Growing up, my family went on a ton of road trips. We drove to vacations and we drove to new homes. We traveling just a few hours away and we traveled completely across the country. I have a ton of fun memories road tripping as a kid, especially during those fun tween years. So today I’m sharing all kinds of tips for road trips with tweens. I’ve gathered a mix of crafts and activities to do before the trip and during the trip. I’ve also included tips for things to pack. If you have a favorite idea, I’d love to hear about that too, leave me a comment and let me know!
Tips for Road Trips with Tweens
Tweens are still fun loving kids. They like to do things on their own but might still need some help with ideas to prevent that “are we there yet, I’m bored” conversation. They aren’t so young that you need to entertain them the entire time, but they also aren’t necessarily old enough to come up with ways to have fun the whole trip either. So I’ve gathered some of my favorite tips for road trips with tweens.
- Include them in the planning – invite those fun loving, curious minds to help with road trip prep. Give them a task to help them feel included, like planning some of the car ride snacks or putting together an activity binder.
- Give them their own space – while the kids might get along most of the time, giving your tween a little space in the car to call their own can go a long way to prevent some space conflicts when kids are tired or restless.
- Make sure to take breaks and stretch – stop, get out the car and move around. This little bodies are active bundles of fun that need to move once in a while. Make it a rest stop challenge or game if you’d like… stop at a rest stop and have a quick race, do jumping jacks or even create a scavenger hunt that includes places you’ll stop.
- Provide in car activities – nothing worse than getting in the car for a family trip and everyone’s faces are buried in their phones and tablets. Get some old school activity books, car games and other fun activities to keep the kids busy and engaged during your trip.
- Rotate the fun – I like to provide only some of the goodies I’ve gathered for a trip at a time. If it’s a multi-day trip, pulling out a new game on day 2 makes for more new fun instead of the same old thing mile after mile. Same goes for snacks and video entertainment.
Road trip crafts and activities for tweens
- Make a DIY Travel Binder for Tweens before you go to help the kids get involved in the road tripping fun. Get the full tutorial from Carla Schauer Designs.
- Here are 4 super cute Wikki Stix play scenes from Everyday Dishes, perfect for road trip creativity.
- Check out these 10 screen free road trip activities from Curbly. They range in ages, but most of these activities are perfect for fun loving tweens. My favorite are the friendship bracelettes… I think I make no less than 100 of these things as a kid traveling in a car.
- Here’s a fun list of road trip printables for tweens. Games and activities and lists your tweens can use during a road trip.
Road trip tips for packing with tweens
- Mama DJane shares a great list of packing essentials for teens that is perfect for tweens too.
- Great road trip packing list suggestions from Pottery Barn – don’t forget those snacks!
- Road trip first aid kit tips is a must read, especially when you’re road tripping with kids who love to explore.
Road trip tips for traveling with Tweens
- Kitchen Counter Chronicles has a terrific article specifically about tips for road trips for tweens including advice for planning together with your tween.
- Traveling Mom shares 6 tips for road tripping with teens and tweens. This list has great advice for how to travel happy with this age group.
Whether you are planning a quick weekend getaway or a road trip that lasts all summer long, this list of tips for road trips with tweens should help you along the way. Get the kids involved, ask them to help plan their own fun and have fun exploring together. Don’t forget the camera!
