For many families, summertime is a time for road trips, even if it is just exploring local places. For my family, we take advantage of summer weather here in Chicago as the weather is so unpredictable. We visit local museums, family, and are on-the-go way more than during the busy school year.
With safety being just as important as creating wonderful family memories, Britax has come out with some family travel safety tips from Sarah Tilton, Child Passenger Safety Advocacy Manager at BritaxChild Safety.
Visit a professional
Even if you’ve followed all of the installation instructions in your car seat manual, it’s always important to visit a certified Child Passenger Safety technician to double check. Visit the NHTSA’s website for a list of child safety seat inspection stations and trained technicians by ZIP code
Maintain normal schedules on the road
Keep your baby’s sleep and snack routine while on the road
Smart Packing
Come prepared for your child’s short attention span with plenty of activities. This will keep your little one calm in the backseat and will give you peace of mind while driving
Visit the backseat
If you’re traveling with your spouse or another adult, take some one-on-one time in the backseat with your little one(s) by playing a game or reading a story. Try to remember how lonely it can be in the backseat
To help families save some money while they are traveling, Britax also has a great sale going on through the end of the month! Wether you have an infant or a big kid in a booster, Britax has you covered. Consumers can save up to 25% on select Britax infant car seats, convertible car seats & harness-2-booster seats from now until July 31st, see more at: https://us.britax.com/
Since I wanted my readers the chance to experience Britax for themselves, I am also hosting a giveaway for a Britax ClickTight Harness-2-Booster seat! Its the perfect carseat to grow with you toddler as its for kids who weigh as little as 25 lbs. all the way up to 120 lbs. Once your child outgrows the five-point harness, you just tuck it under for a more big kid booster seat style! I actually own one of these for my 5 year old and love it! My favorite feature is probably how easy it is to install in cars as I seem to do that weekly over here!
WIN IT: (1) US winner will receive a Britax ClickTight Harness-2-Booster seat
Color/Style may vary depending on availablity.
Need help entering a giveaway? Check out my blog post for some help!
GIVEAWAY ENTRY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This Giveaway Ends July 31, 2016.
Leela says
Backpacks full of activities for the kids.
Sonya Morris says
Pack snacks and prepare for chaos!
Tina reynolds says
have a snack bag with you and a bag of things when the tablets die. I love printing free coloring and activitie sheets and bringing a little folder for each kiddo
Kathy Pease says
I pack like a week in advance and make a list of things to grab last minute
Erin M says
Check for groupons and other local deals for your road trip and destination.
rosemary says
wow
Sarah Mayer says
My favorite summer travel tip is to keep a diary/journal so you can look back and remember the good times you had.
nickie says
I pack snacks and drinks in a cooler to save time and money
Jenn H says
Always pack snacks and a notebook and pencils! little things are sanity savers
MichelleS says
Have a bag packed with activities at the ready , prep and bag non-perishable snacks for on the go.
kathleen ouellette says
My best travel tips is when on a plane bring the lysol wipe and wipe down all tray tables and seats, its easy and quick and allows for a germ free week. I always do it
Stephanie Phelps says
My best travel tip when traveling with kids to plan lots of stops to let them get out and stretch their legs!
Laurie Nykaza says
Will go off to San Diego for a week so much fun there each year.
natasha lamoreux says
Keep the little ones busy with movies, snacks, and books while traveling.
heather says
My summer travel tip is to make sure you have lots of water, snacks and plan fun games to play together in the car.
Linda R. says
My travel trip is to bring a little bit of everything. I pack wipes, a small first aid kid, medicine for tummy ache & fever. I also pack warm and summer clothing since you never know the weather. I make small snack bags and pack lots of water
Alicia McDonald says
My summer travel tip is to carry wet ones or toilet paper in case there is a stop for the bathroom and the bathroom is out of toilet paper or in case there is not bathroom somewhere and u need to find a tree.
Alicia McDonald says
Always pack toilet paper and wet ones in case there isn’t a stop along the way to use the bathroom and have them hand in case a stop has a bathroom and nothing to wipe with.
Ashley Taylor says
Summer travel tip…pack snacks and a drink…and lots of fun car activities…DVDs, books, coloring supplies…keep those kids busy!
Heather W says
Summer travel tip: have new toys, games, or books for the plane ride to pull out to entertain younger kids!
hannah says
Summer travel tip is to call ahead if you have an itinerary, and make sure the hotel you want to stay in has availability. Often times teams will fill up hotels and you won’t know unless you call ahead.
Caroline Lennek says
We always pack a gallon jug of distilled water in case of battery emergencies.
Dana Rodriguez says
I pack snacks and drinks in a cooler to cut down on stops.
elizabeth miller says
My biggest summer travel tip is snacks, water, and movies for in the car and the hotel.
Cassandra Eastman says
Don’t forget sunscreen, snacks, and plenty of water for summer travels! I also try to bring as much familiar items from home for my little one so he sleeps better at night. (sound machine, favorite blanket, stuffed animal, ect.)
Jillian Too says
In the summer, I always have a back up plan in case the weather changes quickly. We also pack plenty of easy snacks and drinks.
katie says
My summer travel tip is to book a hotel with free breakfast!
cynthia E. says
My summer travel tip is to be flexible. Expect the unexpected – by not letting the things “out of our control” fluster us, it helps everyone have a good time and a good attitude!
LeAnn Harbert says
Make sure you have snacks for the kids and a game to keep them occupied.
Deb Charte says
Summer planning tip is make a list to be prepared. Always be one step ahead and the day will go smoothly.
Gloria avalos says
My summer travel tip…bring lots of snacks, drinks , and entertainment/activities for them
Gretchen Luper says
always pack enough snacks so the kids will stay happy
Gabby Anderson says
My summer travel tip is pack lots of snacks and some toys so the kids can stay busy
Laura says
My summer travel tip is to make sure you bring plenty of drinks and snacks!
Annmarie W. says
Never leave the house without snacks! (and sunscreen!)
Janet W. says
One summer travel tip I have is to pack small non-messy snacks for your child to consume in the car. Also, have things like coloring books and DVDs to keep them entertained.
Rita M says
If traveling with a little one – snacks, water and easy to do activities are a must – otherwise the “are we there yet” syndrome strikes!
Natalie says
My tip is to don’t forget that sometimes weather is unpredictable and pack at least one warm sweatshirt for each family member…..
Heather Hayes Panjon says
My Summer Travel Tip Is To Pack A Cooler Filled With Easy Snacks And Drinks To Stay Fueled On The Road!
Lifestyle says
My tip is to bring extra wipes, paper towels, clothes, garbage bags and Lysol. My youngest son always gets car sick on long road trips and it makes it a lot easier if I bring everything I need to clean up well on the road trip instead of having to figure it out after the fact..
Shawna says
My tip is to bring extra wipes, paper towels, clothes, garbage bags and Lysol. My youngest son always gets car sick on long road trips and it makes it a lot easier if I bring everything I need to clean up well on the road trip instead of having to figure it out after the fact.
adina says
pack lots of changes of clothing- for mom too!
Carrie says
Always leave enough time for multiple stops when traveling. Stopping frequently helps to keep everyone comfortable.
Cathy C says
Driving at night helps up with little ones!
vickie couturier says
i always carry extra snacks and water and clothes for any trip even a short one
Jennifer Gonzalez says
I always make sure to carry double.of everything when I’m traveling far with my baby. I also stop frequently to.give him a break from his carseat
Jamie Martin says
Don’t forget water!
Dagmar says
always have cold water and some refreshing snacks, like fruit!
Amanda Jordan says
We like to travel at night because there is less traffic and our toddler tends to rest better.
Alyssa Emmett says
Always bring a jacket and sunscreen. You have to be prepare for everything
Sarah Hayes says
my travel tip is to take plenty of activities to keep the kids busy. we love striker books and CDs in the car
Laura Bernard says
Make sure to bring snacks and sunscreen!
Dandi D says
We make sure to pack plenty of water and sun protection.
Amy Hall says
Bring snacks to minimize eating out
jodi Armstrong says
For us, driving long distances at night works best. Little one sleeps in carseat and we get long distances done without any fussing.
Julie Strahan says
I try to bring new items to keep the kids entertained by the novelty of something new!
Bonnie Lee says
Always bring something to keep the kids entertained! Also bring your own snacks and drinks!
Lesley F says
I always bring lots of snacks and things to do in the car
Sarah Sobocinski says
Have plenty of things to keep the kids occupied. Snacks, dvds, cds, books, games, colors and coloring books.
Laura Collins says
Besides food include games and movies for the car
Justin Sparks says
I guess I dont travel enough to have any tips but I sure do know someone that could use a booster seat
amy calvert says
Crazy, but true. My two year old grandson will stay in the carseat all day so long as he has Sonic ice chips t;o suck on.
Erin Will says
My tip is if your kids are hooked on their tablets buy a cheap prepaid hotspot for the car instead of worrying about going over your data. Doesn’t take much money and my kids had internet in the car. They played their learning games and colored the whole 9 hour drive.
Cynthia Mercado says
I need a car seat for my grandchildren. It would make it much easier than taking it in and out of car all the time. Britax is a good brand too
S Riches says
My summer travel tip is to have the vehicles ac system fully charged before you leave home.
Nancy says
My summer travel tip is to stop about every two hours to get gasoline, stretch your legs, have a snack, etc. Taking frequent breaks will help keep everyone comfortable and happy.
Mary Beth Elderton says
A binder-style notebook with plain paper and holders for crayons and stickers is a good way for kids to do art on a long drive.
Mary Beth Elderton says
A notebook with plain paper and a school pouch with crayons is a neat, compact way let kids do art on a long trip.
ERICA WEAVER says
roll your clothes so more can fit into suitcase
Francine Anchondo says
My tip is to pack snacks and a cooler . I also like to bring games to play.
Steve Weber says
My tip when traveling is you can never be over packed.. things happen all the time and you need to be ready for everything.
Sharon C says
Pack a cooler with lots of water, drinks and snacks. It will save money and time.
Natalie says
My tip when traveling is to always bring extra sets of underwear and clothes. Kids can get messy and have accidents and extra clothes comes in handy.
Amy D says
Don’t wait til the last minute to pack. DO a little bit each day.
Mia says
Take along a some plastic silverware for long road trips.