Need ideas for traveling with DD4

[sarahsmom3]

I am in the process of planning our 1st trip to WDW. We have a 12 hour drive and need ideas to keep DD4 entertained. She loved maps, does anyone have ideas on making her a map or similar to guide her along the way??

 

[poohkinandpiglet]

We can't survive without a DVD player on our car trips.

I put together the following items in a backpack for my 4 year old DD when we fly:

I get a 3 prong folder with pockets and put a zippered pencil holder pouch in it. Put the pouch in so that when you lay it flat on the left side of the folder the zipper is facing up. Then, I add a stack of 3 hole punched white paper. In the pencil pouch I put Princess markers and Pooh colored pencils (from Walmart) along with a bunch of various types of stickers. This works great because little hands can unzip the pouch, take a marker out, use it then put it back without spilling the entire contents of the pouch. The pencil pouch always stays on the left while there is a clean piece of paper on the right. My daughter loves this because she can make her own creations with stickers and markers. When she's done, I tear out her creation and put it in the back pocket of the 3 prong folder. That way, she's always working on a clean sheet of paper on the top and has access to the markers/stickers in the pouch.

I also bought her a $10 CD player and some Disney's Greatest Hits CD's. She loves this! Rechargeable batteries for the CD player are a must while traveling! I also put coloring books, activity books with stickers from the $ store, gum, snacks, a Disney pez dispenser, etc... in the backpack.

 

[sarahsmom3]

bump!

 

[mslil65]

We'll be driving to Disney too. I have a three year old and I try to bring lots of little goodies to make the trip more enjoyable for all of us!
As for making your daughter a map...perhaps you can get a map placemat from Wal-Mart. Then you can use a washable marker to draw an approximate line to outline your course. As you pass through each state, she can place a sticker on the state. We sometimes get free stickers in the mail (sheets of happy faces) and I save those for things like this. It would be a way for her to keep track of where she is...if course, you'd have to help her identify the states and tell her when you've entered a new one, but she'd probably still enjoy it.
Last year we brought: books on tape (my parents recorded a couple books for my son to listen to..he loved hearing their voices), stickers, paper, Crayolas mess free paints and markers(the fingerpaints/markers use special paper...the paint/ink only shows up on the paper, nowhere else), magnetic sets, a slinky (he LOVED that...crazy kid!), snacks and juice, a small pillow, couple of books, Hot Wheels car, and a Magna Doodle. I know I'm forgetting some of the things! I bought a car organizer that attached to the back of the driver's seat. It held everything and kept it organzied. We played games (he'd ask us to draw something on the Magna Doodle or we'd draw something and he'd identify it), napped, listened to music, looked out the window and let him play whatever he was interested in. We took a few breaks and arrived without crying or tears...so all in all it was an easy 10 hour ride.

 

[MelodyMack]

We made a map for our DD4 for our first WDW trip in March. We got a guide book for Florida from AAA, and found a one page "generic" map of Florida. We made little notes, like halfway there across Panhandle Way and Cross over the Spooky Interstate, and she would help "navigate" (very Dora the Explorer). We laminated it and folded it just like a "real" map and wrote a note from "Mickey" telling her that he really wanted to see her, so here's a map to his house.

Kenz loved it, and would call out occasionally from the backseat "are we half way there yet", and "this interstate is spoooookkkkky" and we'd show her where we were on her map. It was a big hit.

Also HIGHLY recommend the DVD player and dry/erase activity books which helped pass the time for our munchkin. We are also fans of the classics, "I spy....punch buggy....and name that tune (We will take turns humming Disney songs).

Good luck!
Mel

 

[newtowdw1]

Our pharmacy (small local with great toys) has great magnet toys. It's right off the interstate on the PA/NY border, so it has a great travel section. Anyway, I found DD8 Sleeping Beauty magnet dolls ... comes with the Prince!

At 4 DD loved Polly Pockets and now has gazillions. I have tiny shoes all over the house! They used to make very pretty princess pollys, so look on ebay.

My son 4 loves to do homework in workbooks. They both love those magic pen books. I bought tons of MadLibs from Scholastic.I read aloud constantly. I downloaded some disney stories (Rescuers Down Under, Peter Pan) from itunes and plan to download more. They only cost about $5, and last around 30 to 50 minutes. Original voices and music, just some stuff cut out.

I also have a TripBag. NOONE by Mama EVER touches the TripBag. It is an Aladdin's cave of surprises, treats, sticker books, and little games. All the cool things I've been hoarding all year (in the present drawer noone touches) will go in the TripBag. We're traveling for 12 days before Disney, so we'll need lots of diversions!!

Take breaks and take along a ball for her to chase at the rest areas. She'll need to run around, and so will you!

 

[TN Traveler]

WOW!! There are some great ideas here!! We have 3 girls ages 5, 9 (on the 18th) and 13 1/2. It's a 14 hr drive from Nashville to Orlando. When we went last year, we left about 3:00 in the morning which allowed the girls to sleep the majority of the way. They never got too restless until we crossed the FL/GA state line when we stopped for lunch at the Welcome Center. Before we left, we hooked up the TV/VCR player I borrowed from a friend of mine. WHAT A BLESSING!! The girls watched old I LOVE LUCY videos and Disney movies until we reached the outskirts of Orlando and then they watched the road and asked 1000 times "WHERE'S MICKEY?!"

It's an 8 hr drive to our condo in Panama City. We leave around 2 in the morning so the girls sleep the majority of the way. They're usually pretty good on the trip going down but the trip coming home is worse...lots of coloring books, sticker books, CD player, and whatever else it takes to keep them happy!!

Karen

 

[Princess Glenda]

Here is a great thread that was started a while back...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=718300&highlight=tips+hour+drive

Hope I did that right.

 

[sarahsmom3]

Thank You all for the great ideas, I will be using this info!!!

 

[Sharon Esch]

DVD player all the way. The kids love it out long trips. They are still like to color and play with their toys! Have a great trip

 

[monica31671]

Check out the Disney for Families board. There are a couple of threads at the top of the page that should help you.

 

[sarahsmom3]

Thanks everyone!!!! I do not know what I would do without DIS!!!

 

[jennifer293]

The best thing I ever bought in my life was our DVD player...I began buying DD4 movies off ebay about a month before our trip so she had a good stock of them in the car. We also took coloring books and the twistable crayons. She was very content. It was DD1 that we had the problem with . It took us about 11 hours to get there and she got restless about every 2 hours.

 

[budbeerlady]

We got our DD4 a video now player for Christmas and we are planning on taking this on her trip. It was $40 at walmart and the 3 pack of movies was $15, so worth the money. It is indestructable, that is why I avoided the high cost of the DVD player for the car, so many people seemed to have problems and at 4 accidents do happen. She loves her video now player, it has adjustable volume and a headset plug but I am not sure I want her to use a headset at her age. Just another idea.