Planning a 12-hour drive to visit grandparents in a month. We've done 6 hours before but this is next level. Any tested strategies? We have a van so space isn't the issue. Is it iPad the whole way or do people actually do the "games and snacks" thing?
Also - how many bathroom stops should I plan for lol
12 hours with a 4, 7, and 11 year old is doable but brutal. The 4yo will be the real wildcard. Bring way more snacks than you think you need.
The jump from 6 to 12 hours is bigger than it sounds because the kids get progressively more annoyed with being in the car. Build in extra buffer time.
Your 11yo will probably be fine and even helpful. The younger two will test every limit you have. Maybe prep some surprise gifts to hand out at hour 8 when morale tanks.
Tablets loaded with new shows they haven't seen. I'm not proud but sometimes you need the nuclear option to keep sanity intact.
Stop halfway. Seriously, a motel break in the middle saves the whole trip. We tried to power through once and it was a nightmare.
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We took this exact drive with similar ages and honestly it wasn't as bad as I expected. Kids are more resilient than we think. Just get good snacks and maybe some new activity books.