Beach bucket? Check.
Suit and towel? Check.
Snacks? Water bottle? Check and check.
Nearest beach? Hours away. 
This week I packed my family into the car for an impromptu drive to the New England coast for some sun, sand, and seafood. So how can a yoga teacher mom incorporate yoga into seven hours in the car?
First, I make sure that the snacks I bring will keep my kiddos stomach happy. We love to make our own trail mix for the road, combining nuts, cereal, and bite-sized snacks in a container. My son likes to help choose and mix it up and combinations are endless. This week’s trail mix includes raisins, almonds, animal crackers, m&ms, pistachios (shells off!), PB chips, and pretzel fish. Word to the wise, popcorn seems like a good idea but it goes stale quickly. Also, individual water bottles; I’ve forgotten them more times than I should admit. It’s always a good idea to grab the water bottle and keep it close at hand.
So, that 7 hour car ride and yoga? I find that music is key to keeping my bliss on the trip, especially songs that incorporate music like Kira Willey’s music. All movements have to accommodate the seatbelt, but it still helps to flap your wings or snap your jaws like a crocodile. Older kids can practice writing the alphabet with their toes, tracing out the letters with one foot and then the other.
On this trip, a sticker animal encyclopedia has been a hit. With more than 600 stickers, we can spot the animal, learn about it, and my son can play quietly by putting animal stickers in blank habitat pages in the sticker book. It’s a great example of an interactive or solitary entertainment.
Finally, this yoga momma has to keep it all in perspective. We are never so lost that we can’t be found and, as long as there’s no blood, all “emergencies” can be handled with a deep breath and a little love. Take lots of pictures and enjoy the last days of summer! Have fun making memories with your family.
