Tag: kids

Here is an easy-to-make organizer to keep the backseat from lapsing into chaos on the road. This will hold snacks, toys, books, and necessities like sunglasses or umbrellas.

Here are the steps to make it:

1. Buy a hanging shoe caddy with cubby slots. These are typically long, so you’ll want to clip it to size. Binder clips should be sufficient here.

2. Thread a ribbon or string through the holes at the top. Make the loop fairly small, so that it’ll hold it right up to the top of the seat. Put it around the base of the headrest holder, then put the headrest on after.

3. Put your kids’ necessities in the organizer and hit the road!

*Pro-tip* If the organizer moves too much, you can hook the clips to the base of the seat with small Command Hooks.

See more kid-friendly road trip hacks on the blog.

This card game is not only simple, but it’s engaging for all members of the car, including the adults. They are durable and spill-proof for the inevitable backseat messiness and chaos.

Here are the steps to making this fun addition to your road trip:

1. Print questions

Find “Would-You-Rather?” questions on the web. Some have different tones than others – make sure you’re getting child-friendly questions. If your kids are older, you might find some that get a little more difficult.

Put these on a piece of paper divided by 6 squares. You can write them by hand or copy and paste them onto a document to print out. Double-sided allows you to pack more questions into your card stack.

2. Cut and laminate

Cut out the squares, then place them on a sheet of laminate (get the self-laminating sheets if you don’t have access to a laminating machine). Follow the directions to laminate, then cut the squares out again, leaving a border of laminate around the edges of the cards to keep them sealed in.

3. Hole punch and loop

Hole punch the top left corner of your cards and put them all on a binder ring. Clasp the ring shut and you have a compact card game that’ll entertain the car for hours.

See more kid-friendly road trip hacks on the blog.

Road trips are hard. There’s so much prep for a long excursion, and keeping the kids entertained isn’t the most of your worries. We’ve put together a few “life-hacks” for keeping the kids organized and entertained on the road.

Read more for how-to’s and details.

1. Shoe organizer for toys

Your kids use a lot of toys and accessories when it comes to a road trip, which can end up all over the backseat (and under the seat). This organization caddy allows for easy access to your kids’ stuff, which is not only easier, but safer when it comes to you reaching into the backseat to grab something they need.

Most shoe organizers are quite long (meant to hang the length of a door), so you’ll need to either cut it to size or (what we prefer) clip the excess back. Then, use a ribbon to hang it on the headrest of the front seat. Next step: Fill with toys, books, sunglasses, water bottles, snacks and more.

Here’s our video on how to make it.

2. Road trip bingo

This game is easy to play for kids of all ages and simple enough that you only need one sheet and a marker.

You can make your own using online design tools, or you can buy one ready on Etsy, like this one from Rainbows and Rainboots. Keep your bingo card neat and erasable with a laminate sheet.

Give your kid a dry-erase marker to cross off squares, and they’ll easily be able to wipe it clean and start over again. Washable markers work in a pinch, but don’t stay on the laminate well.

3. Question card game

For school-age kids, they may enjoy a fun game of “Would-You-Rather?” These cards are on a binder ring for safe keeping, and double-sided cards allow for a lot of questions for discussion.

For this, print out questions, double-sided, on equal-sized squares. Cut them out. Then, line them up on a laminating sheet and seal them. Cut them out again (cutting them the first time allows more edges for the laminate to stay together) and hole-punch the top corner. Loop them on a binder ring, and you’ve got a compact, durable game for hours of fun.

See our how-to video to make them here.

4. Washable window markers

Is your kid an artist in the making? Pack along some washable markers for them to draw on the window. Don’t worry – they wash off easily, and if your kids need a fresh canvas, they can wipe it clean and start over.

5. Marker and art supply storage

Worried about losing all those washable markers? Get a little shower caddy for the window. These cheap little caddies will keep your kids’ markers in one place.

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