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If you’re up for some unexpected challenges, you should take a car trip with twins.
I dove way out of my comfort zone last weekend and did just that.
The plan originally was to go with a friend to visit my mom a few hours away, but that didn’t pan out.
So, a car trip with twins alone it was!
And I ran into so many different obstacles that I did not expect. I usually travel with my husband or another person. Never alone. So I learned a lot from this car trip with twins alone!
See, I thought I was a pro. We travel quite frequently with our twins. And I do all sorts of things with them alone. But a trip hours away quickly put me back in my place as a novice twin mom.
I did learn a lot though and have nine tips to share with you guys on solo travel with twins!
Leave Early
This is key for all of my road trips! I wake the twins up a few hours before their usual wake time, that way they are still groggy in the car and either fall back asleep or sit quietly during a movie. The early wake/leave time makes for a super smooth road trip with minimal anxiety!
Pack Everyone Snacks/Drinks
You want to make as little stops as possible during your trip. Stops = twins getting anxious. If I stop even to pee generally that means the twins get fussy and need a little activity before we can hop back on the road. And it can be easy to forget your own snacks! I always overpack snacks for both myself and the twins, that way everyone has something to eat and drink.
Don’t Forget the Car Box
I’ve talked about the car box time and time again. Its a box of essentials I keep in the car 24/7 for any kind of situation we might have. It has diapers, wipes, snacks, toys and extra sippys for the twins. It has been a savior so many times when I forget to bring the diaper bag, leave it somewhere, or forget to bring something along! The car box came in handy while traveling alone with the twins by having everything I needed for them at arms reach!
Make Minimal Stops
I have touched on this already, but I’m serious. Minimal stops. Get those snacks ready, go to the bathroom before you leave home, forget the sight seeing. We have one goal in mind and that is getting from point A to point B with minimal fits and tears. For my twins, the only way to keep them happy in the car is to keep moving. They get very anxious when we stop for long periods of time.
Turn on an Extended Version of Their Favorite Movie
Huge tip! The extended version of Moana keeps playing for over 3 hours! This is our car trip must have. I have it downloaded to the Kindle and it usually keeps them set through the end of the 3 hours with the extra songs, short movies and such at the end of the actual movie itself.
Make up a Soundtrack for Yourself
I didn’t realize how BORED I would get driving basically alone for hours. Something that really helped was playing my favorite music that I knew all of the words to so that I could sing along and try my best to stay focused on the driving and not how bored I was getting!
Pack Light
Solo trips with twins mean you’re doing all of the loading and unloading. Keep that in mind when deciding what to bring or not to bring. I am very glad I decided to pack light because it was already a pain to pack up the car by myself in the heat and it would have sucked to have a packed FULL car to drive home with!
Don’t Forget Shoes and a Stroller
Major face plam here mamas. I forgot their shoes and decided to not bring their large double stroller. I found this out when I went to make my first bathroom break. Those tips are next but when you’re alone, you for sure need your big double stroller. No matter where you’re going, it’ll be the biggest blessing!
And with the shoes- remember that if you’re leaving early, pack the shoes along in their diaper bag. We left early with the twins still in jammies so I didn’t even think of shoes!
Think About Your Bathroom Stops
Biggest mistake of my trip right here. I shared a bit on Instagram as the chaos unfolded but seriously. THINK ABOUT YOUR BATHROOM STOPS! I didn’t AT ALL. I left the double stroller at home, which would have been my savior. But with wild toddler twins you can’t use rest stops alone, and ultimately have to find a Walmart or something with big enough bathrooms to scope out a cart and hope your twins cooporate enough to get in and out of the store and then back on the road!
I had no idea where the closest store was and by the time I found one, I had to go to the bathroom so bad I was literally shaking. Major, major mom fails mamas.
Ending tip? Just think about your bathroom stops.
I hope these tips help you get through your road trip with twins alone and make it a good one!
Have you had a major road trip fail also? I’d love to hear it so I don’t feel so alone in mine! Lol!
Share in the comments below!
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