Hi, we are leaving in two weeks for a family reunion in South Lake Tahoe and are driving. We travel frequently by air but never longer then 4 hours a leg and he is able to get up and walk around, etc. but it's getting harder as he gets older, he is now 17 months old. It's a 10 hour drive to Tahoe and we're thinking of at least breaking it up and stopping in Grants Pass but were hoping to follow other famiy members who are not stopping but don't think it's going to be possible to have a active toddler sit in a car seat for 10 hours... He typically has no problem driving 2 hours to visit family but have never traveled further then that. I will bring a DVD player and books, toys, etc but was wondering if anyone else has had success with long road trips and toddlers.. suggestions would be so appreciated.. places to stop, toys to bring, movies, etc?? anything would help.. I'm very nervous this might be a miserable trip?!!
In addition to what you listed, bring lots of snacks and drinks. You'll have to stop for potty breaks anyway.
I also play kid music part of the time.
Happy Trails.
Mine does surprise me with being content to look out the window. I ride in back with her on some stretches and we read books and share snacks. We schedule stops to get out and throw/kick a ball around because she just needs to burn a little energy off, and I figure when her butt gets sore, being strapped in she can't shift as easily to find a comfortable position.
Since you'll be in a car and not a plane, you can bring music or just sing a lot of silly songs together!
P.,
We have taken 2 day road trips nearly every year since my kids were born as we have never lived near relatives. I don't believe in using DVD's to placate my kids, they can learn to behave if told to.
There were a lot of good suggestions. Buy small new(used toys are great for this)toys and give them to him every hour or two. Play lots of kid music and sing along. Bring lots of favorite snacks. He doesn't have to eat on a schedule, it won't hurt him for one day! Make sure he has his favorite bed time snugglies for nap time. Most kids will take extra long naps in the car. When he is sleeping, don't stop for anything! Car sleeping isn't the same as crib sleeping. It isn't as restful and and is a much lighter sleep. Don't keep him up later because he had a longer car nap, unless he really isn't tired. Many kids become hyper when they are over tired. Parents then assume they aren't tired because they have so much energy and keep them up later which makes them even more wired the next day! It's a vicious circle of sleep deprivation.
The trick that worked best for us was to have me sit next to the youngest child and feed them snacks, read books, sing songs and play with them. They need your attention at home, why would the car be any different?
Happy trails,
B.
Dear P.,
we took 3 small boys on many road trips. You really should stop every 2 hours for a little running around. Check aaa.com for rest areas along your route. There are also the fast food play areas. It will take you a little longer to get where you are going but your ears will thank you. We always left very early in the morning so the boys would fall back to sleep for the early part of the drive to magic mountain, a 17 hour drive straight thru.
Good luck.
Auntie C.
We have done many similar trips with an active toddler! The DVD player is really pretty key. But a sticker book was great, and bringing some of her favorite snacks. Then we would stop at rest stops (even just 2 or 3) and let her run around a little, and that was needed! I don't know how old your toddler is, but playing the i-spy game can keep them entertained for quite awhile. Hope this helps!
We drive from Portland to the Bay area frequently with our 17 month old. If you can leave at nap time to get you a two to three hour break or at bed time and just have him sleep the first part of the trip it is the best. I make sure I prep different foods- cut up fruit, crackers, veggies, liquids. We always stop over night and usually choose Ashland. I take him to the park in the morning and then we take off at nap time (1pm). We stop at rest stops for diaper changes and to let him run off some energy. He loves the rest stops as there are kids, dogs and trucks! When he gets fussy food usually gets him calm again. Good luck!
We did a road trip to Yellowstone a couple of years ago. My kids were 7, 4 and 2. We stopped every 3 hours or so to let them run around for 10-15 minutes. 1st thing we did was leave at 5am, so they slept for the first few hours. I has also gone to the craft store and purchased each kid a cheap drawstring backpack and put their names on them. Then I went to the dollar store and a few other stores and bought cheap toys, colored pencils(they don't melt in a hot car), and pads of paper. I also bought mini chalkboards and other little stuff to go in them. Then I kept the backpacks up with me. Then, when they started to get restless, I would reach in to each of their backpacks and give them each an identical new toy (I would write their name or initials on them so they wouldn't get mixed up). That way there was no fighting over who got what. The trip was painless.
Since you only have 1 child, you could let him close his eyes and reach in and grab a toy, so its a surprise. My mom did that for me when I was 6 and we drove to Disneyland (in ONE shot).
We also had a portable dvd player that we used mostly at night when it was too dark to draw or play.
When my youngest was 1, we drove to Vegas. I again used the goodie bag thing and it worked great. We also drove to Tahoe with her when I was pregnant and she was 2.
We have driving vacations planned for Banff and Disneyland. I plan on employing the goodie bag thing again (they still have the backpacks!). Now that they are older, I can put less and more complex items in it.
Good luck!
Have fun!
S.
I was worried about this with my son too...and he surprised me. He did totally fine with very little...didn't even want the DVD player we brought. I remember surviving long car trips as a kid and he did too. I think today, we are too worried about entertaining our kids and making everything easy on them. It is good for them to learn to cope. I think looking out the window on the highway without all the stops was like watching a huge movie unfold. He loved it. It is different than city driving. I still think you need to break it up, but maybe only stop twice. But you won't know until you are on the road. If he is miserable, I have friends that prefer to drive later in the day and into the night so they sleep part or most of the trip.
My in-laws said that they always packed up and left right at bedtime. The kids slept all night in the car and the adults took turns driving. We are planning a trip and i think we are going to do this also. Maybe when she is 3 or 4 she will be more into looking out the window. All kids are different. Ours definitely won't be into sitting still that long!
Good luck and happy travels! :)
