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After a very long 16 months without a road trip, now that we are fully vaccinated, we are finally hitting the road this month! It’s been so long, I almost forgot what we need to pack. So, while I was making a list of road trip necessities, I figured it might be useful for you as well!
I also polled my Instagram followers via stories to see what their Summer road trip must-have products are. I had to share some of my favorites (with their permission, of course).
Now I’m excited to share my Summer road trip necessities list.
Summer Road Trip Necessities
Kids Headphones
Powmee kids headphones include a snug pad cushion headband that comfortably fits all head sizes, delivers rich and clean audio, and blocks out ambient noise. They are compatible with all smartphones and tablets with 3.5mm jack devices. The foldable design is great for travel and makes it easier to carry wherever you go. Perfect for music, movies, game, and education time.
This region-free DVD player supports all-region discs, except Blu-ray. It also supports TV, e-books, USB disk, SD card, headphone output, video output input, and games. Included: 1 x Car DVD player, 1 x DC Adapter, 1 x Car Charger, 1 x Remote, 1 x Game Controller and 1 x AV Cable. @tinygreenmom recommends one for each kid so that there is no fighting!
Built for kids and road trips, this patented boredom buster is a combination cooler, cup holder, snack tray, and organizer in a sturdy portable bin. It’s everything a kid needs for food and fun while on the go. It even comes with a removable carry strap!
These thick 3D Vinyl Gel Clings can easily be removed and reused, even by tiny hands! It’s perfect to keep your kids busy in the back seat while you’re on the road. Window Clings are great for car or airplane windows and when you get home, the fridge, doors, the bathtub and more!
Welly’s Children’s Medicine Travel Kit tin contains an organized assortment of individually wrapped remedies to tackle your little one’s symptoms one by one. Don’t get stranded on your next adventure without these kid-friendly chewables to help kick the sick. Perfect for kids 2-11 years old. They also have a travel medicine kit for adults.
This awesome idea was suggested by @racemkay. The Turtle Wax Collapsible Waste Basket easily collapses for simple storage and pops back up when needed. A great solution for on-the-go to help keep your vehicle clean and tidy. Easily stores under a seat when not in use. The wastebasket has a convenient loop handle to attach to a seat or handle in your vehicle.
See the inside of your home on your smartphone no matter where you are with Blink Mini’s HD video and built-in infrared night vision. With the use of Blink’s latest chip technology, Blink Mini lets you customize motion detection zones so you are only alerted to the movement that matters to you. Blink Mini lets you see what’s happening in your home, but also hear and talk back – it’s like being home even when you’re not.
Professional First Aid Kit Plus Emergency Supplies
Intelligently organized with 200 first aid items and outdoor survival supplies, including an emergency thermal mylar blanket, magnesium firestarter with a built-in navigational compass and emergency whistle, a compact hand saw, an 11-piece fishing kit with swivels and sinkers, and a mini signaling mirror.
Designed for standalone use with disposable bags anywhere, or as a potty seat on toilets. Seat is sized for little bottoms and shield prevents splatter. Smooth surfaces are easy to clean, and legs fold in to fit the Potty in the included Travel Bag. Includes three disposable bags with absorbent pads.
Recommended by @kelseysharp, car ride games are a necessity! Survive a long car trip while having a blast with a kit packed full of activities! Kids and parents alike will enjoy the nonstop boredom-busting fun: from car bingo and drawing games to memory challenges the whole family can play. The kit includes containers for collecting souvenirs, a book light for night games, a cinch backpack for on-the-go adventures, and recipes for homemade snacks to pack before the trip. Kids can even plot their travels with stickers on a map of the USA.
The Play&Go bag is a simple and effective solution to storage, and it is a lot of fun. A 2 in 1 storage bag that doubles as a play mat is every child’s dream. For road trip purposes, we use this for laundry! Just put the mat out in the hotel room, have everyone throw their laundry down on the mat and when it’s time to go, it’s all swiftly cleared away with one swing, into a bag that’s packed easily into the car. When kids use the Play&Go it motivates them to clean up and to throw the laundry onto the bag!
Recommended by @abbysgotguts, this is the world’s best travel pillow for airplanes and travel. The innovative Seat Strap System easily attaches to the airplane seat wings, while the adjustable front clasp keeps the S3 fitting snugly around your neck. With the S3 travel pillow securely fastened to your seat, you can slip off to sleep without worrying about your head falling forward or side – to – side. Combine the Seat Strap System with our super – soft memory foam, quick-dry outer fabric, and convenient zippered storage pouch, it’s no wonder that the Evolution S3 is the best travel pillow for planes, cars, and home use!
6 Gauge, 16 FT booster battery jumper cables for jump starting a dead or weak battery. Ideal for trucks, SUVs, full-size cars, mid-size cars, and small/compact cars. Energizer jumper cables come with a high-grade travel bag for easy transport and compact storage.
Recommended by @thisfloridamom, I love that this charger is multi-purpose, so you can use it when you travel and when you’re home! This portable palm-size travel 2-in-1 wall car charger is small and compact, and easy to pick up. Folding plug design, it can be transformed into a square about the size of a ring box.
A good helper for you to eliminate fatigue, improve sleep quality and give you more energy to work and study. Fit for Travel, Shift Work, Meditation, Yoga, etc. Suitable for different kinds of occasions such as indoor, outdoor, and camping. Adjustable.
A truly wonderful bag that allows you to carry your wet and dry items in the same bag while keeping your dry items dry and your wet or soiled items separate.
What do you think of our road trip necessities list? Are there any things that we haven’t listed that you bring with you on your road trips? Tell us below!
I'm so honored that you've found us! I'm Heather, a Mom of 3 who blogs about parenting, food, occasional travel and how I overcame my daily struggle with anxiety. I miss sleeping and rely on coffee and laughter to get me through the day. I hope you enjoy and visit often!
I wish we could travel but we still can’t move without a good reason here, that being said I’m hopeful it will happen soon so I need to save this list for that time
It’s ironic that I am reading this post now. We are going on a road trip on Mother’s Day! While my kids are teens, I will use this list to get us packed. Thanks for sharing!
These are all excellent picks for road tripping with kids. It definitely is important to have entertainment and SO important to be sure you bring all the necessary safety equipment.
I wish we could travel but we still can’t move without a good reason here, that being said I’m hopeful it will happen soon so I need to save this list for that time
I love all of these road trip necessities and 2-IN-1 WALL AND CAR CHARGER is one of my favorite awesome list!
Glad you included headphones here, it’s the number one neccesity for me, hehe
It’s ironic that I am reading this post now. We are going on a road trip on Mother’s Day! While my kids are teens, I will use this list to get us packed. Thanks for sharing!
I am so glad reading this article and I will definitely need all of these stuffs for our next road trip. Thank you!
So many great items! I wish I had these when I was a kid, haha!
These are all excellent picks for road tripping with kids. It definitely is important to have entertainment and SO important to be sure you bring all the necessary safety equipment.