Road trip with kids – 6 Essential things you need

Real road trip tips from 10 months of full-time family travel across Australia

We’ve just spent 10 months roadtripping across Australia with our twin boys of 8, and along the way, we’ve figured out what really matters when you’re traveling long distances as a family in a car. From avoiding hangry meltdowns to surviving 8-hour drive days without losing your mind, here are the 6 essential things you need to pack, plan, or prioritize when roadtripping with kids.

There’s something magical about hitting the open road with your family, a car or van full of gear, and a sense of adventure. This road trip, the freedom, the landscapes, the unexpected moments… it’s the stuff memories are made of.

But if you’ve ever done a road trip with kids, you also know it can go from dream to disaster in about 3.5 seconds. Usually right after someone announces they’re hungry, again.

Let’s dive in our road trip essentials when you travel with kids:

Road trip with kids essential #1 : Healthy Snacks & Water

There’s one rule of roadtripping with kids that you should tattoo somewhere visible:

A hungry child is not a happy traveler.

We’ve seen the full range – cranky, tired, screaming, annoyed. While everything could be fixed by a simple apple and a handful of trail mix.

But not all snacks are equal. Avoid high-sugar, high-salt snacks that can spike energy and then crash it. Salt also dehydrates, and that’s the last thing you want when you’re driving through the dry, hot Aussie interior.

Here’s what we always had within arm’s reach:

• Fresh fruit (apples, bananas, oranges)
• Sandwiches
• Popcorn or rice cakes
• Trail mix or other nuts
• Banana bread, since this was our favourite

And water, so much water. We always carried our one-liter Lifestraw bottles, and we kept two big 20L container in the back for refills. On hotter days, we added electrolytes to prevent fatigue and dehydration.

It’s not just about keeping them fed, it’s about keeping the mood light, energy stable, and everyone hydrated.

Road trip with kids essential #2 : Toys & Entertainment

Now that the hangriness is under control, let’s talk about the second biggest challenge – keeping them entertained.

You’d be surprised how quickly “are we there yet?” kicks in, especially when the road looks the same for hundreds of kilometers.

Our kids had their own backpack, which had to carry all their toys. We gave them also a toiletry (toys) bag for their toys, to keep it organised and limited. Best invention ever!

We packed a range of car-friendly toys that didn’t require cleanup or constant adult supervision:

• Coloring books and pencils
• Magnetics
• Small cuddly toys
• LEGO (which wasn’t ideal because the little parts fall through every crack in the seating)

Avoid things like:

• Slime (just… no)
• Scratch art that leaves a mess

And here’s the thing many parents don’t agree with: “We’re not afraid of screen time.”

Yes, we brought the Nintendo Switches. Our boys love them and on long 6+ hour driving days through the Outback, it was a lifesaver. We didn’t let them play for hours non-stop, but a 30–45 minute gaming session here and there gave everyone a break. We used to play with GameBoys as well when we were young, and like to believe we turned out quite allright.

Screen time is part of balance. Use it wisely, and your roadtrip becomes a whole lot easier.

Road trip with kids essential #3 : Family Games & Connection

Some of our best roadtrip memories came from the simplest games. You don’t always need stuff. Sometimes all you need is imagination and a bit of silliness.

Here are a few of our go-to road trip ideas:

• “I Spy” (a classic, still a winner)
• “Find it” challenges (e.g. spot 10 emus, 5 road trains, or 3 campervans)
• Story chains (each person adds a sentence to build a wild story)

These games helped us connect as a family, especially when the drive got monotonous. And they’re great alternatives for kids who don’t like drawing or screens.

Bonus: no clean-up required.

Extra tip for the homeschooling parents: Often we let the kids recite the multiplication tables or other things from school. They actually enjoyed it as long as we made it fun.

Road trip with kids essential #4 : Music, Audiobooks & Podcasts

Never underestimate the power of a good playlist. It can keep your kids engaged for hours during your road trip.

During our trip, music and audiobooks were lifesavers.
We downloaded:

• Disney soundtracks (yes, we still know every word to Encanto or Wish)
• Kids’ audiobooks (Roald Dahl was a hit)
• Nature podcasts and fun learning stories

When we didn’t want to have the songs or audiobooks blasted through the car, we gave the boys our device and let them have a go with it. That way, they could choose what they wanted to listen to, while we had some actual conversation time in the front seat.

No internet? No problem. Just download everything before you leave your campsite or café.

And yes, roadtrip sing-alongs are totally encouraged.

Road trip with kids essential #5 : Destinations That Are Actually Fun for Kids

You’ve driven all day. Everyone’s tired. Until you arrive somewhere that’s… not very exciting.

We’ve made that mistake… While you think a scenic lookout or historical site will blow their minds, but they just want to know where the swings are.

Here’s what we learned: Kids need to feel like the destination was worth it too.

Sometimes you need to adjust your expectations. You might spend longer at a playground than at a world-class national park, but if the kids are happy, everyone’s happy.

That doesn’t mean you skip all the natural wonders, but look for places that also have:

• Playgrounds or trees to climb
• Rock pools
• Wildlife to spot
• Beaches or rivers to splash in
• Cool stories (real or made-up)

When we arrived at less “exciting” places, we’d turn it into an adventure by sharing a story.
“This cave was once a secret base for ancient people who lived here!”
Or we’d invent something funny about the place. Our boys still talk about the “pancake rocks” and the “Hobbit houses”.

Road trip with kids essential #6 : Rest Days (Don’t Skip These!)

Last but definitely not least… plan for nothing.

Seriously, this is the best tip we have for when you go road tripping for a longer period with your kids. Don’t fill every single day with driving, sightseeing, hiking, swimming and exploring. It’s tempting, we’ve been there, but it leads to burnout. Fast.

We started scheduling in full rest days where we’d just:

• Stay at a campsite or caravan park
• Let the kids play with their LEGO and walk around barefoot
• Cook slow meals
• Read, nap, draw, or just sit under a tree

These slower days helped our boys (and us) recharge. And they were often the most relaxing and connected days of the whole trip.

Rest days = reset days.

Final Thoughts

Roadtripping with kids can feel intimidating, but with the right essentials, it can also be the best thing you ever do as a family. After 10 months on the road, we can honestly say we wouldn’t trade the chaos, laughter, lessons, and freedom for anything.

To recap, here are the 6 essentials we swear by:

1. Healthy snacks & water
2. Entertainment that won’t make a mess
3. Family games & connection
4. Music & audiobooks
5. Fun, kid-friendly destinations
6. Built-in rest days

You don’t need to overcomplicate things. You just need to plan with intention and leave room for both adventure and rest.

Happy roadtripping with your kids!

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P.S. For more family travel inspiration read our other blogs or find us on Instagram, Youtube, TikTok or Facebook » @familylifeexplorers.