Long car journeys with children
A six-hour drive with children can be calm or hellish, and the difference is almost entirely in the planning beforehand.
Choose your departure time carefully
The single decision that changes the journey most. Leaving very early, with children half asleep, means they spend the first two or three hours sleeping. The alternative is leaving after lunch and using nap time. What doesn't work is setting off mid-morning with everyone awake and full of energy.
Stop every two hours
Even if nobody asks. A fifteen-minute stop to stretch, use the toilet and have a drink prevents most conflicts. Look for service areas with grass or a playground rather than the first petrol station you see: the difference is enormous.
Car sickness
Sitting in the middle of the back seat, facing forward, is the best position. Ventilation helps, as does avoiding screens if the child gets sick, and not setting off on an overly full or completely empty stomach. If your child gets sick often, discuss it with their doctor before the trip rather than giving them anything yourself.
Entertainment in stages
Don't give everything at the start. Ration it: music or an audiobook first, then a look-out-the-window game, then the tablet, then a snack. A change every hour or so works far better than leaving a screen on from kilometre zero, which also drains the battery and gets boring sooner.
What to keep within reach
Not in the boot: in the cabin. Water, non-sticky snacks, wipes, a bag in case anyone is sick, a complete change of clothes per child, and a blanket. If you have to stop and open the boot for every item, the journey gains an hour.
Car seats and the rules
Spanish law requires approved child restraint systems based on the child's height, and children below a certain height must travel in the rear seats. Check the seat is correctly installed and adjusted before setting off, and check the current requirements if crossing into another country, as they vary.
Luggage
Pack a small bag with everyone's first-day essentials, so on arrival you don't have to unload and open three suitcases with tired children. A silly trick that changes the arrival completely.
How far per day
With small children, no more than four or five hours of actual driving per day. If the destination is further, splitting it across two days with a night en route works better than doing ten hours straight, even if it feels like losing a day.
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