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lovebeingamom
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| Posted: July 18 2009 at 4:35pm | IP Logged
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My family and I will be traveling across half of the US in November (from NC to TX) to spend Thansgiving with my parents. I am soooooo excited and looking forward to it - except this will be the first time traveling with a 3 yo and 14 mo. - please note, we will br driving the long 18 hr. trip.
This brings me to my question - what should I pack for the car ride to entertain (other than DVDs and books)?
Also, what are some interesting "toys" you would recommend we pack for "Grandma's" house?
Any, and all, suggestions welcome!!!! I know I have a little time before we even start packing ... I am the type of person who needs to plan way in advance (obviously).
Thanks to everyone in advance!!!!
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mom3aut1not
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| Posted: July 18 2009 at 6:10pm | IP Logged
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I used to pack "goodie bags" for my older kids when they were younger and we were going from MD to MI or something.
Things I would pack (depending on the child)
a new box of crayons (now is a good time to get some)
markers and/or coloring pencils
blank paper (lots of it)
coloring books (the more creative the better)
sticker kits or just lots of colorful stickers
small, inexpensive toys
individually selected snacks and juice boxes (packed in baggies if necessary)
small blankets
Other than the blankets, I would pack each child's stuff in a bag (sometimes just a plain brown paper bag that I decorated a bit, sometimes a cheap cloth bag)
Travel games didn't usually work that well for us.
So to downsize that for younger kids
duplos that you don't mind missing (bring a freezer baggie)
paper
toddler grip crayons
preschooler crayons
some of the Crayola craft stuff that doesn't make a mess -- I forget what it's called, but the markers don't make a mark outside of the special paper.
stickers -- bright colorful ones
lots of blank paper
small, inexpensive toys (I do try to get burger meal toys on such trips to add to the variety)
individually selected snacks and juice boxes (packed in baggies if necessary)
small blankets (Don't be surprised if the kids sleep a lot.)
Then pack each bag separately and make a big deal about each child's bag.
Anyway, that's what worked for us in years past. My only minor child now doesn't really seem to care about being amused by us much. He doesn't require much to stay happy on a 9 or 10 hour drive.
HTH!
In Christ,
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Deborah
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RamFam
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| Posted: July 18 2009 at 7:21pm | IP Logged
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We've made a VA to TX round trip a few times now; with a 4 mo and 20 mo; then a 2 yo old and a 3.5 yo. A battery powered keyboard was our favorite toy. You could even plug headphones into it. My son fell asleep listening to this for hours upon hours. (We drove straight through taking turns sleeping so that the bulk of the drive was while the kids were sleeping.)
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Mary G
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| Posted: July 18 2009 at 7:35pm | IP Logged
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Wow ... I would think the kids would sleep the bulk of the way ... particularly if you left in the evening and they settled into sleep while you and dh took turns driving.
If you're not driving straight thru ... I'm thinking audio books or simple small toys (rather than DVDs) would be the way to go. Also, stops at McD's would help as they usually have playplaces where the kids can stretch their legs and you and dh can get coffee and cheap eats.
For the g'p's house ... I'd bring some kind of building and car sets and that's usually plenty. G'p's usually have some stuff around the kiddoes are thrilled with!
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JennGM
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| Posted: July 18 2009 at 8:44pm | IP Logged
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The car seat kiddos have the toughest time. I have car trays to use. Besides puzzle and coloring books, I bring Playdoh or clay to keep ds1 hands busy, even if he's listening to a cd or watching a DVD.
Does Grandma keep old toys around? We bring very minimal toys on visits. Just like Mary suggested, if she doesn't have lego, I'd bring that and cars. For the baby I bring a few favorite toys -- familiar things.
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doris
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| Posted: July 20 2009 at 4:46pm | IP Logged
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Etchasketches for the car -- one each. Lots of story/song CDs. Snacks. That's all we do. Everything else makes people feel sick 
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SusanJ
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| Posted: July 20 2009 at 8:54pm | IP Logged
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We just drove from Minnesota to CT with three kids and I really cannot say enough good things about Silly Putty. One dollar per egg in the dollar bins at Target. I also second the idea of the special bag for your 3yo. My two older kids had their own backpacks and had to carry a few personal items and then got to select a couple special books and one or two small toys to take along.
Susan
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: July 21 2009 at 8:43am | IP Logged
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Driving at night saves our sanity, along with stopping at play places. We let the kids play while the older ones eat and then get the littlies food to go so it gives them something to do on the road for awhile. We also do audio books and dvds. Junk food that is handed out one at a time sometimes helps, too. 
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JennGM
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| Posted: July 21 2009 at 8:57am | IP Logged
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Ah, Silly Putty! That is so much fun, and has been great on our trips, too.
Books, I completely agree. Cracker Jack is our fun car food treat (for food allergy reasons).
If the weather is good, dh's cousin told us that he would stop at rest areas and "race" his kids -- challenge them to run around "from here and back", using a stopwatch, etc. For the younger ones, they don't realize you're just getting them to stretch their legs.
My mother used to get new little things for us for the road trips -- paper dolls, or those old punch out and assemble little towns or something (I think Dover has these), puzzle and coloring books.
These lap trays have been a lifesaver:
I bought this one from a garage sale
Now there a new one I need to bite the bullet and buy for little brother.
We've brought Thomas trains, plastic soldiers, cars, legos, Playmobil, sewing cards... Now that G can read, that adds to more amusement.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: July 21 2009 at 9:02am | IP Logged
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I forgot to mention that my library allows us to check out audiobooks for a month, and I can renew them at least once by phone, too. This really opened up our options for audio.
I want to recommend Andrew Clements books (The School Story, Frindle, Lunch Money) as great audiobooks that might just even hold a pre-teen's interest. Lunch Money even held dh and my attention!  There is a tiny thread in the book about 10 yr olds with a crush, but its minor compared to the drama of two kids who start competing school businesses, learn about monopolies and learn about the true value of money in a wise way, without the reader feeling even remotely like he is learning something. Definitely a living book. 
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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Mimip
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| Posted: July 21 2009 at 10:38am | IP Logged
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One comment on silly putty. It sticks to hair, A LOT. But it does come out with butter. We had a little one get it stuck in her hair after she fell asleep with it in her hands. We have a very funny picture but it cause great tears.
That was one road trip that I WILL NOT be writing about
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JodieLyn
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oh for littles the busy hands type of toys.. like the blocks with lots of holes and a string and stick.. they're all attached so no dropped pieces but you can thread the stick with the string through the holes in all sorts of ways.. The baby toys with moving parts are good for the ones not ready for this.. things that flip flop and you can change around..
older kids things like rubix cubes, those metal chain etc puzzles where you have to move things around to free up a piece.. the slide puzzles..
I'm also a great believer in letting kids be bored.. they gain so much once they find their own solutions to it.. even if it's just a good nap 
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lovebeingamom
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Ladies - thanks for all the wonderful suggestions. I have another question for you all.
Could you please recommend some wonderful children audiobooks as well as music CDs that we could borrow from our local library?
TIA!
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 21 2009 at 2:13pm | IP Logged
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what age range? we traveled a good bit to veggietales songs when my kids were all pretty little (we can still get a good bit of those in even )
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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lovebeingamom
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| Posted: Oct 21 2009 at 2:42pm | IP Logged
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Ah - I forgot about the Veggie Tales! Thanks!
Kids are 3 and 1. Please keep them coming!
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 21 2009 at 2:48pm | IP Logged
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Go Fish is another one that's really like by kids around here.. and the adults They're Christian but not Catholic so there's a couple of songs that I "lose" between the computer and the mp3 player (or disk). I put kids music on my computer and then burn disks to use and put away the original.
And whatever Christmas music you like.. I always find that it's so cheering and since by Thanksgiving it's getting close (especially the way home) I like it then.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 21 2009 at 2:51pm | IP Logged
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Lots of little snacks help that age.. not that they need to eat alot but having a multiple small cups or bags with a few things in it to eat.. is more entertaining than one big snack.
And ear plugs for the driver. Seriously, I used to carry them myself when I had no help in the car. I found that when I had an upset little one for no reason that could be fixed without stopping the car.. that being able to use ear plugs made it safer for me to drive until I could find a safe place to stop.
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Booksnbabes
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On long car trips we plan to eat out and allow kids' meals at our stops (we do not usually get these). We stop at places that typically have decent toys--Subway, Sonic, Chik-fil-a (we do not have them around here, but I know you do for at least part of the trip!), Quiznos, etc. They then have a new toy that we feel fine about losing, and we do not mind tossing it at the end of the trip. Won't work so well for the 1-yr.-old but might for the elder child.
Cat-Chat CDs are great! We used them on a 17-hour trip with kids ages 3 1/2 and 1 1/2. DH got a kick out of the 18 m.o. shouting "I Believe!"
Magnets are fun. Bring a baking tray or magnetic board that they will stick to and let the kids go wild. Or get actual magnet play sets or these.
These kinds of trips are also when we pull out the little "junky" toys we get at church bazaars, birthday goody bags, etc. that we do not normally keep. They are novel for the kids and we can lose or toss them with no regrets, like the kids' meal toys. 
As to the grandparents' house, I'm not much help. We do not bring toys when we visit ours because they have so much already for the kids. Each child does get to bring a stuffed animal if they like for the drive time (we also do not have to travel more than 4 hours to visit the grandparents). The exception is if we have an infant that cannot play with a lot of what the grandparents have, then we bring a few of those baby toys along.
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Traveling Halfway across US
