Road Trip! 3 Reasons Why Your Kids Need a Road Trip Backpack
If it’s summer and you’re feeling like it’s time for a family vacation or it’s around the holidays and you want to visit relatives, a road trip could sound exciting to some and nerve-wracking for others with small kids. Fear not, it’s actually a great way to travel, especially with the kiddos. The key: travel backpacks!
If you’re planning a road trip, whether it be driving a few hours to Grandma’s for the long weekend or a few hundred miles out-of-state, utilize those backpacks in all of their stuff-holding glory. Here’s three reasons why your kids should pack their backpacks first when going on a road trip.
All That Pocket Space
The great thing about backpacks is there’s plenty of pockets, large and small, so stuff won’t get lost and everything will have a place (even though you’ll probably hear, “Mom! Where’s my iPad?” at least once along the way). Try packing your kid’s backpack with them so you both know exactly where everything is so you can eliminate the “unbuckle, reach around back, grab it for them” situation (traveling with little ones can be tough, we know). Put a couple coloring or activity books in the interior folder pocket of their backpack. Stick some crayons in the zippered front pocket. If you’re lucky enough to have a little TV in your car, let them hold the DVDs in their backpack, too. Pack their favorite picture book in the zippered main pocket. Or a pair of easy, slip-on sandals so if they kick their sneakers off half-way through, they’ll be able to hop out quick during bathroom stops.
Snacks and Drinks Have a Home, Too
Don’t forget the lunchbox! Road trips can be long, and stopping for food at rest stops can get expensive. Pack all the snacks they’ll need during the long drive in a matching lunchbox. With a sturdy mesh interior ice pack pocket, their sandwich and drink will stay cold for up to 5 hours! And, there’s a rip-&-grip closure front pocket to stash their wrappers if you accidently forgot a trash bag. Try hiding a special sweet treat at the bottom they can save for when they start to get restless. Then, all you have to do is hook it to their backpack on the lunchbox loop so you don’t forget it in the fridge. Plus, you won’t have to go digging through your own bag or the cooler in the trunk when they get hungry (the fewer stops the better, right?) For extra drink space, stick a water or a juice box in the mesh bottle pockets on the sides.
They’ll be Final-Destination Ready
While packing your kids backpack to get you through the long drive will be helpful, so will having it when you get to where you’re going! If it’s hiking, biking, a day at the lake, the beach, an overnight in the cabin, visiting family or friends - your kids’ backpacks can carry everything they need for a fun-filled adventure. Adjustable straps help them fit the backpack just how they like it, so it won’t fall off while riding their bike or walking through the woods. The chest strap adjusts, too so they can balance out the weight and will be less likely to ask Mom or Dad to carry it. And, it’s easy for them to buckle themselves. If you’re traveling at night or just watching them walk from the parking lot to the hotel room or the lake house while you finish unpacking the car, reflective trim on the front and back will help keep them visible. Plus, if you’ve got a full van of a lot of kiddos and it’s hard to keep track of whose is whose and what’s what, we feel that. Get them personalized backpacks so they can make their backpacks their own with a monogram of their initials or choose a colorful icon that matches each of their personalities so you can know which backpack belongs to which kid.
Your canvas tote bag and luggage will be lighter, and they’ll have everything they need right by their feet, in their lap or in the seat next to them. The whole family will be ready to go on that next big adventure, wherever the wind (or rather, the car) may take you!