While driving through the countryside -- or along the highway -- can be a freeing experience, once you have children, the dynamics of road trips change quite a bit. The days of driving long stretches and stopping at no-frills rest stops are replaced with pre-planned breaks and roadside activities. (See parks, playgrounds, attractions, and more.) The music shifts, from one generation to the next, and you better have water and snacks. Lots of snacks. But just because things are different with kids doesn't make them bad.

Less than 24 hours after my birthday, the kids and I piled into our Mazda CX-90 for a road trip to my daughter's dance competition -- the first of several road trips we would be taking this year. We gathered the necessary provisions: two iced coffees; a Stanley; car games; several fruit pouches; and bags of trail mix, chips, pretzels, and more. We folded down the third row of seats to make room for our luggage, which included one oversized carry on, two backpacks, and a large rolling duffel. We secured my youngest in his car seat before buckling in, and then we used the vehicle's AirPlay feature to navigate our way to the venue. According to the GPS, we were only a few hours away. But a few hours of "are we there yets" and "I need to use the bathroom" can be a lot, especially if you're ill-prepared.

Here are nine ways to make the most of a car ride, long or short, with your kids.

Whether your child is two or 12, it's important to travel with everything you need for your trip -- and then some. This may mean bringing a stockpile of formula or diapers. It may mean bringing wet wipes, paper towels, sanitary products, medicine, and a few days worth of clothes. And it may mean packing chargers, phones, tablets, and other electronic devices.

The good news is our vehicle, the Mazda CX90, makes it easy to bring it all. With an expansive cargo area, multiple storage compartments, and the option to fold down the third row, this vehicle is ideal for our family of four (who sometimes travels with Nana, and other passengers). It's also great for our bags.

Not sure what to pack? Think about what your family needs to get by for the duration of your trip plus a day or two.

Children are voracious eaters -- well, except at mealtime, but I digress. This means that if you are traveling for four hours you can expect they will eat like you've been on the road for 14. And whether it is the result of boredom or the onslaught of roadside ads (for chicken, hamburgers, and other childhood staples) they are sure to ask for snacks.

Be prepared with pre-packaged and pre-portioned goodies. Fruit pouches are good for younger children. Hard boiled eggs, granola bars, baby carrots, and string cheese are all portable options. Animal crackers, dried fruits, and pretzels can be packed in small bags, and avoid choking hazards. Skip hard candies, for example, and popcorn.

While the ultimate goal of any road trip is get from point a to point b as quickly as possible, when you are traveling with kids, you need to buffer in time for food and the potty. This may mean leaving an hour (or two) earlier. It may mean changing -- or cancelling -- plans you have later in the day, after your arrival. And it definitely means being patient and flexible. No matter how prepared you are, unexpected situations can (and will) occur. Being adaptable is key.

You've got the kids, the car, the snacks but what about entertainment? Children of every age need a way to stave off boredom, and one of the best ways to do that is to pack an activity bag. But what do you and your child put in said bag? Well, it varies by age but some solid travel toys include activity books, hidden picture books, sticker books, writing tablets, drawing pads (with retractable colored pencils), WikiSticks, Water Wow!, Rubiks Cubes, small fidgets, and more. If your child has a special toy or lovey, make sure to pack that too.

Depending on your child's age -- and your family's stance on screen-time -- the idea of watching something in a car (on a road trip) may be controversial. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children under the age of two should have no screen time while children between two and five years should be limited to one hour of screen time per day. That said, many older children are using screens, be it at school or at home. The key is to help them make good choices.

Load tablets, phones, and other devices up with good, educational kids' content -- like Super Why!, Wild Kratts, or Brainchild -- or those that teach valuable life lessons, like Ask the Storybots, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, and The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. Give them windows of time in which they can be on their devices and windows of time when they should engage in other activities. (We usually hold off on screens until later in our trip, mainly because transitions are tough.) And use meal breaks as a time to reset, if you can -- i.e. no screens at the table.

In our vehicle, our children can even charge their devices while playing thanks to USB-C outlets in the second row!

While bringing an activity bag is great, bringing your imagination is even better. Not only do games encourage thinking outside the box, they encourage family bonding and socialization. Some great ideas for car games include iSpy, Name the Animal or Food, License Plate Bingo, Twenty Questions, and Name That Tune.

Some children sleep on long car rides. Many others, however, do not. If you find yourself in the former category, driving through the night may be an option. But if you have a more alert passenger, one who doesn't want to miss out on the fun, you may want to drive during the day, as food options will be more plentiful and rest stops will be more readily available. Driving during the day will also allow them to see the toys and activities they have brought with them.

If you're traveling with an infant or a child who still naps, you may want to try and time your trip around their nap schedule -- depending on whether they will or will not sleep in the vehicle.

You may not be planning to spend an evening away from home. You may just be going on a long drive. But if there is a chance you may be spending a night at a hotel or motel, do yourself a favor and pack an overnight bag.

It doesn't have to be elaborate. Just the basics will do. Think clothing and toiletries. But having a few "creature comforts" goes a long way, especially for and with kids.

While your children probably don't care about the type of car you are riding in, choosing the right vehicle can make or break your trip. As I mentioned, we opted for a car with three rows, one of which folded down for added cargo space. It was more fuel efficient than our previous vehicle, which-again-was important to us, and the Mazda CX-90 has a slew of safety features which helps with both short and long trips. (My favorite is the dashboard reminder to check for backseat passengers.) The vehicle also boasts a stunning 360-degree camera to assist with parking and backing up.

There were perks the kids enjoyed, too. In between the two back seats was a small armrest/table with cup holders, perfect for snacks and drinks. The sun roof kept both children entertained, especially my space-obsessed six year old. And with AirPlay, they were able to listen to their favorite tunes and podcasts, like Who Smarted?

Of course, even with all of our planning, our road trip was far from perfect. Patience were tested -- and the children whimpered, whined, and definitely said "are we there yet?" But with some foresight (and the right vehicle) our journey went as smoothly as it could have gone because we were cool, calm, and collected. Well, we were prepared. We were also adaptable. And that's the name of the game.