Road Trip With Baby: Items You Might Not Think Of

By : hikingthrulifeAugust 5, 2021August 6, 2021

It is no doubt that road tripping with a baby has challenges. A baby anywhere has it’s challenges! There were days and nights at the beginning of the summer when we were second guessing our decision to live in a car with the baby for the whole summer. Like anything in life we got into a rhythm and from the moment I sang “let’s go riding in the car, car” to Rory and Daisy it was a simple routine for us all. These are the items beyond the diapers, wipes, and formula. Here are some items you might consider bringing on your next road trip with baby to keep everyone happier!

Mirror book: I admit to bringing too many books for Rory in the van but if you are aiming for minimal books than make sure it’s a mirror book. It’s a magical developmental milestone when baby looks at his/herself for the first time. The laughter, love, and hours of entertainment with a simple mirror book will be well worth the minimal space in your car. Depending on your child’s developmental level he/she may be able to hold the book on their own for individual play on long car rides. Rory was able to do this with books towards the end of our summer travels as he neared 10 months. Even if baby cannot hold the book up on their own, being able to grow their self identity and confidence is a key concept in the early years.

Socks that rattle: Whether it’s on the foot or in their hands, these socks will become a form of instrumental entertainment for baby on car rides or in the hiking pack. They will double as a way to keep those toes warm on cooler days.

Spray bottle: This is a simple way to keep your baby cool during those long hikes or long car rides. Squirt in the mouth, on the face, or head and it’s sure to leave baby entertained and give you peace of mind knowing baby is staying cool.

Lint Roller: I never used a lint roller, ever, for any purpose before road tripping with a baby. When we were purging our house full of items I kept the lint roller for a reason unknown at the time. I am so glad I threw it into the van because it was used nearly daily to clean up any food crumbs. Think about it….this is a huge space saver compared to storing a hand vacuum in your vehicle. It also worked to clean up all the dog hair. It’s funny how a small space makes you more nit-picky than ever before about a mess. The sticky paper will also double as entertainment for baby.

Scented Poop Bags: While I hate buying poop bags because I think it’s a huge waste of money and not eco-friendly (we usually just reuse any random bag for poop bags) we were gifted these ones at a baby shower. I am glad we saved these for “someday” and finally had a prefect use for them. There were multiple times when we were not near a trash to throw a diaper out immediately and the scented bags helped keep the stink away! Be sure to save these for those really smell poops and use old Ziploc bags for the minor smelling ones. Your scent will be happy.

Pacifier Strap for toys: A pacifier strap was the perfect way to attached a rattle to the car seat. At first we were losing the rattle constantly but once we attached it with the strap, it was a game changer! It was always available for him to grab.

Inflatable Pool: This was a perfect way to bathe Rory and keep him cool on those hot summer days. While it’s not convenient for a quick rest area stop, it’s perfect for when you are hanging out at your camp for a day and need to cool baby off or wash baby. It’s practical to get one with a sun shade incase you don’t have shade in the area.

Bubbles: One more hour….we can drive one more hour if we have bubbles! Bubbles are an easy quick way to calm baby down if they are getting fussy on a long drive. You can easily put these in the front seat with you and blow them into the back where baby is sitting. Be sure to get the no-spill container if you have kids who are old enough to blow their own!

Food to keep baby hydrated: Babies can easily become dehydrated. Having foods on hand in the car to keep baby hydrated are an easy way to keep baby busy on the road and know that they are getting some form of hydration. We always had a bag of clementine’s in the car with us as an easy hydrating snack.

Don’t forget about those fur babies! Check out our post about traveling with a reactive dog.

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