My son isn’t old enough to say, “Are we there yet?”, but he certainly acts it out in the car by whining, kicking, screaming and crying. It’s miserable. After 70 hours of weekend drive time alone with him, I’ve learned how to cope and make our long car rides this holiday season more enjoyable.
It takes some creative planning and packing (especially if you’re like me and want to avoid pushing a tablet in front of his face — his brain is just too little) — but it is possible! My survival tips and words of advice are tailored to those with littles two years and under because that’s my current world, but I also know my approach won’t work for every child.
Driving during nap time is best – that is if your kid naps in the car. 🙂 For a three-hour car ride, I plan for an additional 30-40 minutes which allows me to stop every two hours to change a diaper, stretch, get gas and buy a snack. I keep the car temperature comfortable because even babes can get hot or freeze in the back. And, when Gordon gets really fussy … I’ll distract him by opening and closing the sunshade and windows.
But, before we even go in reverse, my top must-haves in the front seat are:
1. Noisy Toys Don’t worry; you’ll tune out the siren “wee woo wee woo” after the first 30 minutes. Toddlers love pressing buttons and especially buttons that make sounds. Gordon will even play with his traveling sound machine after he’s tossed his mini ambulance and beats groove & grow plush toy into the back seat.
2. Quiet Sensory Games Trust me. The noisy toys will get boring and kiddos will be ready for quiet time. Small sensory “tag blankets”, teething toys (Gordon’s favorite) and mobiles are awesome for 3-6-month-olds. Pack things little ones can pull apart, but won’t hurt if they’re thrown across the car (easter eggs, velcro, crinkling books, stacking cups) and my new favorite: a tissue box stuffed with never-ending fabric!
3. Touch ’n Feel Books In my opinion, Usborne publishes the best sensory books. The series “That’s Not My” are great and keep Gordon’s attention much longer than a regular book. Gordon’s other favorite is VTech® Musical Rhymes – which again has sound! If your books have tabs to flip open — sit in the back seat and help them read them (kiddos may tear the tabs off before you can stop them).
4. Snacks and Hydration Just use common sense when feeding your child in a carseat and make sure its age-appropriate and that they can easily swallow. We’ve come to love puffs, pouches and now Cheerios while traveling and have multiple containers on-hand. I always have cold milk available and a minimum of two toddler water bottles filled because one will fall on the floor. If you’re nursing, just pull over and feed. In my experience, a fed baby travels better than a hungry one (but then again, I didn’t have a spitter or a baby with acid reflux.)
5. Music Sing-along favorites are great for distracting and engaging little ones. We love Spotify’s “50 Sing-Along Car Songs” by Songs for Children and streaming the Okee Dokee Brothers while driving long-distance across MN. And, of course, Gordon’s grandparents live on a farm so we’re memorizing “Songs from the Farm“, too. With time, kids may associate certain music with going somewhere fun — so enjoy creating your family playlist for long-distance travel.
Our bin stays in the car … that way, everything is more interesting to Gordon because he hasn’t seen it for a few days and it looks new to him! With every toy that I gently toss over my seat, I talk to him about what he’s playing with: “Is that your firetruck? What does firetruck say? Wee ooo wee ooo.” Gordon will talk back and it’s a nice way for him to know I’m still there — just not in the back seat.
Driving with little ones under the age of two is no easy task … especially if you’re driving alone long distance. But, with some planning, patience and a strategically packed traveling toy bin, you’ll be ready to hit the road!
