I remember the first road trip Dan and I took with our daughter, Margot. She was about four months old, and we were driving up to San Francisco (a 7 hour trip with a few pockets of traffic) to visit Dan’s family. Before we left, we reassured ourselves that “it would be fine” and “Margot will sleep most of the way!”
Needless to say, we arrived exhausted, angry, and covered in poop.
Today’s road trips are a little easier, since both kids are out of the exploding diaper stage of life. We’re also a little more experienced, and a lot more prepared. So, for my own memory’s sake, and because it could, potentially, help another mama out, I compiled a list of all the junk we bring along to make a day in the car with kids a little less traumatizing for everyone.
Books and Toys:
Drawing Boards: We do a LOT of drawing on road trips, and at home. In fact, my fridge is currently covered with “portraits” of our family which are cute in a certain light, but also the things nightmares are made of. Out of all of the drawing boards linked below, Margot loves the Magna Doodle the best. It comes with a pen and stamps, and is only $12. She also seems to enjoy the LCD drawing board, and Max really loves chewing on the “pencils,” so that one is also a win for all.
Water Wow is our ABSOLUTE favorite travel toy, and we have taken them everywhere with us. Margot and Max can use them in the car, as well as in hotels, at the pool, etc. These are also a great toy to whip out when cooking or doing chores. Just watch out for when your kids learn how to unscrew the water container from the brush–Max recently chugged some of the water, and it may or may not have been about 5 months old.
Drawing Toys:
Other Toys:
Reusable Stickers: We have several sets of sliding glass doors in our house and they are all covered with these Melissa and Doug Reusable Stickers. The stickers are made of plastic, and “cling” vs. “stick,” so they won’t destroy your walls and windows like normal stickers. We bring these in the car and stick them on the windows, the back of the seat, or onto nearby little brothers.
Leapfrog Laptop: I am not a tech-toy person, but I actually kind of love this Leapfrog laptop. It has a few different functions, but Margot really enjoys the letter setting, which allows her to practice matching letter sounds with the correct key. I oftentimes find battery operated “educational” toys to be anything but “educational,” but Margot seems to have really learned something from this one.
Beads for Babies: Max is just beginning to figure out these giant Montessori beads, and Margot has been doing them for a while. They are probably best suited to a 2 year old, but we’ll still bring them along this time.
Magnetic Maze: Margot loves this Hape fish maze and, even though she doesn’t play with it for very long, she tends to go back to it at least a few times per trip. It also seems to be appropriate for the 30+ age demographic, because I enjoy it as well.
Books for Max (15 Months)
Margot can disappear into the brain-melting world of Frozen II for hours in the car, but Max is still to young to be really interested in T.V. So, I plan on spending at least a portion of the trip in the backseat with him, reading up a storm. Max’s current favorite book is “Where’s the Bear,” and he is truly delighted when we find every animal behind the felt flap. He also likes to make sure he points out (and blabbers about) all the other animals on each page.
The rest of the books linked below allow Max to practice pointing at objects or “asking” me what things are (aka grunt-crying and slapping the page), which seems to be his big developmental leap of late. The Curious George puppet book is also always sure to elicit a giggle or two.
Other “Essentials”
Potty: We always bring our OXO Tot Potty in the car, even for short trips. On this trip, we want to avoid taking the kids into public restrooms (which are already kind of traumatic during non-pandemic times), so they will be using this when we stop. You can have them pee directly onto the ground (only if you’re in the middle of nowhere, of course), or buy disposable bags that fit over the seat.
Toy Basket: I try to pack toys, games, and books in a basket, as opposed to a bag or backpack. We use this basket, and place it on the floor below my daughter’s car seat. It’s a lot easier to see and find toys this way, and Margot can just chuck things back in when she’s done with them.
Puke (or poop) Bucket: I always bring a bucket on car trips, especially if we’re headed to the mountains. I get carsick and, although they haven’t shown signs of doing so yet, I’m sure at least one of my children will inherit this trait.
Hydration Supplies: I love these Nuk Straw Cups because they fit into the car seat cup holders better than any of the water bottles we own. The lid twists up to hide the straw, but I’ve never had a spill even with the straw out. They’re also dishwasher safe because WHO HAS TIME TO HAND WASH??!
Click to Shop the List:
Screen Time is NOT the enemy:
Screen time limits are all well and good, but not on the road or in the airport. While I usually try to start every trip with our most low-tech toys and games, I am not ashamed to say my kid has watched 4 straight hours of T.V. on a plane.
We recently purchased a family IPad (I know, I’m about 1,000 years behind), but we also have a Kindle Fire, which we use more often when travelling (it’s also way cheaper, so you don’t have to be as worried about your kid rage-smashing it into the flight-attendant cart…).
Below I have compiled a few of our favorite Apps and shows for both the IPad, and the Kindle. You can thank me when you arrive safely (and silently) at your destination.
IPad Apps:
Montessorium: This is a whole family of Apps, and they are definitely our most used, and most loved. All of the Apps are so simple and allow kids to practice skills like letter tracing, letter identification and basic phonics skills. Margot’s current favorite is actually “Intro To United States,” which asks her to identify the states based on their shape. It is truly alarming how many I get wrong when I play with her. There aren’t a lot of bells and whistles in these apps, but they can entertain my daughter for a while, and she’s learned a thing or two from them as well.
ABC Mouse: This one is a subscription service, and is priced at about $60 per year (you can pay in installments too). Some of the games get a little repetitive, and I wish there was a way to opt out of certain types of activities in the learning pathway but, overall, my daughter really enjoys it. I think that it has definitely helped her with letter and sound recognition, as well as general tech skills. I also like that it has a digital “library” that my daughter can use to have books read to her when we’re on the road.
Kindle Fire Apps:
Books: The Kindle allows you to download a ton of interactive kids books. We have everything from Brown Bear, Brown Bear, to Frozen 5 Minute Stories. I feel better about handing these over than a movie and, when the computer does the reading, I don’t have to personally soldier through the torture that is Frozen 5 Minute Stories.
Sesame Street & Daniel Tiger: Both of these PBS shows have companion Apps which allow kids to practice early reading and math skills, while also living vicariously in the world of their favorite shows. I have actually played the Sesame Street one while Margot was asleep on the plane, and truly enjoyed it.
Shows:
Disney +:
Bluey: This is the cutest show on earth. The episodes are SHORT (like 7 minutes), which is perfect if you need to entertain your kid while you briefly complete a chore, change a diaper, or pop a squat (as the old people say). The show is about a family of Australian Shepherds who engage in some super adorable imaginative play: my favorite is when they create a pretend “hotel,” known for its “crazy pillows” (aka children pretending to be pillows). Parents will also enjoy the truly engaging personalities and antics of the adult dogs (like when the grown-up dogs get a little sloshed at the neighborhood BBQ). In my professional opinion, it deserves 6/5 stars.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (MMC): This one is for “emergencies only.” While kids (and adults) can actually get a lot out of the other shows on this list, MMC is more useful if you want to induce a tantrum-taming zone-out. I find it a little annoying, and pretty over-stimulating, but my daughter loves it. (Go figure). 3/5, but good to have on the back-burner.
PBS Kids:
Sesame Street: I don’t think I really need to explain this one. The website also has great free coloring pages that Margot loves.
P.S: if you at all enjoy reality T.V., and haven’t seen this yet, you’re welcome.
Prime Video:
Daniel Tiger: This show has taught me how to parent. I probably sing the “If you feel so mad…” song at least once a week (sometimes to myself). Its basically an updated version, of the feel-good, be-good Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. And there are plenty of games and books to go with it. Another 6/5.
The Berenstain Bears: Yes! There’s a T.V. show! All of the classic books come to life in this very sweet show. But be warned, the theme song is very catchy. 5/5.
The Snowy Day: The beloved book by Ezra Jack Keats has been expanded upon in this lovely short movie (its a little under 40 minutes long). It was fun to watch my daughter recognize the main character, and style of illustration, and the story touches on some really important themes for youngsters (especially ones that are a little bit reckless like my own). Another 5/5.
THAT’S ALL FOLKS! I hope you enjoyed and drop me a comment about how YOUR road trips are faring these days!