ATTN: Road Trippers!

[DznyDreamz]

We are preparing to drive from CT to FL with an 8 year old and am looking for some suggestions to keep my DD occupied for the long ride.

I have lots of books, comics, arts/crafts, but knowing her, she will be bored.

Do you have any road trip games or fun tips to keep the kids happy?

 

[minnie1012]

We are driving from NJ and leaving Friday, so excited! I printed some games off of this site, travel bingo, license plate game etc.


http://www.momsminivan.com/printables.html

Other than that I have portable DVD, new color wonder book, music, a new book and some other stuff that honestly I can't remember. I wrapped the stuff because my daughter likes that.

 

[MissChris]

We've had excellent results with books on tape. Our daughter is younger so we went on ebay and bought old sets of Disney stories on tape that come with little story books. I think I even had some of these tapes when I was a kid, they come on these red cassettes with one story per side. She really likes them and it passes the time. We've made some very long road trips with her and these tapes saved us several times. I bet with older kids you'd be able to find even more variety.

When I was around that age I read a lot on our frequent car trips, or we would choose a fun book and read it aloud as a family.

We don't have one for the car, but I also hear portable DVD players are the bee's knees...

Good Luck
Miss Chris

 

[MichelleinMaine]

DD9 loves books on tape/CD (check them out of the library). On our trip back from WDW, she kept busy a long time with a how to draw Mickey and co book.

She got an American Girl book (I think it's Doodle Art) for her birthday the other day. She's been "doodle drawing" as soon as she gets home from school!)

 

[JOCAmom]

I agree with the dvd player. They are wonderful when the kids get really bored.

For our last 2 drives to FL from PA, we got my daughter (7 & 8 at the time) a journal to write in. She would write in it after our stops for a break. Or when she would see something interesting along the road.

We also made cd's of her favorite music. Some of it Disney but others just whatever she happens to listen to at home. We'd all just sing along with her.

Does she have any favorite authors or series of books? You could always get a new one of those and surprise her with it when she seems bored.

 

[wewantmore]

There's a pretty cool Klutz book with pipe cleaners. The kids always love to make things with those. One Disney trip we made all Disney Characters. It was so much fun that my husband made me drive some so that he could join in.
Really all the Klutz books are great.

Also for the night the kids like the glow sticks in the car.

We are driving from NC on Sat. So those are somethings we have packed as well as the DVD player and the DS's.

Another thing is a dry erase board. My kids love those things.

Have a safe trip.

Michelle

For the Klutz books if you have a Michael's or Hobby Lobby they carry them and you can always find a 40% off coupon.

 

[happymommy]

I'd be careful with a dry erase board - the markers can stain. I preferred the Crayola Color Wonder for little kids - my DD loved them until about age 8 or 9 even.

I also did the drive once from Baltimore - one thing that helped was we stopped every two hours for a potty break, then DH would run around with the kids to get some exercise, then we'd get coffee for us grownups. If it was a meal stop, we would let them run around, then get the food, so they would spend the next 30 to 60 minutes of drive time eating in the car. It kills some time. Like if there is a McDonald's (yuck I know!) just run around outside for a few minutes, use the potty, then get it to go.

 

[boettj]

My family and I are driving from RI in November. I started this thread on the budget board, http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2285581. I received a ton of great advice.




Thank you

 

[KristinU]

Another vote for books on CD from the library. My DS likes his Leapster and we also load some TV shows and movies onto his MP3 player (Creative Zen). I also do what my parents did for me when I was a kid and wrap a few gifts to open along the way - stickers, little books, etc.

Funny thing is that most of our time is spent just being silly and talking and singing and stuff. Oh yeah, DS loves when my DH tells him stories - they usually morph from characters that my DS likes, like Rex and Cody from Star Wars the Clone Wars...they're often cowboys or adventurers. When DH runs out of original ideas he uses a plot from a movie (which amuses me to no end...like he has used Breakfast Club, Blazing Saddles, Footloose, etc! Very funny stuff, and DS has no clue why I'm laughing!)

 

[kalc12345]

We are leaving in the morning It is about a 7 hour drive for us. We will bring along alot of DVDs for the kids to watch. My 10 year old daughter is bringing her Nintendo DS and her iPod. She should have plenty to do.

For my son I bought some Color Wonder books and markers, coloring books, stickers, little dollar store toys and some snacks. I am also bringing along a lot of books for him to look at. He LOVES books. I have some of the I Spy books and those keep him busy.

 

[mandanjeremy]

Our 2 boys (5 & 3) LOVE to watch movies. We went on a trip last year (to the beach) and thought we'd set our laptop on the center console so they could watch DVD's on the way. It's amazing how good they were.

When we got back we went directly out and purchased the portable DVD players that hang on the back of the headrests. When we went to Disney in March from WV (about 12 hours), they did great again. These are definitely life savers. Not sure about the older kids, but I'd think it wouldn't make a huge difference.

 

[BenA81]

get your hands on some theme park dvds too, that should get her excited.

 

[boettj]

Looking forward to our trip this November. It cannot come soon enough. Somethings I've learned from the thread I posted earlier:

• As mentioned DVD player. We are using Netbooks rather DVD players. More versatile.
• Car Bingo from http://www.momsminivan.com/printables.html
• EasyPass
• Planned stops - every 2-3 hours to give the little ones a chance to stretch their legs and pee
• Watch your speed in the Carolina's
• Bring emergency bucket for bathroom break
• Bring roadside emergency kit.
• Bring cleaning supplies in case of spills/accidents in the car.
• Keep a clean set of clothes easily accessible in case of accident.
• Collect facts to talk about as you go into new states.

As I think of other items, I will relay them.

 

[NotUrsula]

We like to ALL listen to an audiobook, so we choose YA novels. We did Kingdom Keepers and the sequel, one on the way down, one on the way back. Sharing a book with older kids is fun, and no one gets carsick from trying to read in a moving vehicle.

 

[DznyDreamz]

I knew I could count on you guys!!!

We are driving from NJ and leaving Friday, so excited! I printed some games off of this site, travel bingo, license plate game etc.


http://www.momsminivan.com/printables.html

Other than that I have portable DVD, new color wonder book, music, a new book and some other stuff that honestly I can't remember. I wrapped the stuff because my daughter likes that.

I will check this link out - thanks! I planned to split up the stuff that I bought, some for the ride there and some for the ride back.

We've had excellent results with books on tape. Our daughter is younger so we went on ebay and bought old sets of Disney stories on tape that come with little story books. I think I even had some of these tapes when I was a kid, they come on these red cassettes with one story per side. She really likes them and it passes the time. We've made some very long road trips with her and these tapes saved us several times. I bet with older kids you'd be able to find even more variety.

When I was around that age I read a lot on our frequent car trips, or we would choose a fun book and read it aloud as a family.

We don't have one for the car, but I also hear portable DVD players are the bee's knees...

Good Luck
Miss Chris

I have a power adapter for my laptop so she can watch movies on that. I doubt she would watch more then 1, maybe 2 if I'm lucky, but she does like MS Paint now that I think about it...

I also have downloaded a bunch of audio books onto her ipod.

Looking forward to our trip this November. It cannot come soon enough. Somethings I've learned from the thread I posted earlier:

• As mentioned DVD player. We are using Netbooks rather DVD players. More versatile.
• Car Bingo from http://www.momsminivan.com/printables.html
• EasyPass
• Planned stops - every 2-3 hours to give the little ones a chance to stretch their legs and pee
• Watch your speed in the Carolina's
• Bring emergency bucket for bathroom break
• Bring roadside emergency kit.
• Bring cleaning supplies in case of spills/accidents in the car.
• Keep a clean set of clothes easily accessible in case of accident.
• Collect facts to talk about as you go into new states.

As I think of other items, I will relay them.

We have an EZPass, so all set there. Good point on the cleaning stuff and change of clothes!! On a trip to WV, she spilled a whole bottle of milk all over herself. Fortunately my seats are leather so it just pooled up and I could wipe it up, but we had to unpack the whole trunk to get to a change of clothes. Won't make that mistake again!

I am putting together pages for her to make a journal/binder. I got a $50 Disney scrapbook kit for $9!! Yeee ha!! I'm just using the stickers out of it. I have all the "kits" ready to go: a cover page, section dividers for each park or event so she can make the pages as we drive. I have punched lined paper and plain cardstock. I figure if she makes the section dividers on the way, she can either journal as we go and/or on the ride home.


Thanks for everyone's great ideas! Keep 'em coming!

 

[BenA81]

I knew I could count on you guys!!!



I will check this link out - thanks! I planned to split up the stuff that I bought, some for the ride there and some for the ride back.



I have a power adapter for my laptop so she can watch movies on that. I doubt she would watch more then 1, maybe 2 if I'm lucky, but she does like MS Paint now that I think about it...

I also have downloaded a bunch of audio books onto her ipod.



We have an EZPass, so all set there. Good point on the cleaning stuff and change of clothes!! On a trip to WV, she spilled a whole bottle of milk all over herself. Fortunately my seats are leather so it just pooled up and I could wipe it up, but we had to unpack the whole trunk to get to a change of clothes. Won't make that mistake again!

I am putting together pages for her to make a journal/binder. I got a $50 Disney scrapbook kit for $9!! Yeee ha!! I'm just using the stickers out of it. I have all the "kits" ready to go: a cover page, section dividers for each park or event so she can make the pages as we drive. I have punched lined paper and plain cardstock. I figure if she makes the section dividers on the way, she can either journal as we go and/or on the ride home.


Thanks for everyone's great ideas! Keep 'em coming!

last I heard the EZpass is not compatible with Florida's SunPass. You might want to look in to this...

 

[melliemelo]

Great tips... keep them coming! My girls are 4 and 2. We have a 12+ hour drive, but we are splitting it over 2 days.

 

[boettj]

I knew I could count on you guys!!!


I have a power adapter for my laptop so she can watch movies on that. I doubt she would watch more then 1, maybe 2 if I'm lucky, but she does like MS Paint now that I think about it...

I also have downloaded a bunch of audio books onto her ipod.

Thanks for everyone's great ideas! Keep 'em coming!

For movies, I use DVD Shrink to burn them to .iso. After that, I copy them to the hard drive of the laptop. I use VLC Media Player, http://www.videolan.org/vlc/ to play the .iso. This protects your movies from being ruined.

To extend battery life I do the following:

• Reduce the screen brightness
• Disable/turn off wireless
• Stop all services that do not need to be run.
  • net stop TermService
• Stop process in task manager that do not need to be run
  • taskkill /F /IM iTunesHelper.exe

I put this all into a .bat script for when I travel. Simply run the bat, and it stops all of the services/processes for you. You'd be surprised how much longer your battery will last. The two big ones are the reduction of screen brightness and disabling the wireless connection.

 

[diamondpixienc]

We would often leave at night after dinner, bath, then into some comfy riding clothing and be well on the road by bed time. However, if early morning or daytime driving is our only option, we usually travel w/ the crayola color wonder markers (no staining) and of course the trusty DVD player. Also, DS now 6 has gotten into the PSP so that's a plus. DD now 4 is into the Leapster L-Max now so that will keep her busy too.

 

[sticker231]

We drove last year and will be driving this trip as well. Our ride is 16 1/2 hours from NJ. We leave around 7 pm, so the kids will fall asleep for a good part of the trip and we avoid the DC traffic We bought some new dvds and brought some of the favorites also, keeps them occupied. We also brought the magic color books from crayola, no crayons to get lost and melt in the car. They also brought along some books to read and some of their stuffed friends. We packed some drinks and snacks, but tried to limit them, to avoid excessive bathroom stops. Bring a container for the emergencies. Take the tips everyone has posted and apply them to your family, you will be fine.