20-hour drive with 3 year old...

[leelee1971]

Hi, everyone! We're driving to WDW in 2 weeks with my 3.5 year old son. We did the ride when he was 20 months, and it wasn't a big deal because he slept a lot. Now, he's an active little boy with a short attention span. We checked out the tv/vcr for our truck, but it doesn't fit.

Does anyone have suggestions to help keep him occupied? I realize we will be stopping and stretching (potty breaks, too). I realize I'll be spending a good portion of the trip in the back seat with him, too.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

 

[susy]

Hi. My son is the same age and I would not even attempt it. Where do you live? have you considered taking the autotrain? If not, maybe you could travel at night when he sleeps. are you breaking the trip up or drving straight through? It sounds like a lot for a three year old and a lot on you! I would definitely try to come up with another alternative. If you don't live near the autotrain maybe you could drive to catch it (depending on where you are). We did it when I was little and we loved it. My friend just went from Florida (she had to drive four hours to get it) to NJ with her baby all alone. It worked out great . she even got a sleeping car. I remember when we did it, the seats were big enouhg to strectch out and sleep on. It's a nice trip and you still have your car. You might have to add up the expenses of driving and see what would be more economical and sane. I think meals are also included on any train. Another friend and her husband took a long car ride with their child (also 3). the child cried a lot on the trip and started crying the very minute they put her in the car to go home and couldn't stop.

 

[disney0928]

Hi!

We did the drive from MA to FL in July. We left late on a Thursday night, and arrived Sunday AM. On the ride home, we did it in a straight shot, due to a family emergency. Our son will be 3 in October.

First, we left late on the first night, so that he would sleep a good portion of the bad drive. One of our main goals was to avoid Boston, NYC and DC at rush hour. We did just that, and he slept through until we were almost to DC-it worked great!

Next, we planned several regular stops into our itinerary. About every 4 hours worked for us. We would get out, use restrooms, check maps, etc. Hubby and I took turns playing w/ our son, either a little "tag," or chasing a ball. This really got his restlessness out! Usually, he would be just tired enough to doze off for a little while, which was nice too!

We were sure to stop for meals and bedtimes at hours he was used to; especially important to stop before dark, as we tent camped all the way!!!

Great car trip diversions we found were: Colorforms, Magna Dooodle, and the Crayola Color Wonder Lap Desk. These toys had few parts (except the colorforms), and were easier to keep track of in the car. We brought some picture books and let him have the AAA guidebooks that we weren't using. For us, crayons were a NO! The melt!

Small snacks, like individual packs of Goldfish and PB crackers are great. Our son really loves the fruit juice snacks; there are Pooh Bear shaped ones to keep on the Disney theme!

He did so incredibly well, better than I did actually! And believe it or not, he was even fine on the straight-through 26 hour ride home!

PS- we brought a tv/vcr. He watched 1 tape, and then didnt care!

 

[Jordan's MOM]

LeeLee,
sonething I have done on long trips and plan to do again with my now 9 year old on this comming Disney trip is to play the surprise game.I prewrap all sorts of small inexpensive treats.Some ideas could be small books, a toy car, small pack of candy,a new music tape or anything you think he would like.You than decide a way to deal out the treats. I have used every 100 miles or so or every couple hours or wharever you decide.You can then just let him choose one or even add another twist by letting him ask for the biggest or smallest or the one in red wrapping or whatever.A new surprise will keep them entertained much longer that an old toy.I am have been collecting stuff for quite a while but a trip to the dollar store could speed things up.Don't forget to save half the stuff for the trip home.That is always harder than going.
Have a great trip!
Jordan's Mom

 

[Super Mom]

Books with tapes!!! You can get a lot of them at the Public Library. You can also record your own voice reading favorite books with a bell or other page turning signal. You can get a cassette walkman at Wal-Mart for under $10. It's a great diversion and it gives you a little break.

My DS's also love colored pencils. Much less messy than crayons or markers.

 

[skeezixspud]

We don't do 20 hours, but we often do 12, and we find that for our sanity, stopping overnight makes a HUGE difference with a preschooler (though we have done it straight through to beat a snowstorm, ugh!)

We always make it a point to book an overnight stop at a place w/ an indoor pool, we take DS swimming when we get there, and again before breakfast. Serious swimming tires him out more reliably than anything else, so it guarantees he will sleep in the car until a late lunchtime. After lunch, we have him let off steam at a local playground before getting back in the car for the afternoon stretch, which he usually stays awake for.

AAA or your local library can help you find parks that are near your route, so that you can map the route from the highway to the park. You can do McD's Playplaces, of course, but I find that an outdoor park is better if the weather is OK; more room to really wear himself out!

 

[lmack6654]

We just drove 15 and a half hours straight through from Daytona Beach to our home in PA. This was with our 5 DDs--ages 14, 12, 9, 3 and a half, and 2. It really wasn't all that bad. Our older girls are pretty good at keeping the little ones entertained. We have a TV/VCR in our conversion van, so they watched some movies. I also took alot of little surprise things for the 3 year old--stuff like stickers, crayons, a new coloring book, some small travel games. I also packed alot of snacks and juice boxes. The last hour or so was a little rough, everyone was getting a little tired of being in the van. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again, though.
'

 

[vicb]

We have been doing variations on a Michigan-Maine drive (16 hrs) for nine years. Best tip ever was to buy one of those small TV/VCRs that plug into car lighter/outlet! This saved our sanity so many times. Also gift wrapped "travel surprises" are magic with my kids. Little inexpensive toys or treats wrapped up and doled help alot. Lastly, never underestimate the power of a bag of m&ms! Good luck!

 

[welovemickey]

We've done the trip every year for the past 6 years with our children. We drive from MA. It takes about 25 hours. Most of the driving we do at night. We leave around 2:00pm and I drive until about 11pm while DH sleeps (or tries to). Then he drives all night while I sleep (or try to). By the time the kids wake up we're in SC for breakfast and it's not too long after that. We're usually in Ft Wilderness by lunch and ready for the parks by late afternoon.

We bought a TV/VCR combo, but have never really used it. My little ones have always been amused by books and action figures. Make sure you stop a lot and don't stress out!

 

[sydally9367]

We also did a long road trip to WDW last December--from NY to FL with our then 3 1/2 yo DD. We left early in the AM and drove through to South Carolina before stopping. She actually slept more than we anticipated, but for the times she wasn't sleeping she pretty much kept herself entertained with toys that she packed herself in a backpack (books,barbies etc.) We rarely had a problem, other than having to go potty RIGHT NOW and asking are we at WDW yet about every 10 min. Also, when we would stop for potty breaks or to eat, we let her run around at rest areas etc....this kept her pretty happy the entire time. To be honest, I am actually more nervous about the plane trip we are taking to WDW this year, since she won't be able to get out and run around when she wants and we are also travelling with a 6 month old this year!!!!! Hope you have a wonderful trip and deifinitely don't stress about the long car ride!

 

[LeahA]

We've driven from Illinois to Florida 3 years in a row, my son was 2, 3, and on this past trip he was 4 and we also had his 10 month old brother in the car!

We've never tried to drive straight through, we always stay overnight. We did get the tv/vcr for our minivan, the only place it does fit is on the floor or on the cooler. We have it securely fastened down so it doesn't move or fall, or injure anyone.

We always bring his tape player with music, books, sticker books, coloring books magnadoodle, lego's. We stop every 3 hours for a mini break and to switch drivers. Last year my son got car sick a few times, so we bought some dramamine at our 1/2 way point and that worked wonders.

Actually, you know your child best. How is he now when you take short drive trips? My son has no concept of time at all. If we get on the highway that is near our house, he thinks we're at Mickey's house, he has no idea the 1 hr drive to visit his grandparents and the 20 hour drive to Florida are that much different.

Have a safe and great trip! You can't beat driving, you save sooo much money and you get to see some of the great United States of America!

 

[cumickey]

We are thinking of getting the tv/vcr for our minivan. But have not done it yet as I have no idea how to secure it down, so I would love to know how you secured yours?. I have thought about the tv/vcr in a bag but the screen is soooo small, but it is secured between the front seats which is great. TIA

 

[LeahA]

On the back of our t.v. towards the bottom there is a hole, my husband threads a rope through the opening and anchors it to somewhere underneath the seat. When we use it on the cooler we add to the bottom of it some little tabbie things so it won't slide on the cooler top. I'm always sitting right there, just in case something were to happen.

My friends husband rigs it with bungee cords, duck tape, whatever will keep it in place!

 

[vicb]

In the past we used bungee cords and put tv on a milk crate. I'm pretty sure DH secured tv to crate then crate to back of drivers seat. Now we have a new Montana with the flip down screen built in and bucket seats! Woohoo...no more fighting on the bench seat and no more bungee cords!