Create a Family Friendly Road Trip Playlist

If you haven't made plans for your family's spring break trip just yet, don't panic. There's still plenty of time to plan a vacation or a last minute getaway. Even if your kids don't have a ton of time off from school, or you don't have a lot of time off from work, you can still plan a fun staycation or day trip. One of the best parts about taking a family trip, is spending time together. Most of the time spent together will probably take place during the actual traveling portion of the trip, so finding ways to make the trip enjoyable is imperative.

One of the easiest ways to get the whole family pumped up for a fun trip, is to set the mood with music. Music can certainly change up the mood in the car very quickly, so choose the music that will best suit the listeners in your family. For families with young children, choosing songs that are repetitive will surely make your little ones smile. Choose songs that they have learned in school, or songs that you have taught them in the home. Little kids will be delighted to be able to sing along to favorite songs. Check out Spotify for playlists that are already made up, which will take the guesswork out of it. When traveling with small children, a playlist might be the last thing on your mind, however, you'll be happy to have some cheery music for them to listen to.

Disney favorites are a hit with the whole family! Are your family members Disney movie fans? Why not make a playlist that incorporates all of your favorite Disney movie songs? A few favorites you must be sure to include:

'I've Got No Strings' from Pinnochio

'Let's Get Together' from The Parent Trap

'A Whole New World' from Aladdin

'Let It Go' from Frozen

'You've Got a Friend in Me' from Toy Story

'Once Upon a Dream' from Sleeping Beauty

'Part of That World' from The Little Mermaid

'Hakuna Matata' from The Lion King

Letting your older kids help to make the playlist will ensure that they actually enjoy the music. Of course, you'll want to censor the songs, and make sure that they're appropriate for listening. Kidz Bop music is perfect for kids who want to listen to popular hits. The popular songs are remade by kids, making them fun, and often times more appropriate for the whole family.

You won't want to let the kids control all of the music listened to on the trip, though, Be sure to introduce them to some of your favorite songs along the way. You could even go around the car, allowing each family member to take a turn choosing a song, making it fair to everyone.

It's fun to start the trip off with some fun, upbeat music. This will put everyone in a good mood, and help everyone to feel relaxed. Don't forget to keep safety in mind at all times. Never look at the phone, radio, or another device to change the music while driving. Ask the passenger up front to control the music. If at any time you feel the music is too distracting, turn it down, or turn it off completely to allow yourself to concentrate on driving. You might also want to turn the music off or down to a lower volume when driving in unfamiliar places, or in heavy traffic.

When it's time to relax and take a rest, switch to some light classical music, like Mozart. This will lull tired or cranky kids to sleep and give mom and dad some peace and quiet.

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Happy travels!