22 Essentials For A Road Trip With A Happy Toddler

What are the Packing list essentials for a road trip with a toddler? Going on a road trip is one of the best ways to spend time with family. Whether just going on a single-day excursion, or taking a few days and heading out of town; a road trip is a quick and easy way to get out and have fun.

To ensure that everyone has a good time, it’s very important to make sure that your toddler is well taken care of. Especially if you plan on being in the car for longer periods of time. Be sure to have enough food and ways to keep your toddler entertained. Also, try and break up the trip into shorter segments where possible and take breaks often.

Below we’ve created a set of essentials for a road trip with a toddler. We’ve grouped the items into some basic items, what you’ll need for cleaning, entertainment, food and drinks and overall comfort.

Packing list essentials for a road trip with a toddler:

The Basics

First Aid Kit

There are tons of great options for all in one First Aid Kit. Not only essential for a road trip with a toddler. This is something we always have in our car. You never know when someone has a small fall and needs a band-aid.

Car Seat

A good car seat is absolutely essential for a road trip with your toddler. It is even required by law in Canada and the US. After Celine outgrew her infant seat, We elected for the Graco Children 4Ever All-In-One, as it had gotten lots of great reviews and would last her till she no longer needed a car seat.

Stroller

As awesome an activity as driving is, ultimately, there should be a destination for your road trip. Be sure to bring your stroller with you. We use the Mountain Buggy Nano. Read the full review here – > Mountain Buggy Nano Review

Pop-up Booster

Having your own pop-up booster is an essential item to add to your packing list for a road trip. Although, most restaurants will have their own booster and high chair there are situations, like eating outdoors on picnic benches, where you will need to bring your own.

Cleaning and Changing

Diapers

If your little one is not toilet trained yet, be sure to add extra diapers to your essentials for a road trip. We always have a bunch in our car just in case. Make sure to bring more than enough for the time you’ll be away.

Diaper sacks

As well as having diapers, having special diaper sacks to store your soiled diapers is key. Especially when going into less populated areas, you may not always be around a waste bin.

Changing Pad

Be sure to add a changing pad to your essentials for a road trip. As you never know what type of surfaces you may need to change a diaper on.

Tissues, Towels, Wipes, Stain Removers

Unfortunately, spills will happen during your trip, so it’s always good to be prepared. Along with an extra set of wipes, we also bring an array of tissues, paper towels and stain removers.

Mini Vacuum

Along with having an array of tissues and towels, we also bring along a mini vacuum to suck up any tiny crumbs that we aren’t able to pick up with our hands.

Extra Clothes

As with diapers, we always have an extra set of clothes in the car just in case. Make sure to bring an appropriate number of clothes for your trip.

Soak & Save Bags

As well as bringing an extra set of clothes, be sure to bring some extra bags to store away any soiled clothes.

Food and Snacks

Snacks

A fed baby is a happy baby. Making sure that your little one always has an assortment of snacks available is essential. Make sure to bring a variety of fresh fruit, cookies and chips.

Bottle / Sippy Cup

As well as being fed, make sure your little one is well hydrated as well. Make sure to add your toddler’s bottle and/or sippy cup to your essentials for a road trip. Our little one used to drink from her cup during the day and bottle just before bed, so we had to bring both for a time.

Thermos

Along with having your toddlers’ bottle or cup for the trip, be sure to bring extra to drink. We bring a few Thermoses filled with hot or cold water and extra milk for the day.

Cooler

Depending on how long you expect to be out, an extra cooler may be necessary. Especially during the warmer months, if you’re bringing milk or something else that needs to stay cool.

Entertainment

Toys and Books

Long road trips can be tough for your little one, especially when they are still rear-facing, or too small to look outside. Be sure to bring a good array of your toddler’s favourite toys and books to keep them entertained during the trip.

Smart Device

Although we hate to admit it, screen time is the easiest way to keep our little one entertained. On top of that, it helps calm her down when she’s upset and easier to feed during mealtime. It’s a good idea to download all your child’s favourite shows onto a separate device for them during the trip. This will save on data later on.

Chargers and Battery Packs

Be sure you have all your charging cables and adapters for all the devices you are bringing. We also bring a few battery packs with us, depending on how long we expect to be on the road.

Comfort

Blankets

If your road trip coincides with your little one’s nap time, it’s good to bring an extra blanket or two. If we’ll be in the car a little longer, we’ll remove our little one’s jacket, and use a blanket to keep her warm if needed.

Sunshade

Our little one hates getting the sun in her eyes. Especially during her sleepy time, having the sun in her eyes can definitely set her off. Be sure to have a good set of sunshades, so you’re able to block the sun from shining directly onto your little one.

Rain Gear

Always be prepared. This is another item we always have in the car with us. Be sure to have extra rain gear in the car just in case. If you know you’ll be exploring in the rain, we recommend using a raincoat or poncho instead of just an umbrella. We always have a few in the trunk, as they are quite compact when they fold down. Also bring a good pair of rain boots, cause we know your little one will want to go splashing around in the puddles.

Car Organizer

As you’ll have a lot of items to manage during your road trip, having a good car organizer is essential for a road trip. We have a few types in our car that hold our devices, extra cups and wipes.