Anyone Have Good Ideas for a 2 Yr Old and 3 Yr Old Activities on Long Road Trip

We take new ( $1 at walmart) coloring books and crayons. I also got the kids small doodle ads for car use only. We also listen to books on CD or tape, which we borrow from the library. They have ones with short children's stories. Duplo blocks are fun in the cars, too. W eat lots of pretzels, too!

I didn't hear this idea until after my daughter was too old to need it, but I think it's a neat idea. Take along a metal cookie sheet and magnetic letters/numbers. The letters and numbers are very inexpensive, and you probably have a metal baking sheet. Even if they aren't learning numbers or the alphabet yet, they might enjoy putting the magnets on, pulling them off, rearranging them, etc.

Aqua Doodle pads are fun and not messy. I just got my 2 daughters the ones that are a size of a folder. They loved them for the last trip!

I went on a 14 hr. trip with 4 under 4 with the youngest two being 3 mo. old twins. For the toddlers, get a T.V. You can get one for about $100. Well worth it. I didn't want to because thought they would start watching tv everytime we are in the car and the expense but would do it over again 100 times.
Pack each toddler a special bag, backpack with goodies in it. New things they haven't done before. Also individual bags with different snacks.
Take plenty of snacks, drinks, blankets and pillows for everyone.
Plan on making stops at McDonalds, etc. that have a play area. Stay an hour and let them run off some energy.
Also, if you can try to leave around lunch time. The last part of a trip is always the hardest. If you leave around lunch hopefully they'll take a good nap quick then be up for a while. Stop for a late dinner, change into p.j.'s then back to sleep for the rest of the trip. This may be harder on you for driving but well worth it to have the kids asleep.
Good Luck, have fun and don't get stressed!!!

I read over alot of these other responses and agree with most - we have done alot of those same things - our first big trip was when my oldest was barely 5, middle was barely 3, and my dtr wasn't quite 2. We drove 22 hours one way, over 2 days time, and had the joy of breaking down in El Paso TX (we lived in SC at the time) with all 3 kids! Yippee! We just went again back to NM/CO, and it was MUCH easier that time, since they were 11, 9 , and almost 8. We had a TV/VCR combo our first trip, that we could put in the middle of the two front seats, but I could still manage to climb over if I HAD to get back to the kids, to get food or drink or toys. We had backseat organizers for them and also those cheap little organizer type baskets (dollar store) full of activities. We had kids' music tapes/CDs, but also all those non-messy coloring activities - Magna or Aqua Doodle or the Color Wonder stuff works great too! We also did the cookie sheet/magnets and my dtr didn't know many numbers/letters yet, but knew colors and a few letters, etc... We also had hardback books for them, their own bags of snacks, water bottles (Sippies at the time), etc...

But one of the best things we got was some window cling stickers for them to play with and they don't leave a mess after they "decorate" their own window! I found some at a bookstore that were animals, that when the light came through you could see their skeletons - I think we had a panda, whale, and ??? Anyway - those were a big hit, and also my 5 yr old at the time was very precocious and took his new Leap Pad everywhere and had already starting learning the states and capitals with that little game in it, so I also found US map window stickers for teaching older kids - it had labels for each state, etc... so he loved that, but most little kids wouldn't!

Point being, depending on what each of your children loves - find things that will NOT be a mess in the car (like either a literal mess or little pieces that can get lost down in the seats) and take some DVDs, for your own sanity - and play the typical car games - I Spy, that sort of thing - but like one person said, half the fun is getting there, and they need to enjoy what is outside the car as well!

Great idea to mark rest stops, keep your eye out for McDs with playgrounds, etc... We also had an inflatable potty - if you have ever traveled thru the desert of Texas, you would know why! They have exits there that are essentially dead ends! NOTHING! So be prepared for all possibilities and organize WELL! Utilize every little nook and cranny in your vehicle! :)

Oh and a great first aid kit may come in handy - my 5 yr old got his toenail practically scraped OFF by a heavy, metal roadside bathroom door! It was awful, but I had all kind of band-aids and ointments with us! And children's medications!

Best of luck to you on this trip! It can be exciting, but overwhelming, so just prepare as much as possible and then enjoy the trip! :)

A.

I just took a road trip with my 2.5 year old and 6 mos twins. From AZ to NC. Long Trip. The advice I have is for the toddler. My mother in law got some toys from the dollar store and wrapped them up. I decided to let him open a present everytime he got back in the car after filling up with gas. It seemed to distract him enough to get on the road again without a fight. Plus he had something new to play with that kept his attention for a while. They were plastic dinosaurs.
Hope this helps.

Aaaah, the family trip with Toddlers! I know it well! ;) We have six children, ages 10-18 months and have family scattered all over. Most of our trips take anywhere from 8-12 hours. However, we love to travel and the kids have learned that getting there can be half of the fun!
Alot of the other Moms had some great advice, and I'd like to share some of mine:
As one of the mother's said, stage the activities and snacks so that it breaks up the monotony of the trip. I normally do this by making them 'goodie bags' out of regular paper lunch bags that I decorated with their name, favorite colors and stickers of their favorite animals, characters, etc.
At the beginning of the trip (We normally leave for the trips at 'late morning' so that they can feel the "excitement" of travel with us.) I will give them some brochures of places we will be traveling through the first few hours and tell them to point out to us what the see that 'matches.' (I pick these up at the Chamber of Commerce in my town for free.)
I would suggest bringing music for the kids rather than a DVD player. Part of traveling IS the journey and kids need to learn that they don't have to 'fast-forward' everything! Most cars have a 'balance' feature on the radio so that you can turn their music on a little louder in the rear of the car, and have "grown-up" talk in the front.
I, too, depend on the dollar store for the cheap toys. I like that alot of the toys they offer have different colors to prevent squabbling over what's "mine." They also have cheap picture albums that you can fill with pictures of the people you are going to see. This helps the kids get familiar with some faces they may not recognize or haven't seen since they were babies.
As far as snacks go, I try to stay away from sugary drinks (Definitely NO juice boxes or bags! What a mess!) and give them water bottles that can pop open and closed instead of screw-top. I give them trail mix with cereal added, or granola bars. Mostly high protein and moderate starch. It helps to keep their brains going, but not their antsy little bodies!
My favorite places to stop are rest areas. What a life-saver!! They normally have very clean bathrooms, plenty of room for the kids to run around, and picnic tables for a nice 'sit-down' lunch. They also have more brochures that use can use for the return trip. I normally mark these out on the map and make a point to stop.
My husband and I also are glad to stop whenever a child insists they have to go potty. It is a healthy habit to go when you feel like it and not "hold it." It really is only a five minute stop and it is good for everyone to stretch their legs.
The best suggestion I can give is that YOU have a good attitude about the trip and any inconveniences you may experience along the way. Children pick up on that attitude and are happy to share in 'excitement.' If everything is an adventure and a learning experience, then the kids will be more relaxed and easier to handle.
I hope that some of this helps! Best Regards...

For my dd I got some of those writing boards that you can erase (not the dry erase) they have stamps and such with them... she LOVES THOSE, i have those, a dvd player (with dvds and cds so she can listen to music as well), coloring books and crayons/colored pencils, doll with baby stuff

we have driven from TN to KS and KS to TN several times and she normally plays for maybe 2-3 hrs then sleeps the rest of the way. she is now 2 and still does this.

Go to the dollar store and buy some gadgets. Inexpensive toys but NEW to them. Also get in the car hungry and don't stop for meals - only potty - keeo all types of food handy and just keep passing it back (along with the toys). If need be, borrow a dvd player and get some new movies they have never seen. Between new silly toys, food (healthly or not) and new movies you should make it. I drove 12 hours one way with 3 small kids and it worked for me! Good luck - oh yeah - patience.

Take a large purse and fill it with things
like play makeup, a couple of hats, coloring
books and crayons, some paper and pencils, a
wooden puzzle or 2 if your 3 year old is interested
in them (my 3 year old grandson loves puzzles), a
snack for each, have them look for things like animals
along the way. Dolls and etc for them. Some dolls come
with their own diaper bag and accessories.

For a boy you could use the coloring book and crayons, match box cars,
puzzles, paper and pencils any favorite books they might like to
look at and for both any favorite toy/stuffed animals.

Good luck and enjoy
your trip.

God bless you - I've been there. We moved cross country when my kids were exactly the ages yours are now. My biggest recommendation is to invest in a good dvd player. Let them watch their favorite movies/shows while driving - maybe even get them a new one for the trip. We travel at night - which works great for us. We get them in their pj's and start around their bedtime. We put on a movie and then they fall asleep. If we're lucky they sleep most of the night while we drive. We do three hour shifts so my husband gets some sleep and I get a little along the way too. Other things that work great are the doodle pads, aqua pads, etcha scetch. I bring books and dollies to play with as well as their favorite dinosaurs, toys, etc... At the age that your kids are at, plan on stopping lots and it taking way more time than you expect. Have plenty of little snacks on hand and water. Cherrios are good for your aged kids. It's really not fun, but it does get better. We just got back from a ride from NC to WI and the way out was great because we traveled at night. WE did it during the day on the way home, and it was not so good - my kids are now 5,4, and 2. Try and have fun! ;)

We've taken road trips with our kids a lot- anywhere from 6 to 18 hours usually. Some good things for the car-
-magna doodles are great because they are not messy
-crayons and paper. I got clip boards to hold the color books or pages to give them extra support for little ones to hold. You can get inexpensive coloring books or print off pages from online. I put about 10 crayons in a plastic bag for each kid. They can put the baggie in their carseat next to them for easy handling (and putting back).
-snacks and extra drinks
-dvds and cds of kids music

One of the best things that works for us is to pack picnic lunches and snacks (or get something on the road and take it to a local park or rest area). That way the kids can run around while I get things set up and I don't have to worry about them being on their best behavior in a restaurant after having sat in the car for several hours. A good map (atlas type) shows where rest areas are located but you sometimes have to search out a park (or ask when you get food).

Pipe Cleaners!! I took them on our trip to the beach last year and my kids loved them!! They were 3 and 5 at the time. They made all kinds of things out of them.

DVDs are great if you have a player or can borrow one.

Color Wonder coloring books and markers.

Books on tape if you don't have a dvd.

Brain Quest trivia cards (if you have another adult with you to read the questions). They come in different age categories.

I spy.

Rubbeerneckers card game. You pick 3 cards and try to find the objects on them as you drive along.

Video games -- Leapster or V-smile. They both have educational games. You can use headphones with them.

Fisher Price FP3 player. It is like a MP3 player for kids. You donwload music and stories from Fisher Price. It uses headphones.

Magna Doodle

Aqua Doodle

Picture bookd (The I Spy books are great), ABC books, etc.

Magnetic scenes (Princesses, dinosaurs, construction, etc. Available at bookstores)

A calculator! My kids love to push the buttons. Get a big colorful one with big buttons if you can.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

We went on a 13.5+ hr trip to Florida last September from Louisville, KY...with my then almost 5 yr old DD and I had a plastic tote filled with things, from a CD player, she could listen to stories on CD or listen to children's music, we did have a DVD player,coloring books with colored pencils as crayons might melt in the heat, notebook that she could just write in. Color Wonder activities were awesome.. we also have a plastic desk that will go over her lap in her carseat, you can get those at Micheals and decorate them with paint if need be. Books, Thinking about your toddlers, what about colorforms, they can do those in the car...

When my son was little we would travel in the middle of the night this way he slept, we were tired when we arrived but it was better traveling. ;)

They tend to get restless in the daytime, as they have to sit for a longer period of time and they aren't accustomed to sitting that long.

Lots of their favorite snacks!!!!
Healthy choices too.

We took a cooler this helped save some $ but also allowed us to get what we needed when we needed/wanted it.

Three letters DVD! they have been a Godsend for my 3 kids on long trips. Also make a stop every 2 hours and bring lots of snacks. You can clean the car after the trip!

We do road trips pretty often (we're on one right now in fact), and have a 2 year old. I carry a big (BIG) bag of books with us, as well as a little water-based sketch pad thing that he has. I can't think of what it's called, but you fill the little felt-tipped pen with water and he draws on the pad, then it dries and erases as it dries so he can draw more. No mess... it's great! But regular paper and crayons would work just as well... just have to be ready to gather up crayons from between the seat cushions, etc. But our main thing is the bag of books... and I always find it's better to have too many than too few. Since he's "reading" them by himself, he'll go through each one much more quickly than if I were reading it to him, and sometimes his interest in one will only last a few seconds. I just grab another, and another... It's quiet, cheap (yardsales are great if you don't already have a lot of books), and keeps him happy. When he gets bored of books, we sing songs, talk about the scenery, get him to tell me stories (asking questions when the story stalls), etc. By the way, I am always on the lookout for SMALL books at yardsales, etc... compact books or thin paperbacks travel well, are lightweight, and also fit easily into a small diaper bag to go with us into restaurants or anywhere we might need some emergency entertainment. Hope that helps!

Tip #1. Leave in the middle of the night. I always traveled at night with my kids.. The grown ups take turns driving/sleeping. We are a little grumpy from lack of sleep but better us than the kids.

Tip #2. If your car doesn't have a DVD player...Get a set of the portable ones with headphones.. That will give you at least 45 minutes at the time.

Tip #3. Get and itenerary and stick to it. Making frequent stops along the way to do or look at things will help.

You know what works well with mine is a medium sized Magna Doodle. You know the kind with the drawing pen attached to the board that can be erased with one swipe? You can find them @ Target for about $6-7. Also, you may want to get a children's songs CD with familiar tunes. Make sure to take extra sippy cups because they always end up under your seat, and small cups with lids for dry cereal instead of dangerous baggies. Remember to stop at least every 1.5 hours for a break. My kids loved to play with a bouncy ball @ the rest stops (as they got older, playing tag and frisbees are great). Keep in mind that they are just babies and won't understand why they're stuck in a car for so long. Crying is inevitable. Patience is key. Have a great time and remember your camera!

We've used Magna Doodles and books on tape from the library.

Play games of 'who sees what' and give points (tractor trailer trucks; bridges; green, red, white, blue, yellow signs, McDonalds/Burger King, etc). It helps them be alert and observant and also helps teach counting, colors, etc. Maybe when the score gets 'so high', stop for a rest break or meal/snack. Tapes/CD's of kids songs and sing along. Dolls, toy cars, anything that doesn't make (or elicit) so much noise that it wears on your own sanity! See who can make the most noise for a few seconds, then see who can be the quietest for the longest when it's about naptime. Coloring books and crayons/markers are good, too -- I'm for the old 'tried and true methods'! LOL

Ya travel at nite,fly,go in a mobile home so they can move around..good luck..
S. B

Travel at night. Wrap up little cheap presents to give them along the way there and on the way back. DVD player with kiddie DVDs and headphones. Cooler with juice boxes and bottled water. Sippy cups for bottled water. Snack bag with kid snacks. Toy bag with their favorite toys. Books on tape of kiddie books. Pack a picnic lunch. If you have to travel during the day mapquest parks along the route so that they can get out a couple of times for a half hour and play at the park. Eat your picnic lunch at a park. Those little park breaks are life savers. Make it a grand adventure. Make the road trip a fun part of the vacation. Your attitude is the key.

My boys, ages 5 and 3, just love the color wonder coloring books with markers. We go see my parents who live an hour's drive away, and my hubby's cousin's, about 3-4 times a week, and the long trip can make them really rambunctious in the car. We give them the coloring books and one marker at a time and it keeps them quiet the whole trip. I'd also bring along some small favorite toys of theirs or a book or electronic toy like a leapster or something. The point is to keep them distracted enough to keep them from raising caine in the car.

Last summer when we went to PA, we took coloring books, dry erase boards and markers (they can draw on the window's too!) a portable DVD player, and some new toys from the dollar store that they had never seen before. The DVD player was on for about half a movie, and they amused themselves the rest of the trip coloring and playing with the cheap toys.

A portable DVD player for cartoons and disney movies are very, very helpful(you can borrow from a friend, many people have them)...can usually get one with a charger that can plug into the car lighter...coloring pads and markers, music to sing to, games that you make up on the road, the simpler, the better...colors, objects, etc...that kids are so easily entertained by....
Enjoy your travels, marveling kids with nature and the great outdoors is one of the greatest gifts!!!

my husband and i have 4 kids ranging in age from 8 to 15; since they were babies we have traveled during the night -- the kids love it -they sleep - we drive and everyone enjoys the trip!

for trips over 3 hours a portable DVD is worth the investment. We spent $150 for one with two screens. You can get single screen for less.

Magnadoodle / etch- a-sketch also great.

Picture books

My 2 1/2 yo daughter just chose a barbie "My first laptop" & my just 5 yo son LOVES it too. It has simple games about letters/numbers/colors and fun buttons to push. I think it was 15-19$

I always took what we called a treasure bag. The bag would have lots of different small things and they were only given one thing each out of the bag at a time and played until I could tell that they were getting bored. White paper and crayons, doodle boards, small toys, books. I hope that helps. It is better if they don't know all that is in the bag so that they can be surprised.

The best thing I ever bought was a V-tech laptop, but other things are coloring books, hand held games, and play count the cars, cows, trees anything you see on your trip. Make sure you have plenty of snacks. Good Luck!