In partnership with Coterie.
Is it just me or is everyone in Europe right now? I swear I’m only a little jealous…though with a 15 month old and 3.5 year old, shorter trips are more our jam these days. Our current vacations are more like, a less than four hour flight, or better yet, where can we go in the car?
Road trips are sort of a secret weapon for parents – yes, hours in the car can be exhausting, but with a bit of planning they can be a truly fun-filled family adventure. My secret weapon (aside from an iPad, obviously)? Good diapers. Yep, you heard that right. My favorite diapers also double as my favorite travel hack.
Let’s start with babies. One of the reasons I love Coterie so much is because the brand’s diapers are so absorbent. They have the highest liquid capacity of any diaper; the absorbent core holds 70% more liquid, meaning unless they poop (out of your control), you really don’t have to change them very often. Even with a well hydrated one year old, we only go through about 4 diapers a day. (Which is awesome for travel.) It means no stopping on the side of the road for diaper changes every 2 hours, no cramming yourself into a tiny airplane bathroom, and no gross public changing tables.
Coterie’s proprietary diaper is also super soft, and designed to wick moisture away from the skin, so it’s actually comfortable for a long car ride. With other brands, I’d have to apply a ton of diaper cream because I was worried about my daughter getting diaper rash after sitting in pee for so long. Not the case here! Little Lucy will happily sit in the back seat for hours without a change.
We’re also huge fans of The Pant for our older daughter. She’s potty trained, but again, stopping on her timeline isn’t exactly the best use of time (would rather choose our own stops for food, scenery, etc!). For really long travel days, we’ll give her the iPad, put her in The Pant, and call it a day. The super comfy Japanese spandex has 2.5x the stretch of a normal pull-up and the diaper-like absorbency means she’s just as comfortable as her little sister (aka…no icky feeling of pee right up against the skin). This hack has been a total game changer for our family!
A few of my other “secrets” for a successful day of travel:
- Snacks! I use jewelry organizers or pillboxes to make snack boxes that are fun and offer a ton of extra variety for the kids. Plus, they’re good for building fine motor skills. Here’s some inspiration.
- So. Many. Activities. Quiet books like this one are great for keeping babies occupied, and for older kids, we love any sort of portable coloring or sticker books. Of course any kind of I Spy game or books are great too. We’re really into “finding the rainbow” (have your kids look out the window and find something red, then orange, and so on).
- For storytime or singalongs, I love the Toniebox, which charges to seven hours of battery life and provides hours of screen-free entertainment (plus, there’s a headphone jack).
- Stay organized. State Bags are my all-time favorite for kids. The Kane backpack is perfect for stashing all the snacks, activities, and water you need, and the Mini Logan makes my toddler feel “so grown up” (plus it fits two kids worth of stuff and easily fits in the back of the car).
- Don’t forget window shades and a portable noise machine to set your littles up for naptime success…and get yourself a little peace and quiet too :).
Grab a few packs of Coterie diapers, get yourself organized, and let loose – road trips are meant to be enjoyed, after all!
