Road Trip Survival Kit

Ready for the road?

You remembered the camera, extra underwear for the kids, your can't-live-without-it t-shirt and plenty of extra towels -- it sounds like you're all set for vacation. But have you properly prepared for the pre-vacation road trip?

Whether it's a half-day drive or a week-long road trip, traveling in the car with kids can be tough. Heck, we ALL get a little cranky when we're in the car for that long. To keep the tempers under control (yours and theirs), here are some essential road trip items you shouldn't leave home without.

Individually wrapped snacks

Healthy snacks, of course. The key here is to make sure the bags are individually rationed. This will ensure that each child has his own treat, without you having to battle the "he got more" accusations and fights over who's hogging the popcorn tin.

BOTTLES OF WATER

Water is just one of those amazing versatile items you will always have some use for. Of course, it's always good have on hand for when one of your kids gets thirsty, but water can also be used to get out stains out of clothes and the car seats. However you think you'll use it, water is one of those versatile items that you can't afford to travel without.

PILLOWS

If you want any hope of getting the kids to fall asleep, you'll have to make sure they are as comfortable as they can be in the car. Aside from providing children with a comfy sleep, pillows can also be a barrier between siblings who tend to get a little territorial in the cramped car space.

BLANKETS

Having enough blankets is like dressing in layers: it helps every individual stay comfortable without having to adjust the temperature for everyone. So, if one of your children gets cold while the other swears it's hotter than heck in the back seat, you can toss a blanket to the chilly one without changing the temperature in the entire vehicle, thereby eliminating any fights and whines that "you must like him best."

FROZEN JUICE BOXES

Rather than risk having the juice boxes bake to a near-boil in the sun, freeze them the night before and pack them in a waterproof lunch bag to keep the heat away. You can then use them to give the kids a slushy (read: distracting) treat.

GINGER ALE

Car sickness. 'Nuff said. (You can use peppermints and saltine crackers to calm upset tummies.)

BARF BAGS

Of course, there may be times when that ginger ale won't quite do the trick. That's why you'll want to pack some back-up barf bags just in case your little one can't hold it in and you can't get to a rest stop in time.

EASILY ACCESSIBLE CHANGE OF CLOTHES

If someone spills water or has an different kind of unfortunate accident, make sure you've got a quick change of clothes for your wet little victim. The key to this, of course, is to make sure that you can actually reach the clothes, if needed.

BAND-AIDS AND NEOSPORIN

If you're traveling with a first aid kit, which we HIGHLY recommend, make sure it's stocked with plenty of these two items. You never know what could go wrong on a trip, so you'll want to be prepared with band-aids (the more colorful/exciting, the better) and some Neosporin. And, of course, mom's cure-all kiss!

PLASTIC BAGS

As you well know, when there are kids around, trash just seems to accumulate. Food wrappers from those individually wrapped snacks, empty water bottles, band-aid wrappers, half-empty juice boxes -- you get the idea. Help prevent your car from becoming a pig sty by keeping plastic bags around to hold all the trash.

ZIP BAGS

These smaller sandwich bags will be good to keep track of all the colored pencils (crayons will melt in the hot car, so avoid those) and random items that accumulate. This will ensure that everything is in one simple spot -- NOT strewn about the floor of the car.

A SURPRISE TREAT

Whether you stash away a special toy, book, snack or game, keep this hidden, only to be used when you've run out of distractions and need some strong back-up reinforcements.