Travel Toys for Toddlers

We travel back and forth between MI and CT several times a year since my twin girls were 3 months old, they are 27 months now. The trip can be anywhere between 12-15 hours. We bring cd's and listen to music and sing, favorite dvds (its the only time we watch tv in the car so its a treat), lots of books (they love to look at books and I read to them). Snacks are in the car, meals are at a rest stop. Favorite toy is travel magnadoodle so they can draw. We bring one noisy toy with lots of buttons, sounds and lights. Other toys are comfort toys favorite stuffed animal, baby doll, blanket. I will also bring one new toy or book they have never seen before. We have been really fortunate, between all these different activities and sleeping, the car trips have gone really well.

I also like wrapping the toys in tissue paper idea that someone else posted. Have a fun trip!

2 moms found this helpful

Agreed with everything below:
- DVDs
- CD's
- Snacks (must have a snack trap, maybe "special" treats)
- Books
- Puppets (which you can use from the front seat)
- Play "what do you see" games (i.e. Blue car, Red car, etc.)
- Flash cards (which you can use from the front seat)

I also have the Snack N Play Travel Trays (http://www.amazon.com/Snack-Play-Travel-Tray-Discount/dp/...) which attach to the car seats and lets them put things on the tray to play with (cars, to color, etc.). I have 2 of them for my 22 month old twin boys. If you would like to borrow one, send me a message. I live in Troy (if you are close).

2 moms found this helpful

L.,

Take some of his existing toys (the smaller ones) and wrap them in tissue paper. Hand him a new "surprise" to unwrap every 1/2 hour or so. You're car will be filled with tissue paper, but I think he'll love it!

L.

1 mom found this helpful

I agree with Cathy E. and I also like the tissue paper idea. I have a 2 1/2 year old son and a 15 month old daughter and we frequently go up north which is a 3 hour drive and, unfortunately, my usually takes shorter naps when in the car!

You can take a cookie sheet and bring along some of his favorite magnets (or some brand new ones) for him to play with. If he's ready for coloring, you could bring some of the markers that only mark on special paper (I forget what they're called). My son loves the magna-doodle and to sing to his favorite cd's in the car. We also stop at rest stops and let him run around. Snacks, drinks, blankets and stuffed animals are a must as well.

Have a great trip!

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My advice is to leave right before nap time. The car ride will make him tired and hopefully he will nap a little longer than normal. Once he wakes up (hopefully you will be half way there) you can stop, change his diaper, feed him and let him run around a little. Then back in the car with a DVD. My advice is to bring some old favorites, not new DVDs. They always seem to want the old ones.

We have driven to/from Chicago several times with my son, starting at 12 mos. We never had a problem.

Good luck

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If you are traveling with a child that young, chances are he will sleep quite a bit and in my opinion...who cares if your child watches dvd's while in the car. It will probably be your best bet to keep him entertained anyway. While on vacation, he won't have much tv time so splurge while in the car. You could also bring a cd that he likes to sing along to and play that in between tv time.