Ideas for Things to Do/bring on Our 20 Hour Roadtrip

WE are planning a road trip ourselves. So far my plan is: Get them each a roll of quarters. They keep them all to buy a gift when we get there if they don't constantly ask 'are we there yet' or fight with each other. Each #2 warning costs them 25 cents.

I am making them workbooks: Each page has an activity of colors, shapes, cars, numbers, letters, etc. I am tying to break it up so that they have a different activity per page and that this can be stretched out. Then they get a fun sticker when they identify the object. Make them 'pretend' maps to help drive, and they can color the pictures they see on the road. Have them "make" souvenier (sp?) bags and they can take something from each stop (rock, pamphlet,etc) and put it in their specially designed bag. Make them a (easy)scrap book of all the sites on the way there and the destination and let them plan a trip. We're going to cut out hands, color them and stick them to popsicle sticks to wave to other kids, trucks, animals on the road. Grab some construction paper and have them draw their favorite foods, colors, pets, shows, books, people, etc (the best they can). Burn them a CD of their favorite songs. I did the CARS sound track the it kept the kids entertained for 45m b/c they were so curious to hear the music without the movie. I burned one with themes from their favorite shows and it gets them thinking about their favorite characters! IF you like Barenaked Ladies you will love SNACKTIME songs CD. It even entertains my husband! If they can reach get an empty canister and have them put playing cards in the slot. I do this at doctor appointments and it cracks them up!

See if your library has UNPLUGGED PLAY by Debbie Conner. I lists a ton of creative ideas for kids and shows you how to adapt them age wise and for travelling. Good luck on your trip!

Stuff to do in the car
Crayons/Markers/Coloring Books
DVDs - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is 3 hours
Sticker books - check to make sure the stickers are easy to get out
Quiet music for when you have "rest time"
Picture books - we have a few Star Wars ones that we keep in the car
Books on tape/CD are good to listen to
Leapster with some games
Leappad reading with some books

We kind of split up the time. So they would watch a movie and then we would say it was time to look out the windows or time to look at books.

You can't expect them to keep themselves entertained, you have to be the activities coordinator.

I had one friend who paid her kids so much for every hour they were good, something like 25 cents or so and then they used the money to buy their child a treat. I've heard of others who set a timer in the car for how long their child had to be quiet and if they were quiet, they got a reward, some trinket from the dollar store. I'm not good at keeping track of all that, so I've never done it.

We drove to Myrtle Beach and the time went by faster than I thought it would.

M.

Books on CD rock road trips! We listened to the Narnia books on the way to and from Texas last summer and Harry Potter on a previous trip to Florida. Seriously, can't say enough about the benefits there, though these stories wouldn't be good for the age of your little ones. I'd get them each a walkman and bring their favorite cds, particularly your son.

Also, pipecleaners are a lot of fun in the car. Even my teenaged son has a blast making funny guys for my daughter.

Check Trader Joe's for treats/juice boxes. They have some great stuff that is of a healthier variety. Their granola bars, in particular are excellent!

Have fun!
D.

Chapter books on tape would be a great place to start. My 5 1/2 year old can listen to them for hours (i.e. Misses Piggle Wiggle, Charlottes Web, Box Car Kids, Magic Tree House, etc) Also if you have a DVD the movie Mary Poppins is three hours long.

I personally would put them both in a diaper, just in case you're not quite ready to stop when they need to.

My friend just took a trip like this with their 2,5,7 year olds in a Corolla. They listen to 5 hours of books on tap. They also had used google earth (or something like that) to find parks along the way every 2-3 hours. That way the kids had something to look forward to.

Food wise, we love 'Sunnut Butter Sandwiches'. It's like peanut butter, but made with sunflower seeds. It does need honey to sweeten it IMO. Also lots of fruit, and drinks in sippy sups.

This week we made monkey mash - peanut butter, cinnomon and a banana mixed togeher. Then use as dip for crackers and apples OR spread on bread for less mess. We actually use the sunnut butter, and my kids loved it. This is something you could mix in the frount seat and pass back to them.

We recently completed a successful 16 hr. car ride with 3 & 5 yr. olds.

dvd players were a must! Borrow dvd's that they havn't seen.

I wrapped gifts and handed them back a basket to pick from every so often when they got bored.

We kept a basket in between them in the back with toys they packed.

I am all for kids eating healthy, but on this trip we gave them junk that they normally don't eat and it kept them busy. I bought candy and put them in small plastic containers before we left. We did buy the organic milk that doesn't need refridgeration.

We let them pick whatever they wanted within reason from a gas station.

Diapers on- like the other poster suggested!

I did buy bendaroos- Walgreens. A bit pricey and messy, but at night they stuck them on the windows and made designs. It saved the last hour when I wasn't sure they were going to hang on any longer.

Have fun!