The week before you travel

Treat your car to a quick health check or take it into the garage and ask them to check oil, water. Check your spare tyre and emergency kit are in good working order. Give your kids’ car seats a once-over. When travelling with children, make sure your child hasn’t outgrown his or her seat since your last long journey. Not only would it be unsafe for them to travel in a seat that’s too cramped but they’ll be less comfy and you’ll soon know about it…

The night before you travel

Pack the car the night before you set off. Make a list of last-minute items to pick up in the morning such as teddies and toothbrushes. Fill up with petrol the day before you set off; you’ll have a lot to think about on the morning you travel and running out of fuel on the motorway would not be a great start to your holiday. Programme your Sat Nav or write down clear directions/route for yourself. Include plenty of potty breaks.

Travel at night

Or early in the morning. They might sleep, they might not. Either way you’ll avoid the traffic hotspots and rush hour delays. Forget blankets and pillows, bring a couple of sleeping bags for each child. They triple up as blankets, pillows and backseat dens and fold down to nothing.

Pack like it’s a flight

Think about your luggage as if you were going on a plane journey. Divide it into three categories:

• hold baggage (in the boot) for ‘not touch it until you get there’ stuff
• hand luggage (within easy reach inside the car) like snacks, water, toys/entertainments, changing bag, spare outfit, plastic bags for litter and sick…
• pocket items (in the glove compartment, in your pocket, inside car door pockets, on the dashboard). Find a handy place for those items you’ll need constant or instant access to such as your map, phone, wipes, ear plugs…).

Share the load

when travelling with toddlers, give them a rucksack of their own for their travel toys and games. If your little one is always dropping his favourite cuddly on the floor where he can’t reach it, try attaching it to the car seat with a short toy lead so they can retrieve it themselves (for the zillionth time…). Use storage bags or play trays that attach to the back of the front seats and fold down.

Include some mini-destinations

Instead of the usual motorway service stations can you incorporate some more interesting breaks into your journey? Is there a picnic area or stately home with a park where the kids can really run around? Going out your way a little might feel like an unnecessary detour but if they can really expend some energy you’ll be glad of the peace when you get back in the car and they fall fast asleep.

Fill them up with premium fuel

All parents know that hungry kids are cranky kids but do not be tempted to give them sweets, fizzy drinks or junk food – a carbohydrate crash in a confined space is not pretty thing. Do take enough small healthy snacks to give one to every child every hour. A cool bag will widen your options but can it depends how much space you’ve got. Include a couple of caffeine drinks for the driver in case of fatigue (better make it a six-pack then…).