If you have a road trip coming up and are planning to take some of your younger or older family members with you, there are a few things you should consider as you prepare for this adventure so that everyone can stay safe and comfortable.
To help you see just what you might need to do to achieve this, here are three tips for planning a road trip with kids or the elderly.
Get On The Road Early
If the road trip you’re planning is necessary to get you to your final destination rather than the point of your travels, you should make sure that you start your trip off right so that you can get to where you want to be as efficiently as possible.
To do this, it might be a good idea to leave on your road trip early in the morning. Getting up early is something that’s going to be easy for both kids and older people to do. Additionally, traveling after everyone has just had a great night’s sleep can also help everyone to keep their spirits high while on the road. So for the best results on your big travel days, try to get out on the road as early as you can.
Fuel Your Bodies
Road trips can often be an excuse to eat unhealthy foods that you grab from fast food restaurants or a gas station. But if the kids and eldelry people in your car eat this type of food, they might get sick in the car or have other negative physical issues that can make a road trip unbearable.
Knowing this, you should try to replicate the food that they normally eat while on the road trip. If your kids and elderly loved ones are used to eating at certain times at school or their assisted living facility, try to eat during those times while on the road. And to have healthier foods available, pack a cooler with food from home that will properly fuel everyone’s bodies.
Plan Fun Breaks
Seniors and kids both shouldn’t be expected to sit still in the car for too long during a road trip. Not only can their bodies get stiff and tired from sitting too long, but seniors could be at risk for things like blood clots if they don’t get enough movement.
With this in mind, try to plan breaks every two to three hours you spend on the road. If you can, plan to stop at places that will allow for everyone to get some good exercise, like a park or larger store.
To ensure that your kids and your elderly loved ones enjoy the time they spend road tripping with you this summer, consider using the tips mentioned above to plan your road trip.
