The Road Trip That Started It All

When we planned a 15-hour road trip with our kids, we knew we had to be extra prepared. Like most parents, we wanted to limit screen time — not eliminate it completely, but use it intentionally as a last resort or a special reward when truly needed. So, I started brainstorming and asking myself:

What could keep them engaged for that long? What could make them actually want to behave well? And most importantly, how could we avoid the classic backseat sibling battles that always seem to pop up after hour two?

I went out and bought a standard workbook, did a ton of research on road trip activities and reward systems for kids, and began piecing together a system that would actually work for our family. The result of all this prep? A homemade workbook tailored to their ages and interests, a flimsy dollar-style reward system using fake bills I printed off, and an “Adventure Store” I quickly threw together with snacks and little prizes I knew they loved.

Small Prep, Big Road Trip Results

It wasn’t fancy and it definitely wasn’t pretty — but it worked like magic. Our kids were so into it. They were polite to each other, helped clean up their snack messes, and stayed motivated to try new things in the workbook just to earn Adventure Bucks. At every stop, they’d eagerly ask, “Is the Adventure Store open yet?”

(Pro tip: give them a heads up before the stop so they know what to expect — every other stop worked great for us. They’d spend miles before that planning what they wanted to buy and how many Bucks they needed.)

That trip made a huge difference for our whole family. We laughed more, fought less, and felt proud of how well they handled such a long drive. What started as a simple DIY system made on a budget became the foundation for what is now Nina’s Tailored Trips — designed to make road trips fun, connected, and mostly unplugged for families just like ours.

It turns out, you don’t need perfection or elaborate plans. You just need a little preparation, a few incentives (try our Adventure Bucks!), and a lot of love to create a trip your kids will remember for all the right reasons.