a time of leisure for the parent. It is all about being attentive and ready to participate. Our most successful road trips have been the ones where I am proactive about entertaining the kids, rather than reactive once the complaints come piling in.
I use my best judgment on how everyone is doing, but I aim for a family activity every hour and a half (give or take if I notice someone getting restless). I offer a snack after that activity is complete. This seems to shake things up a bit and catches everyone before any (highly contagious) negativity hits. Remember, we want the road trip to be fun!
Family activities:
Mad Libs (we have had some serious laughs over these silly stories)
The family story game – My husband or I give a prompt, such as, “Do you know how mama and I met?” or, “Do you know what I did for my ninth birthday?” and we tell the children a story from our past.
Car BINGO and other printables on a clipboard – Tons of free options online!
Maps of the specific area we are traveling in
The ABC game – We choose a category and have to name something that fits the category in the order of the alphabet (airplane, boat, car, dump truck…)
I Spy
Rubik’s Cube – We all work together, each person taking 5-10 turns and then passing along
Wondering aloud – “I wonder what types of crops that farmer grows?” or, “I wonder how many children live in that house? What do they do for fun?”
The collective story – Each person tells a portion of a story, and then the next person picks up where they left off (this can get very silly as well!)
A screen-free road trip is a time of connection and memory-making. Sure, there will be antics and complaints, spills and tears. But even if you commit to a few hours of the trip sans screens, imagine the stories to be shared, the views to be noticed, the songs to be sung, and the laughs to be had.
Hope you have clear skies and happy travels ahead!