Planning a Road Trip W/a 3 Yr Old

I see you have tons of great suggestions already, but I have a few too...A box of tin foil, I know it is not a very "green" idea but in a pinch it works. We were traveling just before thanksgiving, we all made headbans with foil feathers in them, birds, lumps of potatoes etc.

Plan to stop somewhere fun, not just a play ground, but something you will be driving past that is special to that area. We were driving from Orlando to St. Louis, we had never seen the change of leaves wo we we played for a few hoursin the leaves in Chattanooga, took the rail way for a tour. It gave the girls (then 2 and 5) something to look forward to, plus they burned tons of energy. That 2 hour "lay over" was one of the best parts of our vacation. We also gave them their own disposable cameras.

We also printed out I spy pictures from the computer, they got a sticker or silly stamp every time they found one.

We had books on CD. We also took a few silly chapter books, Junie B Jones is always a hit for my girls, the adults took turns reading and we changed our voice for each character. Lot's of Laughs.

For us vacation starts the minute we step out the door, make the most fun out of it and don't sweat the small stuff. Have fun and enjoy the adventure and the memories in making...

1 mom found this helpful

We have taken a Mexico to Utah and back trip nearly once a year since we had young children. It is about 16-18 hours. Until we had our 3rd child, we had no DVD or VCR either. We actually found that it was better sometimes to just do it in one day because they'd spend a lot of the time sleeping if we left extremely early in the morning. That helped a lot. However, we have done it both ways (2 days vs. 1 day). One thing I tried one year when my kids were about that age was buying a bunch of toys at the dollar store and stashing them away for the trip. We'd go as long as we could until I was starting to go crazy ;0 and then I'd pull out a new toy. Since the toys were a novelty, they interested them for a while, and the fact that they were a dollar made it less stressful as far as worrying about the toys once we reached our destination. If they got lost or broken, no biggie. It was cheap entertainment. Books or music that she likes may also help. My children are a little older now, and will listen to me read for quite a while. I even helped them memorize some nursery rhymes once, and for some reason, they really picked up on that and still randomly repeat them around the house sometimes. Find a book that has some fun fingerplays, bring some paper, crayons, and a hard surface to draw on, check the local library or the internet for fun activities for preschoolers and then narrow it down to some that can be done in the car. Finally, don't underestimate your own good example. If you complain, she's likely to pick up on it. If you keep talking about what a fun time you're having and what fun things you can see out the window, she'll pick up on that too. (Speaking of, does she know how to play "I Spy" and/or recognize the letters of the alphabet? If so, I Spy and finding the next letter of the alphabet on road signs has kept my kids happy for quite a while.) Last precaution: it might not hurt to either try to get some dramamine down her a half hour before you leave or to at least bring an empty container and some paper towels. I have kids that get carsick, and nothing is worse! If she has never gone on a really long trip, you might get a surprise, so be prepared. I just took a 3-hr. drive with my 4 1/2 yr. old the other day and she surprised me by getting sick on the way. We've done this drive a number of times before and she has never gotten sick. I was totally unprepared, except that at least I had medicine with me for the way home.
Good luck and I hope you have a splendid trip!

Definately get a DVD player. I don't let my kids watch a lot of TV at home, but when we travel i let them watch however long they want.
She'll probably sleep so don't stop when she's sleeping. If you've never traveled with a child, it'll take a little longer than you think!

Hi N., I hope you have a great trip! It will better than you think. We went on a 20 hour trip with a 2 year old and 3 year old last summer and they did great! I however am a fan of the DVD player in the car for long trips. So much so I bring an extra in case it breaks! Since being in the car is a special treat than I allow extra movie time too. We sometimes even buy a new movie so it is extra fun. We also take lots of toys, coloring books, picture books, and snacks. I would also hold off on the booster seat. They can wiggle around a lot more. I'm sure her regular seat is plenty comfy. Have fun!

Another mom suggested it as well but we leave at 4 am for our road trips to NY (20 hrs). I let my daughters stay up a little past their bedtime so that they are extra tired and that has given us a good 4-5 hours of driving before our girls are awake. We have breakfast at a Mc Donalds with a playground and let them stretch out and run for 30 minutes. This helps us avoid the morning rush hour traffic also. We stop for dinner at 5 pm to avoid the evening traffic. We let them run around for a while after dinner also to help settle them down for the rest of the ride.

My husband always packs his ipod which is loaded with their favorite music. People must see us on the highway and assume we are rockin out to U2 but we are singing Lazytown, Hot Peas and Butter and Laurie Berkner at the top of our lungs to keep them entertained.

Our 4 yr old loves to play I Spy in the car.

Books on CD always work really well for her too. Barnes and Nobles has plenty but I checked 10 out of the library so I wouldn't have to spend a lot. Our 20 month old likes this too. She listens intently and looks over the 4 year old shoulder as she turns the pages. The library also has Childrens CD's. Movie Soundtracks work really well. Especially the Disney soundtracks. Our daughter likes to guess which movie the song belongs to.

Luckily we have two girls and they get along nicely so they keep each other company. Don't be afraid to give her some quiet time. Our girls can stare out the window at the trees and cars with no complaints.

Blessed your heart!! four hours seems to long for a
3 1/2 girl, stays in the car without going to the bathroom, but I wish you the best. Children likes singing and taking, makes them feel important. She probably will be sleeping most of the time, anyway. I'm not to familiar with the new laws, but I believe the booster seat are not allow at that age, check with the police dept first, if you haven't and make sure she feels very confortable on her clothe, at all time. I wish you the best trip ever.

N.
I can say from experience it won't be as bad as you think it will be. I have traveled on numerous long trips with my three girls (now 2,5,& 7) since they were infants. I recommend coloring books, they have books that you fill the pen with water and when they color in the book the picture shows up (a twist on the old fashion water colors). This is great because if you forget them in the car there is no melted crayons to worry about. We really enjoy playing I spy type games out the window or looking for letters on the street signs. Magnet dolls and window cling stickers are fun for the kids to make pictures on their window. But most of all the best thing to bring with you is an emergency potty. I found this a burlington coat factory years ago and they still have them. It's a plastic potty seat with feet (that folds up when not in use), that comes with special liner bags with an absorbent center. This is great for those gotta go potty when you're in the middle of nowhere. Just Unfold install a liner bag then when she's done tie up the bag and toss in the trash at oyur next stop.

In addition to the leapster, I also recommend the Learn Through Music System (available at Toys R Us). It is a fun and educational touch screen toy with a microphone for ages 2+. My daughter loves it. You can also purchase different cartridges to change the games. Good luck.

I too, heartily, suggest a leapster. If you do opt to get one, be sure to buy the rechargable battery pack also and get it fully charged before you go. They might seem a little pricey, but they are WELL worth it. You can make back your money on batteries in as little as 3 weeks. We had one of the very first ones, so I'm not sure about the newer ones, but ours ended up lasting about 4 years (the rechargable pack) and they also last a LONG time in between recharges. Ours would last a roundtrip to my parents and then some (12 hours in the car total) and there are SO many options for "games", most of which have some educational value.
Also, plan your stops wisely... make use of Chick-Fil-A (or something like it) to let your little one burn off energy while you wait for the food, and for a few minutes after she's eaten. You can even bring your own food for her and only buy for you and your husband, if you feel like that (or if she's super picky about what she eats). Often they have books or CD's in their kids' meals that would be new material for your daughter. (my favorites were when they gave away Adventures in Odyssey CDs). IF there is anything at all you must stop for, take advantage of it and get her out of her seat, even if it's only 3 minutes.... take her in with you at the gas station to pay (and if it is a clean one - some are VERY clean) give her a potty break while Dad fills the tank of the car. We have stopped at roadside rest-stops and sat on the picnic tables while ours just walked around and smelled the wildflowers (weeds)... Bring some of her fav books, and small toys (action figures are great). We also kept a spare car blanket and their pillows handy in the car for comfort, plus any special loveys. Check out your route in advance, and if there is anything of interest as you drive through any small town areas, stop for 15 minutes and get out and walk around. Yes, it will slow you a little, but it is fun and sometimes very interesting, and will expose your daughter to things new for her... It will make the whole trip an adventure, instead of a long ride, adventure, then another long ride home!
Good luck, have fun, and stay safe!

First off, I will say the previous moms had great advice, the Leapster is AWESOME for road trips. All the other activities are great for road trips too, my suggestion is to let her pack a special back pack full of activities she would like to do. I know we all try to limit our kids' tv time, but when on a road trip you can give the limits a break to help save your sanity. an extra movie a day will not ruin your daughter for life, I assure you. My kids love the dvd player in our van for road trips, I was able to drive 12 hours straight from Orlando to Kentucky with my 1, 3, and 5 year olds by myself by switching up activities and movie time. also, when it's time to eat, look out for Chik-fil-A, they almost always have a playground for the kids to burn off some energy. Good luck, have a great safe trip!

Hi, when we went on a road trip with my 3 yr old and 5 yr old-I went to the dollar store and bought a bunch of new toys and books for them too play with and that worked great. I also bought a bag of colored pipe cleaners in the craft section and this was the biggest hit-my kids had a great time playing with these and trying to make different animals etc out of them. We also made sure we stopped at a Mcdonalds and let the kids play around for a while before night time and then I washed them up good and put their pajamas on them and they slept most of the night. Kids musical cds are great also. good luck and have a great time. S.

HI there, I have no long road trip experience but just wanted to put my 2 cents in re: boosters - I am a HUGE five point harness fan for as long as possible. If you feel she needs something bigger, please consider a bigger 5 point harness seat. We just moved up from the Britax Marathon to the Britax Frontier - it is a 5 point harness for up to 80 pounds and still uses the LACTH with I think is safer than seatbelts. It also converts into a booster up to 100 pounds, my son is staying in this seat until he is 6 or 7. Booster seats provide no safety for children, just get them up higher for seatbelts to fit properly. Britax seats have side impact protection, amongst other things. The Frontier is huge and comfy and supports their heads if they fall asleep (my 36 pound 4 year old has room to sit with his legs 'criss cross applesauce' in it). They are expensive but worth it, in my opinion. Check out elitecarseats.com for some other similar seats, if interested.
Sorry if this got too long or sounded preachy - I just really am scared of what could happen to a smaller child in a booster seat if God forbid, someone were to hit your vehicle.

I wish you a safe and fun road trip :)

My biggest tip is to start early in the day with your drive so that she sleeps in the car. We have taken road trips every year with our kids and this is very helpful. So, we'll start out at about 5 am and everyone is asleep (except the driver) we stop a few hours later for breakfast and a break. Then our other success tip is that with the kids we stop for pretty long breaks and really try to let them do something. For example we'll stop at a park and play for 30-45 minutes to let them blow off steam. You lose time getting off the highway but gain sanity with happy people in the car. hth.

HI there, road trips are fun...even with kids! The first long road trip we took was from Spokane, Washington to Las Vegas, Nevada which I beleive was about 15 hours. We also stopped in a hotel to sleep & allow the kids time to jump on the beds, normally not allowed, & swim in the pool. It helped break up the trip. My kids were 3 & 6 when we took our trip. We had the DVD, as you did & although I didn't want my kids to watch show after show, I knew this was not something that happened very often & if it kept them entertained then they could watch as many as they wanted. I also brought kids CD's which they could put in their DVD player & listen to through their headphones. We brought coloring stuff & I bought lap tables so that whatever they were doing was easier with the litte table. It was like a pillow on one side & a flat service with little sides so the crayons wouldn't roll off the board, they had a little lip to catch them. We also bought the mini-light brites. THey are meant for travel & they use a battery. The kids liked those too, in fact, 4 years later we still have them & they still bring them when we are going somewhere that takes a few hours. One thing I would suggest is NOT changing your childs carseat before you leave. I assume your child still has a seat where thepart around the head curves a little? When I changed my kids their new seat did not have the protection for the head like their older ones. When the child falls asleep, it is hard for them to stay asleep b/c they have nothing to catch their head. I don't know exactly what you are going from...to, but just something to think about that I never did when we switched our kids. We were just excited to switch. I hope I helped a little. Good luck & have fun!!!!

We took at 15 hour drive with our daughter when she was 3 1/2 and again just after she turned 4 and she did great on both trips and we drove straight through both times just stopping to eat and get gas. We tried to drive mostly through the night but she didn't sleep all night like she does at home. She doesn't take naps at home but slept some during the day in the car, so basically expect for her sleep pattern to be off. Our daughter really liked playing with those small disney princesses that you can change the dresses on I would put all of the pieces in a tupperware container that fit on her lap. For the dvd player we put headphones on her (pretty comfy ones) and she didn't mind them at all so that we could still listen to the radio also she has some favorite cd's (like her care bears one) that we would play in the dvd player with her wearing the headphones and she would sing along to them. Towards the end of the trip we stopped at a rest stop and we ran around with her b/c we where all getting a bit tired of sitting in the car! Good Luck and it is going to be a lot better than you think!

The oldest road trip game is -and my grown kids and I still play it - is finding words that begin with
A through Z.. You can make up the rules as you go along, we allow trailer truck advertising as well as billboards...this will keep her curious for letters, numbers (to fit her age) She may even see her name spelled! If you are driving north on 95, then the South of the Border ads are a riot. She can then count them!
Blessings, S.

N.,

As a mother to 3 boys and I have traveled plenty with them, I give you the following advice. If she is in a carseat and it goes up past her weight now, say 60 pounds or so stay with that. She will be much happier in that should she fall asleep. My boys were never very happy when they fell asleep in the booster seats and I had the seats you are talking about. As for keeping her active in the car other than dvd's, how about the leapster. I know it says for ages for and up. My 3 year old loves it, there is also the view master, the magna doodles (there are various ones to choose from these days), mr. potato head, coloring books or the crayola coloring things where the markers only color on special paper. They work great, I have never had a problem with them and my boys love them.

Anyway I hope some of these ideas help.

Good luck.

S.
36 y/o SAHM of 3 boys
14, 6 and 3 (soon to be 4)

You are braver than me. I'd borrow the DVD. It could be life-saving. Also, be prepared to play I spy, sing songs, hand her coloring books, surprise her with new stickers or age appropriate activity books, magnadoodle, have healthy easy snacks, small dolls and stuffed animals with little doll blankets and maybe a basket she can put them to bed in. I'm racking my brains for things that have worked for us. Can you and your partner take turns sitting in back with her, reading to her or playing rock, paper, scissors, etc?

You can already put her in a highback booster there very safe me and my son travel alot. All of our family is in va. We split our trip in two and stop maybe three times depending on his mood.I bought a dvd and its the best money I ever spent abandon the couple of hours and let her enjoy her "shows" We play "I see a" and use what she knows to make the game fun. I think she will be fine. Let her wear her pj.s on the trip and change on one of your stops.limit her drinking and but some sugar free lollypops she will think she's getting away with something. Enjoy your trip

Sounds like you may be setting yourselves up.....why push you (and her) to sit in a car for 8 hours a day when you already know she won't be happy or comfortable? Plan your trip so you aren't driving for more then 5-6 hours, and break them up. Map it out & stop at parks, cute shops, a water park, a historical site, a rest stop that has a children's area....but honestly I'd rethink your no DVD policy.... (punishment!!! For you too) and she can't read & she may not sleep for more then 2 hours...watching cars on the highway isn't that exciting to a 3 1/2 year old!! Do yourself, the driver & most importantly, your daughter a favor and make this car trip a "special occasion" and let her watch more DVDs then normally. You can rent musicals & sing along, nature shows, Dora.....

Or drive at night so she will sleep the whole way...

good luck.

I too agree with the Leapster. My 3 year old loves it and played with it pretty much the entire time we drove up to Disney and back (about 3 hours each way). Definitely invest in rechargeable batteries (2 sets this way when one set loses its charge you have a back up).
Also, at 3 I think she is still too young to go into a booster seat, regardless if it has a 5 point harness or not. I am just a huge stickler about car seats. You should keep them in a convertible for as long as possible. (Until they outgrow the weight or height limit) and ONLY then go up to a booster seat. My rationale is, could you ever forgive yourself if an accident happened and you find out they could have had less injury in a different seat - I wouldn't want to live with the "what if". But that is just me. Plus, I do agree with the previous poster that it is more comfortable and supportive in a convertible vs booster if she should fall asleep in the seat.

We are a navy family and travel alot with a now 3yr so i know exactly how you feel. The best thing we got was those tv for the car. Walmart has a set of two that can play together or independently. Forget the headphones, the kids are too small for them.

Also, pack alot of toys that she doesnt get to play with. Those only color on special paper, toy figures ( ponies, mcdonald toys,etc. )

Try to hit places to eat that have a playground, Stop every 2 hours and just let her run around kicking a ball or running with the dog.

My little girl doesnt weigh enough yet either for the booster seat so dont rush it, safety first.

Talking alot with her will help pass the time and just reminding her of the end result and staying happy will help make the trip less stressful and whiny.

Good luck!

PLEASe keep children in a 5-pt harness for as long as possible!!!!
if she falls asleep in a booster then she will NOT be positioned properly and THIS is what causes all the problems!

please RESEARCH! JUST because the LAW says something, does NOT mean that it is the BEST/SAFEST answer- for ex: people do not, by law, have to wear helmets on a motorcycle (it's their personal choice) but WEARING a helmet is SAFER than not.

PLEASE read all you can! KNOWLEDGE is POWER:
http://www.elitecarseats.com/New-on-ECS/5-point-harness/i...

enjoy the trip!
as for keeping her busy, a dvd sounds good...like you said for just a bit here & there...

try wrapping presents- just little games/figurines/etc so that there are new things to discover. even 'just' junk from the dollar store- seems more inviting when wrapped, lol!

games: I Spy
one player would say, "I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with A [or any other letter of the alphabet]". The other player or players would look around them and try to guess what the thing beginning with A might be. (It had to be something that was really there and that everyone could see.) The person who guessed what it was, could then choose another thing and for the other players to guess.

here are some more great ideas!
http://www.momsminivan.com/toddlers.html

~L.