Luca Trovado
Pack crumb-free snack foods that are relatively low on sugar, such as mini bagels and fruit snacks.
Fill a cooler with ice and bottled water. Freeze juice boxes beforehand so that children can enjoy a slushy treat on the road.
Take along car-friendly distractions, such as books on tape, personal video games, and a portable DVD player. As a backup, wrap one or two inexpensive toys that you can produce as a surprise gift when your child gets particularly restless.
Grab brochures and information about your destinations along the way so that kids can make a scrapbook. Take instant cameras so the kids can snap photos.
To ward off car sickness, give your child a window seat; roll down the windows, if possible; refrain from smoking; and feed her milk-free foods. Ginger medicine and carbonated beverages, such as ginger ale, are excellent for settling stomachs.
Ask children to use the restroom before leaving home. Once on the road, make a pit stop every 1 1/2 hours. If your children are asleep when you reach the rest stop, wake them up. The alternative: having them wake up 10 minutes later, when there’s no restroom in sight.
