Tips for Driving Cross Country with Kids
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Last September, we faced a ‘new to us’ problem – driving cross-country with kids. We packed up and moved from Virginia to Washington. 2,781 miles, 13 states, 5 days, 4 people, 2 vehicles, and 1 dog. We undertook this adventure at the beginning of September, right when we normally begin school. I didn’t want to wait until we were settled to start school, and thankfully, with the right planning, we didn’t need to.
Update: Less than 3 years later, we moved back to the East Coast. I have now driven across the country with kids twice. Both times we had two vehicles to transport, so my husband and I each drove one car. The kids rode with me, and the puppy rode with my husband. The days were long and exhausting, but it was totally doable.
These tips will help you keep your children learning during a long road trip.
Driving Cross Country with Kids Tips
Print a Map for Each Child
A few days before we started driving cross country with kids, I printed off a map for Hannah and Ben. I put the maps on clipboards, filled up pencil cases with new colored pencils, and left everything on their car seats. Every time we crossed a state border, they colored in the new state.
This really helped them grasp the length of the trip. Might as well work in a little US geography while driving cross-country.
Plan Surprises
Every few hours I would hand out small toys. This gave the kids something new to play with, and it let me control the toys in the van (no loud toys allowed!). I only handed out the surprises when the kids were behaving. They were honestly amazingly well behaved despite the close quarters and long days.
Reusable sticker scenes, Mad Libs, books, and Magna Doodles were big hits. Most of the surprises revolved around reading and writing, but Math Wrap Ups would be a great way to keep up math skills.
We also packed LOTS of snacks. Snacks are key for any long road trip, but especially when you are driving cross country with kids.
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Last update on 2026-08-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Stop for Field Trips
We covered a lot of ground in a fairly short amount of time, but we were so much happier when we took the time to stop and explore our surroundings.
We don’t know when we will make that drive again, so we wanted to see as much as possible while staying on schedule. Driving cross-country with kids requires a few extra stops to stretch legs and burn off energy.
Mount Rushmore was our favorite field trip, but we also enjoyed The Corn Palace and the Little Bighorn Battlefield.
If there is nothing interesting nearby, stop at any flat green spot and run off some energy. Bring a soccer ball and bubbles with you, just in case you need a quick way to get kids running.
Listen to Audiobooks
I borrowed digital audiobooks from our library every single evening. I used the Overdrive app on my phone and played the stories through my van’s speakers using Bluetooth. Download the books while connected to your hotel’s wifi so you don’t burn through your cell data.
I recommend always having at least two stories on hand. Hannah and Ben’s favorite was Frindle by Andrew Clements.
- Audible Audiobook
Last update on 2026-08-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Watch DVDs
I was very thankful for our built-in DVD player on this trip.
I mostly selected movies that were based on books we have read. We watched Charlotte’s Web, The Indian in the Cupboard, and Coraline. We also watched a little Schoolhouse Rock.
You could add in other subjects by watching movies like Times Tales (math), Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego (geography), Travel with Kids (geography), and Bill Nye (science).
We typically limit screen time to one hour a day but stretched it to one movie per day for the trip. We were in the car for about 10 hours a day, so that felt pretty reasonable.
- Celebrate the 20th anniversary of this enchanted classic, now for the first time on Blu-ray!
Last update on 2026-08-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Bring School Materials in Your Car
We were fortunate to have professional movers pack and deliver our household goods (the perks of a corporate move). The only catch was that we were given a 2-3 week window of when they would arrive at our new home.
I did not want to spend that time sitting around when we could be learning!
I planned out the first month of lesson plans and packed all of the books, workbooks, and science kits in our van. When we got to our temporary housing, I could just pull out the milk crate full of school supplies and start teaching.
The move was stressful at times, but I’m so glad we made the drive across the country. We learned so much about this great country of ours. I had no idea it was so beautiful!
One last tip . . .
This has nothing to do with homeschooling, but is just a good general driving cross-country with kids tip. Splurge on a suite whenever possible. There was a LOT of time together in a small space.
Being able to spread out a bit at the hotel was good for the morale. Oh, and definitely choose a hotel with a pool. The kids had plenty of energy to burn after being buckled up in the car all day.
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