8 Hour car ride with two toddlers!

[swildman]

We leave for WDW in two weeks! My DS4 and DS2 will be experiencing their first ever LONG car trip. What are some of your best ideas for keeping them busy and most importantly happy throughout the trip? Neither one of them are really much on coloring or drawing. It just doesn't seem to hold their attention for very long. I need some other ideas. I've gotten tons of information off this board already so I can't wait to see what good advice you all have to share!

Thanks,

 

[Lil'DisneyMom]

Last year my DS was 2 1/2 when we drove, and our drive was about 17 hours!! I took our portable DVD player and that helped alot!! I also went to the Disney store and bought some small little prizes and would give him a prize when we would get back in the car from a rest stop. I bought stuff like small little cars, a doodle pad, beanie, that stuff up by the registers!! He did wonderful in the car. We drove straight through too!!

 

[Mommy2Lots]

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[StitchandPooh'sMom]

DVD player!

Stop for lunch at a place with a play area. Eat while you watch your kids play, then take their lunch in the car. Works out the wiggles during the stop, then gives them something to do during the ride.

Did I mention a DVD player?

Window clings, pipe cleaners, magnetic play boards (for your four year old)

We play car games - 20 questions (especially with Disney characters, although we do animals and vegetables too), Herbie Herbie (first person to see a VW Beetle gets a point, two if it is yellow - my DD4 loves this, but your 2 year old probably won't get it). You could also play "School Bus" or "cow" or whatever variation works for you.

Music you can sing to - whatever they like to listen to.

Plan for two stops, maybe three. Bring a ball or frisbee if you stop at a rest area.

We usually break up the trip on the way down with an overnight stop (five hours, stop for the night, five more hours), but we drive straight through on the way back.

Some people recommend leaving super early so your kids will sleep for the first few hours. We tried that once and had one of our kids up from 3 am - she never would go back to sleep. Her little sister slept, though.

Did I say DVD player? Buy a movie or two that they haven't seen before and that they are excited about.

Have a great trip!

 

[MNFootballMommy]

We make a 9.5 hour trip to visit relatives several times a year with our DD2.5 and she does GREAT! I keep a plastic bucket of toys that are 'car friendly'--i.e., travel aqua doodle, books, small wood tray puzzles, magnetic chalk board, etc., and she ONLY sees them when we go on a trip. The rest of the time they are stored out of sight, so that they are fresh, new and exciting for each trip. A portable DVD player is great as well. I bring a few of her favorites and then a few that she hasn't seen as well and let her choose. Snacks are good, but make sure they aren't too crumbly.

As for the sleeping thing, don't depend on it. Some kids do and some kids don't. My DD takes great naps at home, but not in the car. Those car seats are just not comfortable for that kind of thing, I guess. Maybe you will get lucky, though.

We try to drive straight through--the stopping and starting thing just gets her aggravated, since she then doesn't want to get back in her carseat. We get up early and try to leave before 6 am (earlier if possible), stop once for food and gas (together) and get to Grandma's in time for some playtime before supper. Of course, DD is not yet potty trained, so that most likely won't be an option for you with a 4 year old.

Just remember to be patient and 'read' your kids. If it seems like they need to get out and run, stop and let them. If they are staying occupied, just keep going. You will know what they need to do! Good luck!

 

[Astro Orbiter]

Have no pride. Car trip rules are different than any other rules - as long as they're safe (buckled in) and not causing others to be unsafe (chucking toys at the driver) it's all good.

My DD has 'Dolly' that she absolutely loves and sleeps with every night. Her first long trip while awake was me solo-ing for 10 hours. Book after toy ended up on the floor in the back seat. Dolly was the only thing that kept her attention for more than 10 minutes. Now that she's older she doesn't get Dolly the whole trip.

Fire up the DVD. We didn't get this until she was 3. For a while it was non-stop movies; now she's 5 and will say that she doesn't want a movie, she wants to play.

Be prepared to entertain them with yourself. Stories, conversation, I spy. This works really well in our car.

Take looooong breaks to stretch. We play Simon Says (but without being 'out') in restaurants and at rest stops. Reach up tall; touch toes; spin 3 times...

My car has no cupholders in the back seat. Remember those vintage plastic ones from the 70s that fit onto the door? I buy those at Target, $.99. They fit sippie cups and plastic cups (that can hold snacks, crayons, or small toys).

Deb

 

[PrincessasMommy]

DVD player!

Stop for lunch at a place with a play area. Eat while you watch your kids play, then take their lunch in the car. Works out the wiggles during the stop, then gives them something to do during the ride.

Did I mention a DVD player?

Did I say DVD player? Buy a movie or two that they haven't seen before and that they are excited about.

Have a great trip!

As soon as I saw the question I thought........a couple new movies and ...........

DVD Player

And lots of treats!! My kids love to eat.

Also, I pack a potty in my trunk in case of roadside emergency (my girls are particular about where they tinkle)!

 

[gottalovethem]

Everyone has great ideas. It's a 11 hour drive to my parents house and we usually do it a few times a year. Until recently we didn't even have a DVD player -- and let me tell ya, those dvd players help!

The other big thing -- snacks, non-sticky ones if possible. I keep a snack bag by me and use bowls to pass snacks back to each child. Pretzles, goldfish, bugles, raisins, gummy bears (but they can get sticky), licorice, animal crackers, grapes. They snack the whole way, but it works!

Also, when we stop even if there's no play spot we just take a break in a grassy area near the parking lot and play tag or race back and forth to burn some steam.

Good luck -- I'm jealous that you are only 8 hours from WDW!!!

 

[Cruz91]

Our first trip (a two-day-each-way, 17 hour driving expedition) with an almost 2 year old son and just turned 4 year old daughter was so bad we have flown our last two (and will fly our next one in Oct) trips. If I never do that drive again, it will be too soon. We have a built-in DVD, didn't help much.

On the bright side, as horrible as the drive was, the trip was absolutely AMAZING. It's just that for us, the $500 difference (when you subtract the cost of gas, hotel each way, and the two extra 'vacation' days you burn for the drive, is well worth it to fly.