Firstly: snacks, songs, wipes and water. If you bring these four things you are likely to avoid most major catastrophes, or at least be able to clean them up.

In addition, a bit of extra preparation can create an environment where your child will enjoy spending some time in the car, rather than resenting it. Organisation is key and in order to avoid the back of your car turning into a bombsite a few ground rules need to be set. The way it works in my car is I have a box containing labelled zip lock bags of toys and only one of these bags can be out at any one time. Buy a large Tupperware box and use this to create a play space for your little one where mess can be contained. The taller sides to a Tupperware box make it more practical than using a tray as it means there is less change of a spillage over the edge. 

You know your child better than anyone else. Choose activities that you know they will be interested in and excited to play. I would recommend packing a box per child to avoid unnecessary conflict in the back seats. For my most recent road trip my box contained:

• Lego

• A colouring book with coloured pencils

• Action figurines

• Star Wars toys

• Play dough and cutters… yes really!

Lay out the ground rules and trust your child. For example, rotating between the toys means that all other toys are away before a new one can be brought out. The Tupperware box can be used to hold colouring pencils, build Lego structures, create a space for small world play and so on. Engaging activities, like Lego or play dough, provide a welcome distraction for your child and allow them to continue developing fine motor skills and dexterity even when confined to the back of the car. 

Alongside toys and games I always provide a large variety of books. These should be rotated regularly to avoid boredom and also as an easy opportunity to encourage development of reading skills. I also like to create fun paper based games and print these off for car journeys. Here are a couple of examples:

If you would like an editable version of either of these sheets feel free to email me at gabby@owna.com.au and I will send them through. Each time I have a long car journey with a child I like to make the games feel more personal by adding their name to the worksheet and tailoring it to their interests. For example if a child is interested in animals I would make an animal scavenger hunt, or a transport one if they love looking out for trains and planes, and so on. Try to ensure that items on your list are things that you are likely to find in order to create a sense of achievement. Also, if a child is too young to read independently, use images next to the written words to allow them to play along without too much assistance. 

Don’t forget classic car games such as I-Spy, excellent kid friendly playlists on Spotify and of course electronics if you choose to use them. There are plenty of fantastic educational apps available to encourage cognitive development, reading skills and so on.  A great idea from a friend was to set up children to watch an educational but engaging documentary, such as a David Attenborough animal documentary, and then spend the remainder of the journey talking about the new things they have learnt. 

Stop regularly for toilet breaks and leg stretches and make sure snacks and water are replenished when necessary. Drive safe and have fun!