What are your best tips for traveling with a toddler?
We are going to Cedar point this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and to the Toledo Zoo on Monday. The drive down to CP is about 5 hours from home. We will have two toddlers at Cedar Point along with four adults and two teenagers.
Toddler & Preschooler - 15 Answers
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1 :
We are hoping to make a 15 hour trip (each way) next week. We plan to go while the kids would be sleeping. Since yours is 5 hours maybe drive while your child would be napping?
2 :
bring snacks & drinks....coloring books with washable markers or crayons,books to read,and i always play games while we go on trips with my kids ...u can print stuff from online sites for traveling like sheets with cars of different colors and signs with different shapes and while ur on your trip u point out these different colors and signs and have ur child color the same color that you seen or circle the shape of a sign that u see,stuff like that...if ur kids are old enough to be counting we like to count how many Mc.donalds we pass along the way,lol there are always planty of them along the way...but u know u can do that with any fast food place or gas stations that r in that area....i have added a link for nickjr.com i have used them in the past to print travel pages for my daughter,she enjoyed them...good luck!
3 :
Make sure you have lots of stuff for them to do in the car on the way down, crayons, paper, maybe a portable dvd player with headphones. Lots of snacks and drinks, and be prepared to make lots of bathroom stops. We once drove to Florida from NY and it went pretty well, because we ;packed lots of things to keep them busy, I also let the kids have the camera in the back to take pictures along the way. Have fun.
4 :
Try to drive during nap time, so they will sleep in the car. Bring new books and Cd's. You might be able to get some at your library. Stop part of the way at a park or something so they can run around and eat. Also ear plugs, many ear plugs.
5 :
Snacks, movies and games. Play with your kids if you can, sing songs, anything to keep them entertained. If you do not have a DVD player in your car, you can find some pretty cheap online or at SAM's Club. Perhaps ask the teenagers to help out (which they may do if an allowance or babysitting $$ hangs in the balance). Good luck, have a safe trip.
6 :
We drove to Florida (about a 15 hour drive) when dd was 2. We left at 1 am so that the kids were sleeping for most of the drive. That was a great plan. We also packed snacks and drinks so that we only had to stop for meals and bathroom breaks. Have a great trip!
7 :
wow. seems to me like you have your hands full! no worries. just make sure that you pack alot of extra things. for the toddlers, sunscreen, food, milk (what ever they drink) toys and movies to keep them busy. clothes for both cold and warm weather. blankets. sleeping things.bathing suit. diapers and any other personal things that they might need/want. have fun =]
8 :
Coloring books, audio stories with headphones, portable DVD players with movies. My twins have fp3 players from playschool with audio stories on them and music...keeps them busy for hours and it's educational. Sticker books are good to! Don't forget the finger food snacks!
9 :
we have traveled quite a bit with our twin toddlers...try to travel during naptime or nighttime...bring a book, a travel magna doodle, and stickers with a pad of paper...also, portable dvd players are good for long trips...and stop for an hour at a park or for lunch to get the kids out of the car
10 :
What fun - lol; planning the drive around nap or sleep time is always a great idea. However, if that is not possible, try allowing everyone in the car to pick some songs to hear. The teenagers will be able to tollerate the toddler songs if they know they will get to hear something they want (within reason). Picture books, paper and pen, road games - car colors, snacks, lots of stops and some of their favorite toys are some things that have helped me. As a last resort, if you don't have any, find a friend or family member that is willing to let you borrow their travel dvd player and let them watch movies - Babe, Pig in the City is a decent family movie. Good luck! And remember, family road trips are things that memories are made from. Think Vacation and RV - lol
11 :
At Christmas my husband and I went to Silver City, NM from Seymour, TX about a 16 hour drive. We drove straight through with a almost 2 year old. We really didn't have any problems. Just take toys and stuff you can play with them as you drive. It really helps. You will have to make more stops with them that young, but it's not that bad.... Robin
12 :
Play nursery rhyme CDs and have the toddler sing to them. But, leave at nap time, or early in the morning, then you only have the remaining time after the child wakes up to worry about.
13 :
I think lots of snacks & frequent stops are obvious. It is amazing how much faster car trips seem with toddlers when you allow an extra hour for longer stops. For a long car trip with our toddler last summer, I did this: Get some plain brown lunch bags and some stickers. Organize a bunch of “prizes†and put one in each bag, sealed with a sticker. I used anything from a mini-box of cereal (the kind I never buy for him, like Lucky Charms) to a small car, a little flashlight, funny sunglasses, etc.. You can get creative at the dollar store and you might consider “prizes†for everyone along for the ride – you’re all going to need it! Pace them out and award for good behavior. Good luck!
14 :
Go to the dollar store and buy lots of cheap little toddler toys, and bring them out one at a time when your kids start getting cranky. Also, ask around and see if anyone has a portable DVD player you might be able to borrow for the weekend (or even a laptop with a DVD drive). Plan on a rest stop at least once every hour and a half to 2 hours, and stop someplace where the kids can run around for 10 or 15 minutes ( a rest stop with grassy areas, or a McDonald's with a playgroup...). Also, keep a snack bag in the car with lots of car-friendly (not too messy) snacks! We drove from NY to Atlanta and back at Christmas with a 2 1/2 year old, a 9 month old, and a 6 month old, so I feel your pain! Good luck!
15 :
portable dvd player, and a favorite dvd!
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