This post contains editorial samples and/or affiliate links to products I recommend. While this adds no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission on any sales made.

Our family loves to travel and road trips to San Antonio are generally on our travel list several times in a year. The kids have always fared well on the rides so we’ve never found cause to worry when we pack our bags and set off.

Last year, when I was invited to attend a Family Travel Conference in Dallas, an 8 hour drive away, I was confident the kids would handle the long drive ahead as long as we had our road trip survival kit well stocked.

10 tips to prevent motion sickness in kids, on car rides.

Our plan worked for the first 5 hours but after that it all went downhill pretty quickly!

“Ma, I don’t feel so good!”

The alarm signals went off and the look on my daughter’s face was enough to convince us that we needed to stop. And stop quick!

We quickly pulled over to the side of the highway and opened the door fast enough to have my then 6 year old tumble out, lean over and throw up.

I wish I could say all was well after that but the next 3 hours included several stops to get out…

and throw up!

My poor baby.

Thankfully once we got to Dallas, several seasoned travel writers (and Mommies) suggested we try Dramamine for the road trip back.

Desperate, I decided to give it a shot but not before doing some research online. After being duly convinced, we picked up the grape flavored, chewable tablets for kids and prayed hard that it would help our daughter

And thankfully it did.

Since our Dallas trip, we’ve successfully accomplished over 6 long road trips till date, including our recent Houston one.

I’m not nervy about motion sickness on car rides any more. With experience we have learnt there are some dos and don’ts.

If motion sickness has been raising its ugly head in your kids, on recent road trips, check out my…

10 tips to prevent motion sickness in kids, on car rides.

1. Dress your child in comfortable, loose flowing, preferably cotton, clothing for the car ride. (Nothing tight and uncomfortable. Looking cute on a car ride always comes second. Comfort rules!)

2. If your child is 2 years and older, you can give your child the suggested Dramamine dose for his/her age an hour or hour and a half before you set off on the road trip. (Never give more than what is required and do choose the kids chewable, grape flavored tablets over the regular tablets. It’s easier for a child to absorb.)

3. Encourage your child to keep looking out of the window at frequent intervals. (Playing games like I Spy helps)

4. If your road-trip is a long one, insist on naps!

5. Take drive breaks to allow your child to walk around, take in the fresh air.

6. For snack time, carry dry snacks. Preferably non oily crackers and ginger snaps.

7. Discourage heavy meals and ask your child to drink water over sugared drinks.

8.  Keep a lemon next to your child. Sniffing the same can help push away whiffs of nausea.

9. Encourage listening to audio books in the car (our kids love the Adventures in Odyssey stories) versus constant movie viewing loops on the portable DVD player or reading books.

10.  Keep the temperature in the car cooler than just cool. (Humidity can trigger off nausea waves.)

 

Do you have any tips that work, that you would like to share with us?