There is something wonderful about heading off on a family road trip. The bags are packed, the snacks are organised, the car is loaded, and everyone starts out with that lovely sense of adventure.
And then, somewhere down the road, the backseat begins.
“I’m bored.”
“How much longer?”
“She’s touching my side.”
“Can I have the iPad?”
“I’m hungry.”
“Are we there yet?”
If you have ever travelled with children, you will know that long drives can be full of beautiful memories. However, they can also test everyone’s patience. This is especially true on caravan holidays, camping trips, school holiday travel and those long family drives. Sometimes the destination is exciting, but the hours in the car can feel endless.
That is exactly why I created Girls on the Go: My Screen-Free Road Trip Adventure Book.
It is a fun, creative and screen-free travel book for girls aged 8–12. It is designed for family road trips, caravan holidays, camping adventures, long car rides and all the little in-between moments that happen on the way.
But it is more than just an activity book. It is part road trip companion, part travel journal, part conversation starter, part boredom buster and part keepsake.
It is also the first book in what I am calling The Calm Backseat Series. This is a collection of screen-free books created to help children stay engaged, creative and settled while travelling.
A Book for the Girl in the Backseat
Girls in the 8–12 age group are in such an interesting stage. They are not little children anymore, but they are not teenagers either. They want something that feels fun, a bit grown-up, creative, personal and not too babyish.
That was really important to me when creating this book.
I wanted Girls on the Go to feel bright, adventurous and funky, but still grounded. It is for the girl who likes snacks, songs, doodles, funny questions, window views, little challenges and big family stories. In addition, it is for the girl who wants something to do with her hands, something to think about, and something to keep from the trip.
The pages include road trip games, doodle prompts, boredom busters, travel challenges, daily journal pages, creative activities, family conversation starters, confidence prompts and memory pages.
It gives girls something screen-free to do while travelling, but it also helps them feel part of the adventure.
Screen-Free Fun for Long Drives
Screens can be useful on long trips, and most families use them at times. But there is something more grounding and meaningful about having a book that encourages children to use their imagination, colours, draw and look out the window. It also helps them notice the world, ask questions, write and join in with the family around them.
That is the heart of Girls on the Go.
Inside the book, girls can play road trip games and spotting challenges, and create their dream caravan. They can also design a road trip mascot, record favourite places, write about the funniest moments, and choose songs and words for the day. In addition, they can capture the little things they might otherwise forget.
There are also gentle reset pages for those very real travel moments when a child feels bored, grumpy, overwhelmed or irritated by a sibling. These pages are light and age-appropriate. But they quietly encourage emotional awareness, problem-solving and self-confidence.
Because family travel is not always perfect. Sometimes it is hot, noisy, tiring and cramped. Sometimes everyone needs a little reset.
Big Chats for Long Roads
One of my favourite parts of the book is the conversation starter section.
Long drives can be a beautiful chance for family stories and funny conversations, especially when everyone is away from the usual rush of home life. The journal includes questions such as:
What snack should be illegal in the car?
If our car had a name, what would it be?
What holiday do you remember the most?
What is something girls should hear more often?
If your pet could talk on this trip, what would they say?
The questions vary, some are funny, thoughtful, imaginative and others open the door to conversation about family memories.
This makes the book useful not only for the child using it, but for the whole family.
A Keepsake from the Trip
The other thing I love about this book is that it becomes a record of the journey.
Children forget little moments quickly, and adults do too. A funny sign, a favourite snack, a strange roadside stop, a sunset, a song played over and over, a joke in the car, a brave moment, a place everyone loved — these are the memories that make a trip special.
Girls on the Go gives girls a place to write those things down.
By the end of the trip, the book becomes a keepsake filled with games, doodles, memories, thoughts and little snapshots of the adventure.
A Lovely Fit for Caravan and Camping Families
Although this book is not only for caravan families, it fits beautifully with the caravanning lifestyle. It is ideal for families heading off with a caravan, camper trailer, tent, motorhome or packed car.
It also sits naturally beside the Women Who Tow world because many women who tow are also travelling with children or grandchildren. They are planning routes, packing the car, setting up camp, managing travel days and trying to keep everyone calm and occupied along the way.
That is where this book can help.
It gives the backseat its own little adventure, while the adults focus on the road.
Introducing The Calm Backseat Series
Girls on the Go is part of The Calm Backseat Series — a collection of screen-free travel books created to help children stay engaged, creative and settled on family road trips. These also work for caravan holidays and long drives.
The idea behind the series is simple: screen-free, travel-friendly books that help children stay engaged, creative and settled on long drives.
These books are designed for family road trips, caravan holidays, camping adventures and school holiday travel. They are practical enough for parents, fun enough for children, and gentle enough to help create a calmer backseat.
The series is not about keeping children silent. It is about giving them something meaningful to do, something to notice, something to laugh about, and something to remember.
This book brings together the things I care about: confidence, calm, creativity, family connection and adventure on the road.
Girls on the Go Is Now Available
Girls on the Go: My Screen-Free Road Trip Adventure Book is designed for girls aged 8–12 and is perfect for:
Family road trips
Caravan holidays
Camping trips
School holiday travel
Long car rides
Weekend getaways
Screen-free travel activities
Kids who love writing, drawing and adventure
It is for smart girls, funny girls, adventurous girls — and every girl on the go.
Because road trips are better when the backseat has a little adventure of its own.
Caravan holidays
Camping trips
School holiday travel
Long car rides
Weekend getaways
Screen-free travel activities
Kids who love writing, drawing and adventure
It is for smart girls, funny girls, adventurous girls — and every girl on the go.
Because road trips are better when the backseat has a little adventure of its own.
Discover more from Jillies Blog
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.