Traveling with kids is not for the faint of heart

Even if you’re avoiding the airport altogether in favor of a good ‘ole fashioned road trip, the backseat boredom, snack emergencies, and endless “are we there yet” choruses can really take a toll. Even the shortest drive can end up feeling like a cross-country trek. Here’s the good news: with the right essentials and distraction strategy, your road trip will be a lot more manageable—and maybe even enjoyable.

Lucky for you, we did all the hard work and found the travel essentials that will help you hit the road with confidence—even with a whole squad of co-pilots in the back.

The Best Road Trip Essentials for Kids

Sursip Toddler Sippy Cups

These spillproof tumblers are a godsent in the car—whether you have toddlers or not. Fill ’em with juice, milk, water, even snacks.

PurComfy Unscented Baby Wipes

Messes are inevitable with kids (and okay, yes, adults too). Thankfully, this set of unscented, hypoallergenic baby wipes will make the clean up process a breeze.

HOLDCY Car Back Seat Organizer

This Backseat Organizer comes in clutch for long car rides. It includes two cup holders, a built-in tissue box, and even a phone holder so your kids can watch movies in the back.

Gleeso Kids Tablet

This budget-friendly tablet is fortified with screen protection against scuffs and scratches, and comes with a kid-friendly case. It’s also equipped with parental controls and over 50 Disney storybooks.

DMJN Car Window Shade

The secret to peaceful travel? Sleeping kids. And this window shade is basically the key to ensuring that happen. Plus, the breathable mesh design allows you to roll the window without removing the shade, so you can get a little fresh air.

Tasttin Baby Food Containers

These versatile containers are perfect for baby food or classic road trip snacks. They’re crafted from a durable, food-grade material that’s built to last and they have an easy-open lid that seals just as seamlessly.

Born to Be Wild: A Toddler Coloring Book

Keep the little ones entertained in the backseat with the Born to Be Wild: A Toddler Coloring Book. It teaches kids fundamental learning concepts like letters, numbers, counting, and animals with 62 colorable pages.

Kinglucky All-in-One Kids Audio Player

If you want to keep your kids off screens, this All-in-One Kids Audio Player is the perfect backseat activity. It has immersive stories, karaoke, white noise, and even works as a bluetooth speaker for their own road trip playlist.

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YIDERBO Car-Home First Aid Kit

Everyone should have a trusty first aid kit ready in there in their car, and this 273-piece version has it all: an array of bandages, gauze swab, burn dressing, instant ice pack, emergency blanket, plastic scissors, blue tourniquet, and so much more.

How We Choose

The E! Insider Shop editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, comb through customer reviews, and use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers.As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think our readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not E!. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.