Parents that Drive

[MamaJessie]

We have driven straight through from CT 6 times with kids of varying ages. I agree with packing more snacks than you think you could need, fun new little toys, busy bags, pipe cleaners, wiki sticks, invisible ink books, scratch art, i-spy bottles, felt board. I also recommend rest stop bags - I pack a few things we can play with at rest areas to help them get the ants out of their pants (bubbles, jump ropes...). When we stop for meals my husband and I eat while the kids run around in play areas - they have plenty of time to eat in the car.

Good luck, the road trip can be fun!

 

[vballnic3]

We have driven straight through from CT 6 times with kids of varying ages. I agree with packing more snacks than you think you could need, fun new little toys, busy bags, pipe cleaners, wiki sticks, invisible ink books, scratch art, i-spy bottles, felt board. I also recommend rest stop bags - I pack a few things we can play with at rest areas to help them get the ants out of their pants (bubbles, jump ropes...). When we stop for meals my husband and I eat while the kids run around in play areas - they have plenty of time to eat in the car.

Good luck, the road trip can be fun!

We are hoping it will be fun The rest stop bags sound like a great idea. How long did you stop at rest stops?

 

[MamaJessie]

We don't stop for too long - usually I take the kids to use the bathroom, then the kids play outside while my husband and I take turns using the bathroom and doing damage control to the mess in the car. Which brings me to another tip lol, I always pack plastic grocery bags, just folded up in an empty wet ones container. Then when we stop I look for any spilled crackers, wrappers, broken crayons etc. that can be tossed while my husband plays with the kids.

 

[MrsTurnerLovesDisney]

We had planned to drive through the night on our first trip with our kids....until another group from Texas was killed in a car accident doing that exact thing, on their way to WDW. This was a month or two before our trip. It shook us up enough to decide to never, ever do that.

was that the crash in Louisiana around Thanksgiving?

That wreck was about 10 minutes from my house and it was so heartbreaking. I believe the teenager was driving and him and one sister survived. As a Disney lover it was hard for me to wrap my head around that accident.

 

[Dismama2boys]

was that the crash in Louisiana around Thanksgiving?

That wreck was about 10 minutes from my house and it was so heartbreaking. I believe the teenager was driving and him and one sister survived. As a Disney lover it was hard for me to wrap my head around that accident.

Yes, that was the one. I had forgotten that it was that close to our trip - we left the day after Thanksgiving. It really was so sad, and definitly influenced us to rethink our plans.

 

[Sabathamk]

We don't stop for too long - usually I take the kids to use the bathroom, then the kids play outside while my husband and I take turns using the bathroom and doing damage control to the mess in the car. Which brings me to another tip lol, I always pack plastic grocery bags, just folded up in an empty wet ones container. Then when we stop I look for any spilled crackers, wrappers, broken crayons etc. that can be tossed while my husband plays with the kids.

That is a fantastic idea. We always carry extra grocery bags with us for diapers. Doing 'damage control' in a vehicle is a must with kids!

 

[veelachanel]

I have a 15 month old with about a 2 minute attention span for literally anything. He also loves to throw things. I have no idea how we are going to survive the 10 hour drive!!

 

[MrsTurnerLovesDisney]

I have a 15 month old with about a 2 minute attention span for literally anything. He also loves to throw things. I have no idea how we are going to survive the 10 hour drive!!

Do you have a tablet or something to watch movies on? I know not everyone is a fan of them in cars or for long periods of time but we went to the beach when DD was 8 months old and even though she wasn't really watching the videos the music and all she enjoyed and kept her attention well.

I know I'm worried going with her now at almost 3

 

[Tink_83]

I'm in the stop and sleep camp. I don't mind getting on the road early and then stopping late (11 or so) but even 4 or 5 hours in a bed makes a difference. It's up to you but please be safe!

Regarding keeping them entertained I let my DD pack a bag of toys, we have a tablet with movies, and normally a new inexpensive toy or coloring book to make it exciting.

If you pack food and it's a nice day then stop at a rest stop and let them out to eat and run for a bit. If you eat try to find places with a play area so they can play. That alone will work wonders.

 

[MandLBee]

Yes, we had too. But children have made me permanently exhausted.

Right? I have 5 children (13, 12, 11, 8, 6) and I used to be able to drive 22 hours from college to home, or even 14 hours into my 30s. Now? Lucky to get in 6. All y'all are rock stars. We are planning Nashville to Atlanta from 7 pm-midnight, bed down at our friends' house, then Atlanta to Kissimmee arriving at Ft Wilderness around 3 pm. That's the best I can do!

 

[Aumom]

Than you everyone for your opinions. We will stop if we feel it is necessary. What are you favorite Android and Apple apps for your younger children.

Anything by Duck Duck Moose is good. Also if you want to take it beyond the screen, look into any of the apps by Tiggly.

 

[JaySwash]

Agree on the Duck Duck Moose, both 3 and 5 year olds play for hours on their apps and you don't have pop up ads to sweat. Lego junior apps are also fun...

 

[Nevaland]

I think at this point its been well written enough on what side of the fence your on regarding stopping or not stopping so I will stick to your original question. We have driven from MA regularly for the past 12 years with our now 4 kids. All took some form of the trip since they were 6 months old. At this point they are use to it. We settle them into the car with a blanket, pillows, stuffed animals, games, devices, and movies. We have a bag of food, drinks, and a mini fridge plugged in for milk, yogurt, etc, paper towels for spills, wet wipes, a few plastic bags for trash - emergency vomit bags. At stops the kids will sometimes get out to stretch their legs unless its the middle of the night, then they are usually sleeping!!! We start our trips mid days and at night time time we do change them into pajamas (leaving sneakers/flip flops by the door for when they have to use the bathroom). Now a days they have the ability to stream content to their devices or the TV in the car (you tube kids is a fan favorite). I get jealous that I'm sitting in the front and can't watch it myself!!! The drive down is always so much fun with anticipation and excitement. Not gonna lie, the drive back can stink, not as exciting pulling into your own driveway as it is driving through the Earful Gates!!! Good luck and I hope everything goes well!!

PS - Drink plenty of water, no better energy drink than water. Plus stopping more to use the bathroom helps keep you alert!!!

 

[rapunzel3]

We drove a few years ago. Took a lot of breaks. Stayed in a hotel on both the way there and the way back - chose hotels with pools so they got to swim after checking in, eating dinner etc. It worked out well. Our upcoming trip we are flying, but I wouldn't rule out driving again in the future.

 

[Sundowner2]

My husband also does the Lions share of the driving. If I can be honest, 99% because despite my guilt, I can't do highway driving. I'm a wreck just sitting. We are in Va, and it's around 14 hours for us? We spend the night, since we don't go on trips often it's both part of the vacation experience for us all, but also a break for my husband on the driving. I can't sleep at all in a car, so I am grateful too. He might be tempted to drive straight through but I don't feel like it's safe. I feel like you might be alert and safety driving at 3am, but the others around you? Drivers are crazy enough during the day, add extreme tiredness and it's not a risk we want with our babies in the backseat.

How my boys, first trip 6 and 1.5and now, 9 and 4, manage is we stop every few hours for bathroom and gas, but usually at like a walmart. The boys get a kick out of buying a bag of chips or some such by the regusters, something we don't do often, and if it's been rough, we do get a new dvd. I too wrap up dvds beforehand, a mix of cheap ones but also a good one or two. This time it will be teen titans go, 4 hours and good for watching twice I bet lol!

Apps, my kids like the lego junior apps, Dr panda, daniel tiger (totally worth the $2) and fisher price used to have some cute baby apps, just animals walking about, if yountapped they made noise etc.

It was hard for our youngest when he was 1.5, we lottery had 3 bags of toys we kept handing him, but we got though! Way home was easier on him, he understood better

 

[vballnic3]

Anything by Duck Duck Moose is good. Also if you want to take it beyond the screen, look into any of the apps by Tiggly.

I've never heard of that before. Thank you!!!

 

[vballnic3]

I think at this point its been well written enough on what side of the fence your on regarding stopping or not stopping so I will stick to your original question. We have driven from MA regularly for the past 12 years with our now 4 kids. All took some form of the trip since they were 6 months old. At this point they are use to it. We settle them into the car with a blanket, pillows, stuffed animals, games, devices, and movies. We have a bag of food, drinks, and a mini fridge plugged in for milk, yogurt, etc, paper towels for spills, wet wipes, a few plastic bags for trash - emergency vomit bags. At stops the kids will sometimes get out to stretch their legs unless its the middle of the night, then they are usually sleeping!!! We start our trips mid days and at night time time we do change them into pajamas (leaving sneakers/flip flops by the door for when they have to use the bathroom). Now a days they have the ability to stream content to their devices or the TV in the car (you tube kids is a fan favorite). I get jealous that I'm sitting in the front and can't watch it myself!!! The drive down is always so much fun with anticipation and excitement. Not gonna lie, the drive back can stink, not as exciting pulling into your own driveway as it is driving through the Earful Gates!!! Good luck and I hope everything goes well!!

PS - Drink plenty of water, no better energy drink than water. Plus stopping more to use the bathroom helps keep you alert!!!

Thank you for all the great tips!