Tips for taking a Road Trip with Kids

In April, during Spring Break, we loaded our 5 kids and headed first to the Grand Canyon and then to Zion's National Park.  It was an incredible amount of fun and over the years we've learned some fun things to do on road trips.

1. Preparation

Part of the fun of any trip is anticipation.  We put our trips on the calendar and tell them months in advance what we'll we doing.  As we have more info, we'll share it.  By the time we load our Honda Odyssey and back out of the driveway, our kids will have memorized what we're doing every single day of the trip.  This helps make the driving worthwhile AND helps us manage expectations. As our kids have gotten older, we listen for input on where they'd like to go and what they'd like to do.  On this trip, my kids were DYING to go to 4 Four Corners.  Even though it was waaaaay out of our way, we headed to 4 Corners first, then to a little city an hour drive from the Grand Canyon.

2. Something fun to do

Because we have several kids who are prone to carsickness, we discourage things like books and games which require a lot of looking down in the car while it's driving.  Instead we opt for fun music, audio presentations, and audio books. Having fallen in love with Barenaked Ladies Snack Time album on a road trip, we listen to it almost every vacation.

If your kids don't get carsick, Lindsey Redfern has great advice on carseat kits that are amazing. 

3. Snacks

If your road trip is like ours, you may go significant distances between towns and services.  It's important to have great age appropriate snacks. In a Baby Center road trip article, they pointed out food the traveled well and food that didn't. "Favorite treats that travel well: string cheese, rice cakes, pretzels, bagels, sandwiches, apple slices, bananas, granola bars, cookies, raisins, cereal-Os, and puffed corn snacks. What doesn't work: most fruit (too messy for younger kids), yogurt (ditto), and juice boxes (one squeeze and they spill all over the car seat."

4. Be relaxed about the schedule

On our trip we started almost 2 hours later than we meant to because of minor medical emergency.  Everything was running behind.  But a slow start isn't the only problem you'll face on a road trip.  Traffic or road construction and can mean you're running behind, too.  (Or taking the wrong turn.  In days before GPS my family was traveling to see Mt Rushmore.  Thinking we were almost there we suddenly saw a Welcome to Wyoming sign.  It's life.  Stuff happens.) 

Your schedule should be flexible enough that you can stop for lunch for cities sooner than planned. 


And maybe even take a fun detour that is story worthy for years. 

Beat the Heat

With summer in full swing and temperatures rising (and rising!), we here at Ken Garff Honda want to take a moment to remind you about summer car safety.  It can very tempting to leave road-weary children or energetic pets in the car for "just a minute" while you run into that one last store.  However, as a local police department recently proved, it doesn't take long for your car and its passengers to overheat.   

In a recent safety demonstration carried out by the West Valley, UT police department, officers tested just how long it takes for car interiors to heat up.  

"We'll see how long it takes to get hot," said Officer Dana Pugmire as he got into an SUV parked in the blazing sun.

Pugmire has responded to calls with children locked in hot cars, but Thursday, he was the one feeling the heat. Outside it was 100 degrees.

"It builds quick, quicker than I thought it would," he said. "It's been about three minutes. The dash has gone from 105 (degrees) to 113."

After a few minutes, Officer Pugmire started to feel dramatic physical changes. 

"It's been about five minutes," he said from inside the SUV. "I'm starting to sweat all over the place."

After 10 minutes, beads of sweat were visible on his face. The paramedics called that a good sign he wasn't experiencing heat stroke — yet.  Remember, children don't show signs of heat distress as quickly as adults because their bodies don't regulate the way they react to heat the same way adults do.  That doesn't mean, however, that they aren't rapidly overheating.  

After 13 minutes, the temperature inside exceeded 130 degrees.   And everyone knows you can't get in and out of your favorite big box store in any less than 20-25 minutes.  And that's on a good day! 

According to research by KidsandCars.org, a national safety organization, an average of thirty seven children die each year in heat-related deaths in cars. Eight have died so far this year. Twenty years ago, when people had fewer distractions like cellphones, the problem was far less severe, with an average of a half-dozen fatalities each year. Ten children died in hot cars in Utah between 1990 and 2010, according to KidsandCars.

Remember:

• If you see a child or a pet locked in a hot car, call 911.
• The 911 dispatcher can help you decide whether you need to break the window before help arrives.
• Once the child is out, get them in the shade, loosen their clothes and cool them down with a cold towel on the neck and hands. 
• Give the child a cold drink. But, make sure they drink slowly, so their body can handle it.

For Honda Civic Lovers

My 9-year-old broke her leg.  After more than 6 weeks immobilized in a long-leg cast, she was given a prescription to physical therapy to increase her range of motion in her knee and ankle.  As we stopped by the physical therapists office earlier this month, I tossed my car keys onto my daughters assigned bench and headed with her to the stationary bike to warm up.

After her warm-up, one of the physical therapist's assistants said, "It looks like you drive a Honda."

"All Honda's all the time," I asserted.  The assistant pulled out his keys to show me that he drives a Honda too.  And then the gushing began.

"I drive a Civic," he began and then launched into his favorite features on his not-particularly-new vehicle.  It made me smile. There are few people who are as dedicated to their cars as Civic lovers. Car and Driver must know this two because they put together a 37 picture montage honoring the Honda Civic.

It's a pretty incredible visual history featuring some amazing and beautiful old photographs.

And some interesting history including the CVCC, Natural Gas Vehicles and more.

It's first Car and Drive 10Best list in 1988.

Right up to today.

Whether you love the Honda Civic coupe, the Civic sedan or the Civic hybrid, you'll find something in the history that you'll love.