For most new families, it all starts with a car ride. From the hospital parking lot, where the car seat gets triple checked, a momentous journey full of glances in the rearview and abrupt swerves begins. Much of that journey takes place in the family car, which transports children to school, to practice, to the beach, and to grandma and grandpa, who wait anxiously for the sound of tires on pavement. The car is where many conversations and most singalongs take place. It’s a living room on wheels. It’s a dining room without tables. It’s a bedroom after night falls.

This week, Fatherly is celebrating all aspects of The Family Car, from car games to car washes, great snacks and better vacuums, momentous trips and sleeping babies. Why? Because a car is more than just a car when you’re a parent. It’s a home away from home.