family vacation travel

With an assumption that you already have a cell phone and probably a DVD player, I have compiled a list of what you must have to buy yourself some peace on the road.
1. Wipes! Sounds obvious, but they are for wiping down everything conveniently. Hands, face, windows, spills etc.
2. Letterboxing.org site info for a quick little adventure along the way to break up the monotony. This is a scavenger type activity that you can find a hidden box with a stamp in it along the way. Check out the site for specifics and for a free activity that doesn't take long, it is a sure bet.
4. Clear juice boxes and sippy cups with water. Never do milk, spoilage. Clear juice boxes like Capri Sun due to spills and clothes so they don't have a stained shirt getting out to see Grandma! I am not a fan of ingesting dyes anyway. Many times they make the kids more restless than sugar.
5. Audio Books-you can check these out at the library, purchase them at a bookstore or pick them up at Cracker Barrel and return them to another Cracker Barrel. This gives them something to focus on beside DVDs and uses their imagination more. Especially if kids are prone to car sickness watching DVDs.
6. Maps with a highlighter so they can chart the trip and get involved. It could keep older kids from asking "are we there yet?"
7. Dog bowl if you are riding with a pet so they can easily get a drink when you stop.
8. Pajamas if you are traveling at night, not for the driver per se, but the toddlers. That way you can do the normal bedtime routine as you would if at home and get them comfortable in the car and hopeful sleep like their normal schedule.
9. Potty chair Believe me. If you have little ones, even if potty trained, it will save you from stopping after the baby is asleep and getting everyone out of the car to go to a rest area. Think of the moment when baby doses off and your 3 year old says "I gotta go potty" instead, you pull over and let them go without disturbing baby. It also helps if you can't find a bathroom and someone is close to an accident. Or in a traffic jam.
10. Photos from the trip, a Dollar Store journal and a glue stick. On the way home they can "scrapbook" on the way home. The glue stick keeps the glue from getting everywhere.