Three days from now we are planning a road trip with our two year old and four year old sons.

Having traveled with these two balls of energy before we know the importance of planning for all their needs. Healthy snacks, fun games, and ways to burn off some energy have helped us immensely in the past.

When my oldest son was a baby I swore that I would never get one of those travel DVD players. I ate my words when he was two and have never regretted it. As great as it is to have a handful of movies to pass the time my boys eventually get bored and need some other entertainment. We bring along pipe cleaners and aluminum foil and the kids have a blast creating sculptures and costumes for themselves. Paper, washable markers, and a flat surface for drawing are all they need to create their own travel journal. Drawing pictures of what they see on the drive is a great way to pass the time and they always love showing off their masterpieces when we get to our destination.

Food is nearly as important as entertainment. It's hard to find healthy food on the road so we always pack some of our own. Tortilla rollups can be made by spreading a whole grain tortilla with low fat cream cheese, sprinkling on some dried fruit, and rolling it up. Wrap some tin foil around it and you have a yummy treat that doesn't make a mess. Cut up vegetables, dried fruit, and trail mix are also big hits with our kids.

Car games and snacks don't do anything to dissipate all that kid energy, so we always stake out some playgrounds along the way. Way marking (www.way marking.com) is a great way to find some places to play along the way. Search for public playgrounds and enter the zip code of where you will be driving through and it will give you the GPS coordinates of a playground that you can either enter into your GPS device or map it in Google Maps.

Happy travels!