4 Handy Car Hacks for Parents

As a parent, you know that road trips can be stressful on everyone. You have to make sure that the kids are safe and entertained while trying to keep your own sanity. Luckily, there are several ways to keep your car clean, distract the kids, and make your travel a lot more comfortable for everyone involved.

DIY Coloring Box

Have you ever been driving down the road and had one of your children start crying because they couldn’t find their favorite colored pencil, or they dropped their (far too large for the car) coloring book? Keep everything together with a simple DIY coloring box. Using an old DVD box, you can create a case to hold crayons or colored pencils and a pad of paper. It’s small, convenient, and easy to carry around with you wherever you go. The clips of the DVD case keep the papers in place, and you can refill it quickly and easily.

Easter Egg Snack Packs

After Easter, those little plastic eggs go on sale, and you can pick up a ton of them at a very low cost. If you drive around with the kids a lot, these plastic eggs can save your sanity and keep the kids happy for a while. Simply fill the eggs with small snacks before you head out. This is an easy way to ensure that your kids are getting something healthy when you’re in the car and it’s time for a snack,  and that small portions of the treats are also available. Simply pass around the eggs to the kids, and make sure you brought one for yourself.

Sheet the Seats

Eating in the car is a messy process when you have kids, but it’s not always avoidable. Make your cleanup a breeze with a few fitted sheets. Simply put the sheets over the seats, then put your child or their car seat over the sheet. When they inevitably spill cracker crumbs or pieces of their lunch all over the seat, you don’t have to pull out the vacuum; all you do is pull off the sheet, shake it off, and take it in the house to wash. Or, if the mess isn’t too bad, you can put the sheet right back on the seat.

Seat Belt Safety Cover

One of the hardest things about driving with your kids is ensuring they’re safe at all times. If you have a little one who likes to take off their seat belt, consider making a quick and easy seat belt safety cover. Take a small plastic cup and cut out half of the bottom. Slide the seatbelt through the hole in the cup and buckle the seat belt. No matter how hard your child pushes on the button through the cup, they won’t be able to unbuckle the belt—at least until they figure out that you move the cup up slightly to get them out.

With just a little bit of advanced planning, make your drive easier. Whether you’re on your way to a doctor’s appointment or across the country to visit family, these child car hacks help keep everyone happy and safe during your drive.

Image via Pixabay