INSIGHTFUL SOLUTIONS

The LLumar Window Film Blog

Road Trip with a Baby: Five Tips to Keep Your Cool

Posted by Amy Marrin on Jun 18, 2015

This is my husband’s first Father’s Day so we’re creating our own family traditions. Sure, there are a lot of things my 10-month old baby and I could give him—ties, t-shirts, a coffee mug, or that watch he has been eyeing. But one thing we never seem to have enough of is quality time together. So we are planning a road trip this summer to celebrate. This will be our daughter’s first road trip so I’ve been reading up on tips for traveling with a baby. Here are the five that I plan to use to make the time we spend together in the car as enjoyable as possible.

Travel during naptime. Our daughter takes a morning nap around nine so we plan to hit the road just before then and hope that the drive lulls her into a deep sleep. She then usually naps from 1:00-3:00 pm so that should be on the final leg of our road trip ensuring she will be well-rested when we arrive. If this naptime plan doesn’t work, I’ll be resorting to tips #4 and #5 on this list.

Stop frequently (unless your baby is napping of course!) Hopefully a few stops will keep the road trip interesting and allow us all to stretch our legs. I’m planning on timing our first stop for when our sweet baby wakes up from her nap around 10 or 11am (fingers crossed) so that we can all eat lunch and walk around. Second stop will be right before her afternoon nap.

Maintain a comfortable temperature in the car. Our daughter gets hot quickly in her car seat. Luckily, we already have window tint on our car otherwise I’d be scheduling an appointment to get it installed ASAP. I work for a window tint manufacturer so I know that it helps reduce heat and glare, and I feel the difference firsthand when I ride in cars without it. Speaking of appointments, I did just get my air conditioner serviced too. I’m not taking any chances on this one. Comfortable baby = less fussing!

Bring new surprise toys to occupy her busy hands and mind. Make sure that the toys are soft and lightweight as hard and heavy objects can quickly become dangerous during a sudden stop or accident.

We’re going to try this "toe time infant car toy"  as well as a few random, age-appropriate dollar store finds.

Pack extra pacifiers and keep a couple handy in the front seat for whoever is riding shotgun. According to some of my expert road-tripping friends, this will save emergency pacifier-retrieval stops and possibly help soothe a bored or tired baby.

Do you have any other baby-friendly road trip tips? Share your story!

Amy Marrin

Amy Marrin is a LLumar Marketing Communications Manager. With a consumer focus, Amy says that she loves working with a genuine, down to earth team committed to a brand that helps improve the quality of life for others. She also cherishes her title as, “Mommy” to one-year-old daughter, Nora. Amy and her husband just purchased their first home—a traditional ranch in a neighborhood of young families. Together their new hobby is DIY! 

InSightful Solutions

Our LLumar Window Film blog is your resource for smart solutions to enhance the look and performance of glass in your life; auto, home and commercial. From UV protection, glare reduction, and temperature control to energy savings, safety, looking good, and interior decorating; our team provides you with practical tips and advice to improve your quality of life.

LLumar Team

  • Get in Touch

  • Sign up to receive our news letter that highlights our most popular blog posts.

  • Find out where to purchase film:

    Where to Buy

See What Film Looks Like

Whether you’re curious about what film might look like on your home, car or office we have tool you can use.

Use Film Viewers

Curious Where to Buy?

We partner with certified trustworthy installers throughout the country that are backed by one of the best warranties in the business.

Find a Certified Installer Near You