Car Travel, Kansas to Florida, 6 Year Old and 8 Year Olds --- Need Advice!!!

Updated on February 08, 2012
M.L. asks from Derby, KS
7 answers

For spring break we are driving from Kansas to Florida. We'll leave Thursday night after work, drive 3 1/2 hours, drive to Memphis and stop at Graceland before ending our 10 hour drive in Montgomery then a final 8 hour day before making it to Indian Rocks Beach Florida. We'll be in the car 22 hours going through Little Rock Arkansas, Memphis Tennessee, Birmingham and Montgomery Alabama, Tallahassee Florida and lastly through Tampa. I'd love advice to keep the 6 year old and 8 year olds (twins) entertained as well as any quick, fun stops along the way to break up the trip. We are going to Graceland on the way there but have no other stops planned except for when we stop at the hotel. We have the portable DVD player, the entire Harry Potter series, books, snacks planned but would love other advice.

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

You'll need to stop about every 3 hours, even with kids this age. They will be arguing and nit picking from sitting in the same position for extended amounts of time.

You will enjoy your trip much more if you make the stops and let them run around and play. Like stopping at McDonalds or Burger King for snack time and let them play on the playground for 20 minutes after eating. They will respond better and actually it will be a much more pleasant trip.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.O.

answers from Chicago on

We would drive to Florida every year for years to visit the in-laws when my children were young. I would buy puzzle books, new books, a new movie, game boy games etc.. and put everything in a box and surprise them with different things from the box throughout the trip.

Not sure how far you will be from from Ruby Falls but it was one of our favorite stops.

Have a great trip!

A.W.

answers from Kalamazoo on

Eat in the car! And use stops for play/exercise. Take a ball, frisbee, something like that to use at rest stops. We stayed at Heart Break Hotel and it was a hole! Dirty, run down everything.

C.T.

answers from Santa Fe on

My son loves search and find books in the car. He also likes playing video games on his dad's phone.

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M.S.

answers from Kansas City on

I agree with Gamma G . . . we drove from Kansas City to Sante Fe NM last summer and split it up into two days. For me, it was torture because my husband drove most of the way. Movies, books and compact games. Definately get out of the car every 3 hours and let them run around for 20 minutes or so. They each packed a back pack full their favorite items but mine were the same age as yours so keeping them entertained for long periods of time were hard. Movies helped a lot. We even bought two new movies and didn't show them we had them until we got into the car. Good luck!!!

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H.M.

answers from Dallas on

We usually take either portible CD players or MP3 players so when our boys get tired of the movies they can listen to music. I would take lots of stuff to color and activity books. We usually try to get a puzzle or two right before we leave that they have never used that they can do in the room. Cause they get antcy in the room sometimes when we want to relax.

Good luck and God Bless!

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S.B.

answers from Kansas City on

Why are you driving?? If you watch the air fares on the web or register for travel alerts, you can do the same trip in about 2 1/2 hours flying, and I'm sure that for what you will spend on gas, it would easily pay for the plane tickets. Southwest has lots of $99 one way fares to Florida. Check it out. Driving that distance would be my personal nightmare.

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