Road trips can be a lot of fun, but a long drive in the car isn’t always comfortable for your child.

Parents tend to forget that toddler booster seats and child car seats can be pretty hard to sit in for several hours in a row. It’s hard to think about that when our own seat feels fine. But children’s car seats aren’t typically built for soft, cushy comfort – they’re designed for safety first.

Here are some tips for taking breaks during long trips that help make the journey more pleasant for you and your child:

Take frequent rest stops and breaks from driving to give kids a chance to stretch their legs and get the circulation flowing again. A 15-minute break every hour is ideal, and helps keep the stretches of driving feel short to children. If you can’t manage to stop every hour, pull over for a good stretch at least every two to three hours.

Stop at small parks where kids can climb around and be active for a few minutes. Stopping at parks with play structures is also a great idea because it gives kids incentive to get back in the car and drive some more – what’ll the next park’s structures look like? Will they be bigger or smaller? Each one becomes and adventure.

Have a drink while you’re breaking, too. It’s known that people aren’t drinking enough water these days, so make a point to rehydrate at every stop. Additional benefits of having some water every time you stop include staving off sleepiness, headaches and hunger.

Lastly, let kids know ahead of time that the break is nearly over, so that they can prepare to head back in the car more complacently than if they were suddenly announced they had to stop and get down from the play structures. Give everyone a five-minute warning, which lets them put in that last quick boost of play.

Then hop back in the car, adjust your seat belt cinch and away you go!