Need Some Advice for a 14 Hour Road Trip.

We do videos as a last resort. We take the Leappads. Your 3yo may like the Leapster. Lots of books and CDs. I don't recommend library books since you can't retrieve them if they get lost. Potty breaks every time you stop. Binoculars and cameras are great entertainment. We usually take a new toy for each way. Doesn't have to be anything fancy, just something not seen before or not seen in a long time. Magnet games are great fun, but not always easy to find (Either in the store, or the pieces later). We have had hours and hours of fun in the car with one that is a little weather boy or girl with all the appropriate clothing to switch out. Another favorite has been a rodeo scene. Believe it or not, the dinosaurs one was a big flop with both our boys. Etch-a-sketch and magna doodles are great. We take one backpack of toys/books for each kid. If you get stuck, we've done 120,000 miles in the last 2.5 years with 2 and then 3 kids. A big time saver/entertainer is eating in the car if that's something your comfortable with. Anyway, there's probably not a lot of problems you could hit that we haven't encountered. I'd be glad to help. Have fun!

Good luck- we made the trek from Colorado to Illinois last year (then ages 5, 2, and 8 months). One thing that helped us was doing most of the driving at night to maximize their sleeping time. We were able to do it leaving at 9:00 that night and arrived about 10:00 Illinois time the next morning. One thing that I have made now that I wish we had then was a homemade travel I Spy type thing; you take an empty, dry water bottle (the disposable kind) and fill it part way with bird seed, add some trinkets (such as buttons, jewels, pennies, washers, marbles, hair things, anything tiny that will catch their eye), fill up the rest with birdseed to the desired level (for littler ones, about 3/4 of the way is plenty because it gives more room for them to shake it and find the trinkets), put hot glue on the lid, put the lid on and shake. My older girls love to find stuff in there- endless hours of entertainment- and my son (he's 21 months now) loves to shake it. Another suggestion would be to make sure to bring a variety of toys/books for them that can occupy them. We have a Leap Pad in the car for them for long trips that will keep them busy as well as being educational. If you allow them to eat in the car, make sure you bring some things for them to snack on as well as sippy cups or water bottles. You might need to make a few stops (again, less if you do it at night) for them to get out and run around and stretch. I hope this helped and have a blast on your vacation!!! :-)

We drove to Phoenix (~14 hours) with a 4 yr old and 6 month old. On the way down, we drove during the day. I brought a bag of card games/reading & coloring books plus the movie player. By the end of the trip, the youngest did not want to get back in his car seat.

For the trip home, we left around 8 PM and drove through the night. THAT WORKED THE BEST. My kids both slept for the majority of the ride home. Not sure if that is an option for you. Have a great trip!

If you have to drive during the day, you might plan to stop at several rest areas and play a running game or two with the kids. This will get you all some necessary stretching/exercise so they might settle down better in the car for the next part of the trip.

Hi there,
Well it just isn't going to be easy overall on a trip like that. But I have taken the magnetic drawing boards. You write with a "pencil" that is attatched with a string and erase by dragging a handle across and back. They make miniature ones but the bigger ones come with magnet shapes.
Also any toys that have buttons and beeps for the little one, crayons, tablets, color books, CD's of children's music to sing along with. One or two of their favorite toys to play and imagine with while riding in their car seat.
That is what i can come up with right now. Hope that helps!

I haven't read all the responses, but I would suggest driving at night. I haven't yet done this, but am planning to at Thanksgiving, and that is the advice I have been given the most. We are planning to leave at around 4. My son usually goes down around 6:30, but it will be entertaining him until then. Then we get about 12 hours of drive time with a (cross your fingers) sound asleep boy. Good luck!

We are going on our 3rd long road trip this year tomorrow as a matter of fact and this one is 14 hours as well. I have found the best way to do it is drive as much at night as possible. We always break the trip up, in other words, I never try to do the whole 14 hours all at once, it is just impossible, so I drive half way, stay in a hotel and then go the other half the next day. I also make sure that I stop as soon as they seem to need it (not every time they cry just when they need to move around a bit). When I stop I try to find something kid-friendly like a park, a rest stop with a playground, etc. This will give them a chance to get some energy out and have fun. Of course, it takes us forever to get anywhere but it always turns out that getting there is just as fun as the vacation selection itself. The last thing I do is a "Fun Pack" for each kid. I get little toys, puzzles, stuff to draw with, etc. so they have something to do. This only works if it is new stuff for some reason so I hit the dollar store just before we go.
Good luck and remember, kids do not just go on trips like adults and your vacation will be so much better if you give them time to be kids. Have a great trip!

We made several long trips with the kids when they were little like that and the one thing that helped more than any other was to have one parent back with the kids at all times. It isn't comfortable or ideal for the parent, but it makes it so a responsible person can help get snacks and activities when needed, sing songs, and pick up a beloved dropped toy or sippy cup. It makes it so melt downs can be avoided before they start. Also, look up suggestions on the internet for little games you can play with your kids to get the wiggles out while they are in their car seats. I had a book called Fuss Busters on the Go that was a really good resource. Good luck!

We live in Mt and go down to so cal every so often. Here is what we do.

I get the cheap notebooks, 2-3 for each kid, and color pencils (b/c do you really want to be wasing (or trying to wash) markers or crayons out of your car. Don't forget the sharpener. Pencil box (b/c the box they came in just wont do the trick).

Go to a store that has a good deal on snacky stuff. Don't skimp. Get them some favorite drinks (but don't be suprised when they have to stop a million times). If you can, rent some movies from RedBox b/c they are a $1 a day and can be returned anywhere. It would give them some new movies (if you haven't already shown them to them, geez mom where was your forsight!! ;) )

Let them ride in PJ's, but have an extra set handy. Pillows and blankets nearby are a must for that age!

Also, leave as late in the day as possable to try and get the most sleep time possable.

Good luck and have "fun" or fun at least while your down there

I know theres a couple other things, I just can't think of them right now. I'm sure other Mom's are giving some good advice as well!!
J.

i totally agree with the dollar store toys. something my mom has done for my boys when we take trips to california is to put together theme packets according to where we are driving. they included library books, toy animals and vehicles, songs and rhymes, snacks, etc. so every so often when the scenery changed, we changed the fun packet. the themes were mountains, farms, desert, and beach. like one time we talked about bears living in the mountains and eating berries, then we ate berry fruit snacks. when we got to the desert there were rubber lizards, scorpions, spiders, etc to play with. farming country included toy tractors and animals and cow tail candies. a lot of it only your oldest son will appreciate, but that's ok. we also helped them know where we are by the color of the mountains. we tended to stop every 2 hours for about half an hour, but sometimes more often. then we'd make up the time when they napped. make sure you have sun visors and light blankets that they can put over their heads if they need it. i hope you have a nice trip!

We do two road trips/year to southern CA to visit the in-laws with all three kids (now 7, 5, 2) and have been doing said trip since the first one was born. We rarely have problems now, used to be a pain because we weren't ready for all the stops for babies. Be prepared to stop AT LEAST every 2 hours and look for parks and other running areas (McD with play areas are GREAT!) Plan to stop for at least 15-30 minutes at each stop.

Now, for in the car, go to dollar store and get new crayons, color books, "workbooks", spiral notebook (a la Blues Clues), a new toy (or two), stickers and (ready for this magic thing???) a metal cookie sheet. They can use the metal cookie sheet to put the stickers on (to "decorate") and to use as a lap desk for coloring. If they aren't mouthers (don't put things in their mouths), get pipecleaners. My kids LOVE to make things out of the pipe cleaners for grandma. I can't always tell what they are, but the stories for grandma are great. By the way, I also put all the toys for each kid in a giant dollar store gift bag.

If you want to spend a little more money, get the color wonder stuff (keeps the car clean). I like fruit loops for a treat, and juice boxes for drinks. I used to also bring the leap frog toys that are little. And the Story Reader that reads to the kids when turn the pages. Get your DVDs from RedBox and then return them to a RedBox when you get there. And pick up a few kid sing-a-longs (dollar tree usually has some). We also get some books on tape from our library.

It can be fun, with planning. Feel free to ask for more details anytime! Good luck! Maybe we'll see you on the road..we're going down (16 hour/2 day road trip) in June. :)

Hi C.:
One thing I did on a 16 yr trip with a 3 yr old was use a bed tray for playing on. I set up a small box of toys and some zip lock bag of lego's. I loved the doodle pads for coloring and a selection of books to look at. Get a list of what activities you have in the car and switch out as needed. DVD's are great for in between. I also made sure we stopped at rest stops that I sent my son running aroung the area and could not get back in the car until 2 boys, little legs where tired. It worked great. Have fun and they will have fun.
Another trip with my two boys 7 and 3 and I decided to try to do healthy snacks, carrots and celery, Apples and grapes. The less sugar in the snacks the better. Some mom's suggested the hotel stay and that was great for us. We broke it up and it helped alot.

Every time you stop make sure it's somewhere that you can move around. We often let my son move around when we stopped to eat (like at a restaurant with a playy ground or took all the food to the rest stop) and then let them eat their food in the car. If you consider driving through the night, think about this..are you going to see someone who would be able to watch them when you get there because if you are driving all night, you are going to want to sleep which will be impossible if you have to stay up to watch the kids. Someone suggested that for our recent 31 hour drive and we nixed it for that reason. The dvd player worked well. Bring new dvd's of series that you know your kids like. We also had our son help us "explore" by pointing out things he would find interesting expecially when he got cranky like trains or windmills. Little snack are great and new toys are good too. Just keep them out of sight till you have to pull them out. The suprise keeps them occupied for a little bit.

Don't forget to bring the treats (gummie snacks, crackers etc) Crayons, colored pencils, coloring books, notebooks. They also have travel size games for kids you can get at your local department store. The DVD player is a real good idea as well. Good luck on your trip.

Every trip we make, I sneak a visit to the used bookstore and stock up on lots of fun (smallish, lightweight) books the kiddos haven't seen before -- pop-ups, lift-the-flaps, and other colorful, interactive types of books are great. I'll usually pack 5-10 in the dipe bag and pull them out one at a time as needed.

Good luck!

Hi C.,
When we took a 12 hour flight, I picked a "special" back pack (but don't let them see it until you get in the car. I filled it with all kinds of goodies from the dollar store.I picked up pipe cleaners, trucks, books, coloring book. All of these little "new" things kept him entertained.

Have a fun and safe trip.

L.
www.DenverJuicePlus.com

I agree bring them lots of new little toys. I also like to bring there favorite cd's. So we can sing along in the car. If my husband is driving I will read books to them and they love that because they get my full attention. They also love puppets and we will have puppets shows in the car.

My two are the same ages as your two - and we have made many 10 hour road trips back to Nebraska ever since they were born! I'd have to say I love our DVD player! I always thought I would be against having one in the car, because it takes away from creativity and family time and such...but I'd have to say I am a believer now! At these young ages, it is so hard for them to stay entertained in their seats! So we bring a dozen DVDs to choose from, and watch at least 2-4 along the way. I'm also big on stickers - each of my kids have a small notebook and a variety of stickers that we bring in the car, as well as to church, doctors office, etc. The fine motor of putting the stickers into the book seems to keep them busy for a long time - and the stickers are much easier to get off of clother, carseats, etc, than other craft things are. My 3yo has a tray that also fits over her carseat, which she loves and is great for coloring books with colored pencils (crayons could melt if left in the car, and I'm not a big fan of markers.)

Tons of snacks and drinks - and frequent stops! I also put a potty chair in the back of the minivan for emergency pit stops.

I've even made the trip by myself with the two kids quite a few times, and we always manage to survive! Good luck!

We've done tons of traveling with our daughter starting at 3 months. Make sure you have a variety of books, a magna-doodle, coloring options, favorite stuffed animals, I-Spy games are terrific also. We always make sure that we stop at least every 2-3 hours so she doesn't get sore and we let her run around for 5-10 minutes each stop and change diapers and use the potty at every stop. We offer her snacks at her regular snack times and try to stop for meals at approximately the same time she would normally eat. Keeping somewhat close to a schedule that they are accustomed to will do wonders to combat car crankiness. Make games out of looking out the windows if all else fails...point out cars and trucks, trees, mountains, the ocean...whatever they might see from the car windows. What we've found is also important is making sure there is some interaction between us, usually in the front seat, and our daughter in the back seat. Make faces, sing songs, etc. While, yes 11 hours is a long time to be in the car, I think you will find that it won't be as bad as you are thinking it might be. Our longest car trip was over 18 hours and our only breakdown with our daughter happened just about 2 hours from our destination...we stopped and let her pick out a new toy from the gas station and it has become one of her favorite toys....it also got us easily past the next 2 hours. Be flexible, a mapquested 11 hour trip may take more time with 2 young kids.

We've done several 12+ hour road trips with our little guys to visit family. Sometimes we opted to drive through the night so they would be asleep for the bulk of it, but the all-day trips weren't as bad as I anticipated.

Just plan on stopping more often so they can run around for 10 minutes. Have small treats to bribe them back into the car. I took movies that they loved and a few i'd borrowed that I was sure they'd like so they'd have something new. I would try to wait an hour or so between movies so that breaks things up a bit. New books or sticker can be fun. Bring a few fun snacks to pull out when needed.

Kids often do better than we worry they will. I've found they just get used to it. They're the worst the first hour or two, then they realize its going to be a long drive and just sortof settle in and accept it. Stay upbeat and try to keep it fun. Be sure to have a change of clothes handy for each one and shoes that are easy to get on and off. Good Luck and have a fun trip!

Hi there. Good advice already from other moms! We twice a yr have to take a trip that is about 13 or so hours, and it usually takes at least 18. So prepare for a bit longer. We havent tried at night, but have had good luck at leaving really early...say 4 AM. Kiddos go back to sleep and sleep for the first 4 hr stretch. Always stop for your regular eating times. Let them run around a bit. After breakfast, hop back in and bring out some new toys or books they havent seen, when they are bored with that...bring out the dvds. then hopefully there is either a nap or lunch after that. I have had to sit in the back to help entertain, esp at the end. Good luck!!

I've heard excellent things about the aqua doodle travel kit. They can color with water. you just fill the marker up with water and the water turns blue on the right paper/lap mat. as soon as it dries it disappears agian. I think it runs you about $12. good luck

looks like you have lots of good advice! We do a travel gift bag. These are little gadgets that I purchase before hand at Walgreen's or the dollar store and I give them one "present" from each of their bags every hour or so. If I have time, I even wrap them. The beauty of it is that they can swap toys so they each actually have 3 new toys. It is a pain, but I even wrap them if I have time before we begin. The trick is they are ONLY allowed to play with them in the car, not at our destination site. GL!!

Don't forget a garbage bag, things get crazy about 10 hours in! :)

Bee there, done that.
Just the thought of the trip makes me want to run for the hills. My biggest suggestion would be the same as many others on here. Drive as much as possible at night!! Also we found with my 18 month old it is TOTALY worth it to drive to Vegas, get a cheap room for the night and finish the drive to So Cal in the early morning. Letting them have a bath and run around the room for a while and then sleeping in a bed seems to have made a huge difference. Good luck!!