Car Trips with Babies and Toddlers

Going on a long car journey with a squirmy toddler, crying infant or both can try on even the strongest nerves.
Toddlers don’t like to sit for long periods and can get extremely upset about this; and infants can get bored staring at a back seat for hours on end. Crying kids can make for an even more unpleasant trip.

But it doesn’t have to be like this.

Planning in advance, a well-stocked bag and being aware that will need to make plenty of stops, should go a long way in making the trip more bearable.

What to Pack:

Drinks and Snacks* (bottles or cups; formula or juice and plenty of water)
Change of Clothing (for both you and baby)
Diapers/Training Pants/Potty (a must if you’re potty training)
Baby Wipes
Toys/Books/Crayons
Pillows
Favorite Blanket
Bags for Trash
Diaper-rash Ointment
Zip-Lock Bags (for those “little” messes)
First Aid Kit
Flashlight
Cell Phone & Charger
Kids Music/Stories on CD

*Favorite treats that travel well: Pretzels, Bagels, Apples, Bananas, Cereal Bars/Granola Bars, Puffed Corn, Cheerios, String Cheese & Rice Cakes.

A Week before the Trip:

Get your car fully checked; Brakes, lights, fluids etc.

Make sure car seats are installed properly and safely.

Clean out your car of the clutter, toys and trash (yes, we all have some!)

When packing the car, make sure you have everything you might need en-route, handy; putting these things into the trunk will only make more stops than needed.

Make sure you have enough room in the trunk for all your luggage and travel needs. A pack-n-play, exersaucer (which I have taken on a 13 hour car trip before!), stroller and 2 suitcases sure can take up a lot more room than you think.

You might consider renting a larger SUV or Mini-Van. In the long-run, this could work out better than trying to cram everything in a small trunk.

Setting Off:

Schedule your departure to ensure your children catch some quality sleep on the road. If you leave a bit before lunchtime, you can let your kids eat in the car; it will keep them occupied and you can make it into a fun treat. Hopefully with full tummies, they’ll nod-off in no time.

Another option is traveling at their bedtime: Bathing your baby/toddler will help them relax and they often associate baths with bedtime. Pop their pajama’s on, grab their favorite blankie and off you go. This works great as long as you’re not too tired to drive at night, and if you’re reasonably sure your children will stay asleep once you arrive. This really depends on your child; you could end up with a wide-awake toddler for the whole night, and then a tired grumpy one the following day!

During the Ride:

If you’re traveling with toddlers, try to stop every 2-3 hours, depending on if they’re asleep. The trick to this is planning ahead. Check the web for where there are rest stops & parks and of course the good old fast-food joint with a play-area works well.
Get the whole family out and have a run around; maybe play tag in the park or take a ball with you to have a quick game.
This can make the trip seem like an adventure for a toddler, and of course keep those muscles from getting sore!

Keep young babies occupied with new play-mats that attach to the back seat or travel mobiles to look at during the ride. Nursery rhymes on CD are also a great soother.

A DVD player is one of the greatest sanity-savers on long car trips. If your car isn’t installed with one, you could buy or rent a portable player.

Make the trip fun and as exciting as possible for everyone. Take regular stops, eat well & keep hydrated and you’ll have a great journey!

Posted in Baby and Toddler