Sep 282012
 
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Baby Safety Month: Safe Car Travel With Kids

National Baby Safety Month

Traveling with kids can be a stressful event, but with a little planning you can have a great time!  Britax’s Sarah Tilton has put together a quick recipe for success when traveling with kids.

Ingredients:

  • A convertible car seat and/or booster seat for each child
  • 4-5 kids’ music CDs
  • 10 soft toys
  • 1 dash of sanity
  • 6 water-filled sippy cups
  • 4 different healthy snacks (give them options!)
  • 2 window shades

Recipe preparation:

  1. A parent’s job is to keep our kids as safe as possible.  The main ingredient of the recipe is a safe, reliable car seat (like the Advocate 70-G3 from Britax).  And we don’t just want kids to be safe, we want them to be comfy, too!  Choose a seat that adapts as your child grows.
  2. Also be sure to check the car seat laws for wherever you’re traveling.  Some states require kids to be restrained up until age 8.  A booster seat will allow your child to fit safely under the seat belt and also be able to see out the window better.  Perfect for the number of “I Spy!” games you’ll likely be playing!
  3. Kids have short attention spans.  Before leaving, make a list of playgrounds, rest stops, parks, etc. that are along your route and plan to stop every two hours for a quick stretch.  To keep kids entertained in between, be sure that rear-facing car seat riders have soft books and soft toys.  Allow older children to select their own (parent-approved) books and toys.
  4. Have your toddlers choose music CDs and sing-a-longs that they love to keep them engaged and having fun.  Consider the length of your trip and choose enough music (and variety!) to keep everyone happy the entire drive.
  5. Whenever possible, have the drive coincide with nap time.  Don’t forget the pacifiers, blankets, and other sleep-time lovies!  Also consider putting up car shades to keep the sun out of your little sleeper’s eyes.
  6. Lastly, the food!  Make sure all riders are well fed before leaving.  It’s hard to be happy when you’re hungry!  The snacks you pack should be easy-to-open and easily accessible for your kids.  Also keep bottles and sippy cups within reach so no one has to rummage or pull over to hand them out.

Do you have any additional ingredient suggestions for the perfect trip?

About Sarah Tilton:

Sarah Tilton is a child passenger safety advocate with Britax Child Safety Inc., a leading car seat and stroller manufacturer. An active Certified Passenger Safety (CPS) technician and instructor, Tilton frequently participates in child passenger safety activities at a local, state and national level. She is currently active with the Safe Kids Charlotte Mecklenburg coalition and is a member of the North Carolina Child Passenger Safety Training Committee.

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About Liza

Liza is a mom (5-year-old daughter, 20-year-old stepson, and 24-year-old stepdaughter) and wife living in Louisville. She loves spending time with her family, visiting the local zoo and parks, as well as planning travel adventures. Cooking and baking, DIY projects and crafts, and coffee - lots and lots of coffee - round out some of her other hobbies.

  2 Responses to “9 Essential Ingredients For Safe Car Travel With Kids”

  1. These are great tips. I always listen to H music in the car!

  2. […] 9 Essential Ingredients for Safe Car Travel with Kids […]

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