Road trips can be very exciting, but with COVID-19 and new variants, it’s still complicated, overwhelming, and frustrating—especially for kids. With many states lifting stay-at-home orders and many ready to travel, you may be asking yourself: Is it even safe to travel?
A spring road trip can be good for your mental wellbeing. With more proper planning and patience, you can still enjoy yourself and stay safe. I decided to take a road trip to escape in the summer of 2020.
Before I decided to head out on an old-fashioned road trip, I first consulted the CDC’s restrictions and guidelines.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-in-the-us.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
- The CDC guidelines say it’s much safer to take a road trip versus flying on a plane. But if you decide to catch a plane, there are guidelines to follow for a safer trip. These guidelines helped me take the necessary steps to keep myself, my kids, and others safe while traveling.
- Get a COVID-19 test before you travel.
- Always wear face masks in airports and on planes.
- Pack additional masks, mini hand sanitizers, and wipes.
- Keep six feet away from other passages while waiting to board.
Plan Your Route
Before you head out, it's a great idea to preplan for your trip. It's really the safest way to go. There may be some states with restrictions while other states have opened entirely, so take the time to check out the individual restrictions each state has in place as well as weather conditions, construction zones, or detours. You want to be prepared.
My family and I were supposed to hit the road, but I had to postpone it to a later date because of the weather conditions driving through Arkansas and Texas. I was very glad that I took the time to check out the weather because I don't drive well in constant rain. Printing out a hard copy of directions is a good idea in case you lose phone service.
Apps like AroundMe allow you to search for the nearest restaurants, banks, and gas stations. It can help you book a hotel, too, if needed.
Family Road Trip Packing List
What to pack? It’s recommended that you bring along items like masks, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wet wipes, disposable gloves (for those germ-infested gas pumps), and resealable plastic bags so you can dispose of your gloves.
Road Trip Snacks
As the parent engagement manager at Nine PBS, packing healthy snacks for our Family Community Learning Workshops has always been a breeze and exciting to do. This means that packing snacks for the road was also a no-brainer.
Snacks like apples, grapes, and oranges are perfect to pack because they have natural juices, which means you and your kids can avoid getting so thirsty. Pretzels, raisins, graham crackers, PB&J sandwiches, and other small snacks can be kept in mini-sized bags, and small bottled soft drinks and water (bring a small cooler if you want to keep them cold) are another great option. Bringing your own snacks and drinks will allow me to limit the need to stop for these items, which limits contact with others.
Some states have resumed dine-in services, but if you must stop, reduce the risk of in-person contact by trying drive-through or pickup services. Most rest stops are open, which means you'll be exposing yourself to more germs, but having gloves and paper towels on hand is ideal while entering a rest stop to minimize contact. I created a “pit stop bag” with items like disposable gloves, travel-size tissue, paper towels, and plastic bags. I can never be too safe, especially with my children at high risk because of their asthma.
Kids’ Packing List
Keeping kids busy on the road can sometimes be chaotic. I have three children (17, 11, and 9 years of age). I wanted to make sure they had plenty of things to do besides distracting me. Check out my kids’ packing lists below.
With my son’s autism, I packed a small sensory bag with items to keep him calm. This bag stays separate from my daughters’ items. I must pack a variety of things my son loves to avoid frequent meltdowns along with planning breaks to pull over at a rest stop for him to walk around.
Autism Spectrum Road Trip Packing List
Traveling can be a challenge in many ways for families with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here’s a list I prepared for my nine-year-old son.
- Headphones to block loud distractions
- Sensory toys (squeezable items, fidget spinner, bubbles, etc.)
- His chewable necklace
- Notebook to draw in, colored pencils
- Silly putty and/or sandbag
- His favorite books
- iPad, favorite games
- Sunglasses
- Weighted blanket
- His favorite action figures
- His favorite snacks along with his preferred seat in the car
Finding ways to keep my daughters busy is just as important. Older, they love to play games while we drive. These games might include picking out cars and road signs while driving. I also created a zip-lock bag for each child with extra snacks and gifts just for them, labelled with their name on it.
My Daughters’ Packing List
- Favorite books to read
- Coloring sheets, activity sheets, and/or word search books
- Pencils and crayons
- iPads/chargers
- Headphones
- UNO cards
- Blankets/pillows
- Fun educational games
- Travel-sized first-aid kit
- Scavenger hunt sheets
- Music playlist
- Favorite doll or stuffed animal
- Polaroid camera to capture memories
I hope these road trips are essential to help you and your kids have a smooth and fun trip.
Pit Stops and Staying Safe at the Pump
We all know that at some point, you will either need to fill your gas tank, grab more snacks, or even change a tire. Have your pit stop bag ready, grab a credit card instead of cash, and use disposable gloves while pumping gas; this is the safest way to hit pit stops. After each use, be sure to throw your disposable gloves in a bag and toss them in the nearest trash can. Afterwards, use hand sanitizer before getting back into your car with your kids. Wiping your debit card is okay as well.
Hotel Accommodations
There was no need for me to check out any hotels for our trip. This isn't my first time driving 12 hours away, so there were no overnight stays for us along the way. However, if your trip consists of longer hours or days, please take the time to check out any hotels in the areas you’ll be stopping to make sure they're practicing effective cleanliness.
For more updates, guidelines, and to check out which states require masks, check out https://www.cdc.gov/
Be sure to catch my next blog when I share my experiences traveling by plane.
Want to share your safe traveling trips? Contact me.
Fatama Moorer, Parent Engagement Manager, Nine PBS
Office: (314) 512-9020
Cell: (314) 332-9613
Email: fmoorer@ninepbs.org
About Fatama
Fatama engages parents and partners in Nine PBS’s early education initiative, providing resources in child development for families in need. In addition, she creates early learning content, serves as a community-based intermediary for families, facilitates and coordinates Ready to Learn (RTL) experiences, and provides partner training. Previously, Fatama served her community by providing families with a community wellness shop. She has served on the Parent Advisory Board of Saint Louis Crisis Nursery, the FLOURISH Community Leader’s Cabinet, and the Generate Health Board. She holds several certificates in early learning, including Early Warning Signs of Learning Disabilities, the PBS Virtual Professional Learning Series, and Parent Advocacy. She loves hiking, yoga, and spending time with her kids.