All you expert road trippers - I need your help! We are moving (yeah!) and driving across the country with our kids (2 & 4). We did a number of 5 hr trips with them this summer, and they did well, but 6 days of driving is starting to sound daunting. Have you done this? How did you keep the kids entertained? We plan to break up the driving with stops at parks and rest stops, and stay at hotels with pools along the way, but what about ideas for in the car? Here's what I've got planned so far: I've put some of their popular toys away, and will reintroduce them day by day as we drive, we have a portable video thing for movies, new coloring/sticker books, lego, magnetic books... Please share your wisdom: movie choices? Snack ideas? "Car" games? What toys were a hit? Please advise! ...and thanks in advance for sharing - I'm going need all the help I can get on this one!
One game my 4 yr old and I like to play is "I Spy." Kinda gets repetitve in the car (for me) but he has a blast.
Movies:
Cars (very appropriate for a drive)
pretty much anything by Disney/Pixar
Mary Poppins
Music: Do some kid-friendly sing-alongs, like Laurie Berkner (sp?)
Introduce them to "The Beatles"
Also have some relaxing music for naptime
Silly putty
Be sure to let them do lots of running at the rest stops
One of the things we did was "run races" in rest stops. The kids would have a chance to get rid of their excess energy and they were more apt to sleep on the way.
When I needed gas I would look for a fast food restaurant with a play yard. We would feed them then let them play. We had them go to the bathroom just before we left so they could get rid of "lunch". It works well.
Good luck to you and yours.
If you can drive when they sleep. We had a 2 day trip and driving while the kids slept was very helpful!
I would check out the bookstores in your area, and see if any of them have 'car' books. I used to work at Hastings, and we had one that was specifically for car trips. Each page was different, and had games on them. Some of the pages were things like buttons, felt dress-up dolls, etc. Some were road bingo (license plates, car colors, billboard letters).
The biggest thing that helps me when we take long trips with my 17 month DD is to alternate where I sit. I will sit in the front, then at the next pit stop I switch to the back. The extra attention does wonders keeping her happy!
I would recommend a magnadoodle or etch-a-sketch, something that is self-contained. That way you don't have to worry about them dropping crayons.
I would avoid sugar as much as possible... you don't want them getting all hyped up with no way to spend their energy!
Snacks
Water
Juices
I, also, bought new toys my child had never seen before. That was a saving grace. I like all the things you've mentioned: coloring things, sitckers, portable video (that saves us). The toys he never saw before......priceless!
Lot of breaks to stop, get out & stretch your legs. :)
