I don't claim to be a parenting genius and I know much of my luck traveling with kids is just that....luck. I will say my kids are their best selves strapped into a car seat. I don't have a clue why. I keep them entertained but I do not give them electronics. It was just a choice I made early on when I had one kid. I solo parent and realize I could not safely turn on a movie and hand it to a kid while hurtling my vehicle down the road. So.....no electronics. My kids are now 6 and 4 and they don't even ask for their iPad in the car. Also, please don't tell them that most kids probably get them :)
Our typical car trip is 4-6 hours as that is how long it takes us to get to a major city. We drove from Oregon to Moab, Utah over spring break and we had zero issues in the car. I had plenty of activities to keep them entertained.
I swear by a couple of products and what you do with them is up to you, but I'll share what works for us.
Car Organization:
Lap tray: Hands down the best invention ever! These are sturdy, have lots of compartments and most importantly, have a lip so stuff doesn't fall off. Our are several years old, get frequent use and besides the coloring on them, look brand new. https://amzn.to/42lNkXz
Gear organizer: I've had a different one for years and just upgraded to this one. Here is why I like it - dividers. We have one large section in back and then each kid has a bin for their specific stuff. https://amzn.to/43JXPoB
Seat back organizers: They are nice for holding things like sunglasses, tissue, bottles, etc., but we don't use them as much as the other items. We leave these in the car all the time, and they are super handy to keep things off the floor. https://amzn.to/43LlnJH
Boxes: Ours are from Daiso, but you can find plenty of options on Amazon. Look for a flat surface for writing, hinged and preferably one latch. I wouldn't get one with a clipboard either, since you want it to store flat. Fill with blank paper books, coloring books, stickers, etc. https://amzn.to/3WQJQuZ
Crayon/marker boxes: Hear me when I say this. DO NOT get one that simply snaps shut - it will not stay shut in the car. You need a latch. I also wouldn't get one with a lid that removes completely only to fall to the floor - hinged is key - https://amzn.to/3OWmhir
Plastic folders: This is pro level - one for all the activities - one for the sewing, one for the stickers, one for the special activities. One, it slows kids down, helps them learn organization and makes it easy for you to simply pass back a new activity if needed. I prefer snaps to velcro closure, but it doesn't really matter. https://amzn.to/3WQXTke
Favorite Car Activities:
Boogie Board: I really wish these were around when I was a kid! They are so fun. These have a lock screen toggle on the back so brother can't just reach over and delete your work (no sibling would EVER do that right!!). https://amzn.to/3qzFNa7
Magnetic Storyboxes: What a hit - we have four of these now and they get plenty of playtime. I love that it's self contained, and magnets aren't as prone to getting lost. If a piece gets dropped, it's usually attached to the car seat somewhere. https://amzn.to/3WV2K3C
Travel Tangram: These are amazing! The attached book has colored instructions to make all different shapes. It also has just the shape for the kids to see if they can figure out how to build on their own. Hours of entertainment here! https://amzn.to/3MWG26C
Melissa and Doug Reusable Stickers: These ones are small and work perfectly when placed in a small plastic folder. Use these over and over again and the folders are double sided so kids have two scenes to choose from. https://amzn.to/3MULE1f or https://amzn.to/3MULE1f (if you have mermaid obsessed people like at my house).
Matching Game: Again - magnets! I did get some peel and stick magnetic sheets to cut up and put on the back. I wanted both sides to be magnetic so they didn't fall while being passed back and forth. https://amzn.to/43F7wV6
Paint with Stickers: So fun - match the numbered sticker to the picture - like paint by number but vehicle and sanity friendly :) https://amzn.to/3WWLLOo https://amzn.to/3P5w4Tv
Tape Activity Book: Highly recommend for the older kids. My four year old enjoyed this but had a hard time tearing the tape by herself. My six year old loved it. https://amzn.to/3CeKoRP
Magnetic tic tac toe: You are getting the idea! These little tins are super easy to pack and being self contained means I love them! https://amzn.to/3CeKoRP
Sewing Cards: These keep my kids occupied for a surprising length of time. When they get tired of lacing, they use them as fishing poles and other creative things. https://amzn.to/43LlnJH
Water Wow: These have long been a favorite for us. I take the pens off so they store flat and I keep the pens and pass them back when the kids are ready - otherwise they can leak. https://amzn.to/3oKF99x
Wipe Clean Books: We love dry erase and IMO the Usborne books are the gold standard. https://amzn.to/445bcQz https://amzn.to/445bAP1 (Do yourself a favor and support a small business - find an Usborne consultant in your area)
Sticker Faces: These never get old. The kids make hilarious faces! https://amzn.to/45Op8Qr
Most of these also work great as a grab and go for places like church, the doctors office, or any place you will be waiting with kiddos and you want to try to limit the electronics. Let's be honest....I usually bring the pads to those places as a back up :)
Tell me your favorite travel tricks with kids in the comments!!
No comments:
Post a Comment