Planning a long drive with a toddler can seem intimidating. Whether you’re headed to a vacation spot or visiting family or friends, the thought of spending hours in the car with a young child is daunting, for you and for them. How do you plan to keep them content for long periods of time? What if the crying never stops? How far is too far?
Though having no worries is just not realistic, you can ease your mind with these five tips that will help create a peaceful, fun and smooth ride for everyone.
Keep It Short
Though you may have the patience for a long ride, toddlers and young children don’t stay patient for long. Scheduling your travel time around their napping schedule is a great way to avoid children’s short attention spans, as they can spend more of that time sleeping. If you have no other option than a long distance drive, be sure to make stops for eating, playing and resting.
Take a Break
Stopping at restaurants, rest stops or even hotels (depending on how far you’re driving) will not only be a break for the kids, but a much needed break for you as well. Get out, stretch, re-energize and hydrate. Just be sure that everyone in the car takes care of business, whether it’s sleep, eat or use the bathroom, to avoid multiple stops and a longer trip.
Pack Toys and Snacks
Aside from larger meals, like lunch and dinner, snacks should be a staple on any road trip. Toddlers especially tend to snack more often, so pack up some healthy road snacks, like fruit, pretzels and dry cereal. Smaller toys and books are also great things to pack for your ride to keep your children occupied. Ask them before you leave which items they want to bring along and determine which ones make the cut based on safety and practicality.
Listen to Music
You can’t take a real road trip without good music. Children enjoy singing and dancing to their favorite tunes, so be sure to pack along CDs or create a playlist that will keep everyone in the car entertained. Try to stay away from anything that will upset or annoy anyone else in the car, as you probably wouldn’t want an argument to ensue in such a small, enclosed space.
Watch a Movie
Keep your kids busy in the backseat by turning on a movie. Similar to the music, if you have more than one child in the backseat, try to find something everyone can enjoy. Again, the last thing you want is a screaming match while you’re driving. Give them options to avoid a meltdown and hope that the movie will put them to sleep, even just for a little while.
