What activities to keep 4yo and 1.5yo entertained for long drive?

[Minnie824]

So, we'll be driving to Disney, about 19 hrs, with our 4 and 1.5 yo DDs. In general they're great in the car, provided theres music or dvd on. Our longest drive has only been 5 hrs though. We have a dvd player, and plan to bring many dvds along. I'm just trying to figure out what else? What toys to bring, etc? We can't very well bring all their toys, so definitely dvds, cds, teddy and blankie for both, and some other favorite toy. I'm sure they'll end up with so much new stuff though. Little one tries to chew everything, and I don't know how older one would feel about coloring in the car? Thats an option for her I guess. Any other ideas? Thanks!

 

[Mac and Us]

Our DD (3.5) does very well in the car. However, I was concerned with the drive from NH to Florida this past April.

Our daughter still puts things in her mouth although not as often as she used to so I too was concerned about that.

I'm against crayons in the car (melting). I found Crayola Color Wonder markers and paints to be a blessing on long trips. They are clear until applied to the special books/paper. They usually come in a set. They were something she never had before so they kept her interest for a longer period of time.

I also buy A LOT of stickers. Our DD will pull the stickers off and stick them on a piece of paper for the longest time.

I bought a bunch of the foam sheets and foam backed shapes for her to stick on the foam sheets--dollar store.

Months before the trip I started collecting small items from Walmart and the dollar store. These ranged from toys to stickers, calculaters (1.00 @ dollar store) and things like that. I still have 1/2 of the box left (out of sight) for the next trip.

We also watched for interesting things along the way. I would get excited and point them out. Then we'd talk about them.

I also played a counting game with her. I asked her to count all the red cars and trucks. It's amazing how these little things will keep their interest.

If I think of other things I will edit this post.

 

[megan2346]

We bought a small tv with vcr for our drive to WDW and it was the greatest thing. We know have a portable DVD player that has come in handy. The DVD player is great because we also use it on airplane rides. My kids are think it is great and a special treat to watch DVD in the car or on airplanes. It is one of the best things I have bought for long trips.
Megan

 

[Desnik]

We'll you have the best thing IMHO already, a DVD player!! It is a Godsend on long drives. I have a 7yo and 2yo and we've been driving from NY since our 7yo was 9mo. You have gotten great suggestions so far. Especially the stickers, and color wonder. How about the travel size magna doodle? Both my kids loved this and it's cheap, about $5 at Toys r us. DD loves to do activity pages, color, and write so I always bring her that type of stuff to keep her busy. I'm sure that the kids will probably tap lots of naps. Our kids do. About 2 naps and sometimes a long one.(4hrs)
Other things would be stuff like a pixter, gameboy, or leapster. Books on tape.
If I think of more I'll get back to ya!

 

[firemouse]

We sometimes get suprise gifts and at a set time (every two hours or so) they got the new gift. They really looked forward to the suprise and then stayed pretty busy with them for awhile and then it was time to get the next item. This worked in our 6-8 hrs trips to Gatlinburg,TN and Door County Area, WI from Indy.
Eric

 

[It's A Happy Day]

We too are traveling from MA to FL in October wtih DS4 & DD3 and I have stocking up on stuff from the dollar store, walmart, etc. So far I have crayons and markers, coloring books, bubbles, mini deck of cards for each, a new disney straw cup (the insulated type), stickers, mini magna doodles, mini chalkboard, and they already both have the leapfrog books so we plan on bringing several different books for them to use. I am also borrowing my SIL dvd player for the car for the trip.. Another idea I have floating around is to take a piece of poster board and glue several pictures to it of items they will have to find while we are driving. When they find all of the objects on there poster they will get a prize...I'm trying to decide if it will be a number association or alphabet association game or just random pictures - ie: a dog, horse, red car, coke truck, silo or barn, etc. We usually play this game on trips around home and I thought this might keep them looking around at the scenery.

 

[tiggersthebest]

My daughter (5) also loves to play I spy (thanks a lot to Brother Bear!!!) She drives us so crazy we bought a portable DVD player !!!! We also point things out as we drive and play the shopping game when she gets bored with the DVD player_ ( I buy something, she repeats it and buys something else and we keep adding to the list- it is a memory game and whoever forgets stuff first loses) Of course she changes all the rules to help herself but that's ok. I would just have a variety of things planned. Good luch with the drive- I've been doing it since I was three and I turned out fine- no permanent damage from overly long, boring trips because at the end was WDW .

Mom of two princesses

 

[kidzmom3]

model magic is great on long car rides/airplanes. Because it doesn't crumble it won't stick to the carpet or seats. Not sure if it would be good for the little one, but we take the individual packages into resteraunts when we think it will be a long wait.

 

[kidzmom3]

here are some good websites I have found.

http://travelwithkids.about.com/cs/accessibility/ht/carrides.htm

http://www.funandsun.com/1tocf/kids/kidtrvl.html

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

http://familyfun.go.com/family-trav...03travelkids_bds/doca0803travelkids_bds4.html

 

[rt2dz]

I haven't read the whole thread, so I apologize if you have already heard these. We take long trips all the time and this is what works for us.

The DVD player
A magna doodle (even the baby at 13 months loved this)
Coloring books and crayons (you can use a lap tray or cookie sheet temporarily for a desk)
Bringing a long some favorite toys
Having some cheap (dollar store) toys to break out when the kids get cranky
books on tape
frequent stops (rest stops, restruants); preferably where they can run around and let off steam
travel bingo (with pictures for kids who can't read)
Driving while the kids are sleeping (we make great time at night! and we take turns sleeping in the car and driving)
snacks on hand

I know there is more, but that is all I can think of for right now. If I remember more, I'll try and post it later.

 

[surfgirl]

We have the car seat trays - there is a base that goes under the car seat and then the tray locks into that. We have found them invaluable... primarily for meals. We get food to eat in the car and it occupies about 20-30 minutes for meals. Its great!

I know there will be many who are extremely anti car-seat tray, but its been NHTSA approved and doesn't interfere with how the children are strapped in - it just goes over top.

Lots of great suggestions - good luck!

 

[HappyMommy2]

Our #1 lifesaving car toy from about 18 months on---Magna Doodle. If the kids get tired of drawing you can have the non-driving parent draw funny sketches and have the kids guess what they are, do tic tac toe, etc.

When we drive at night, we always bring an assortment of glowing things--glowsticks (get the thick kind or your toddler will bite through them and you will have a nontoxic but glowy mess in the car), light spinners (these occupied our kids for 2 hours on one trip when they were 2 and 4!), etc.

Have fun!

 

[AyaneEin]

Everyone is going to be in a car for 19 hours??? I think I would be praying!!!! We bring our x-box hooked to our older 9 in tv/vcr combo (yes we are stone-age and dont have a portable dvd b/c the x-box plays videos as well)... Good luck to you
Allyson

 

[Minnie824]

Thanks for all the info! I had to run to Target today, and I checked out the dollar section, and got a few little things for both DDs. Definitely a good start to my 'collection' for our trip.

 

[cfbarker]

My 2 yr. old played with these things for hours! We made all kinds of things with them - even a cowboy and a horse! Of course, I also had Granny along to entertain him! Colored pencils and lots of coloring sheets from Nick.com came in handy, too. I also made individual snack bags for my boys and every now and then, I'd let them pick a snack.

Christine

 

[tinkernelllec]

Wow, what great suggestions!!!
We travel at night, so most of the trip is spent with sleeping boys

but.........I love the glow things idea because they are always so excited to go, that the glow stiks may calm them down a bit..............and I love the color wonder idea.............and the model magic (even for long waits in a restaruant).

We have a vcr and a dvd player for in the car, and I do pack the magna doodle (one for each) and lots and lots and lots of snacks!!!

 

[disneymom727]

So far our DS who is 3 has been wonderful everytime we have traveled. We always take along a bunch of little toys like from McDonald's and stuff that he only plays with in the car so they keep him entertained for quite a while because it is like they are "new" again. Also, I just saw a lap tray in Wal-Mart that I am thinking of getting for him for our next trip. That way he could color or play trains or whatever. It has legs that fold down and I am thinking it would fit across his carseat. We've tried this before with a tray from a booster chair that he used to sit at the table for meals. He would have to try and balance it. It worked alright. In the past, we have also listed to A LOT of Wiggles CD's!!!!

 

[pbharris4]

We drove from VA down a few weeks ago and I was wondering how my 2 yo would do. SHe did pretty good last year (until the last hour when she screamed the whole hour!) I was totally prepared w/ some new toys/DVD's etc. Turns out she only used some of the stuff! Here's what I took:

Several new DVD's (HAD to be 60 mins or longer) She loved Shrek 2 and Mulan!

Magna Doodle
Color Wonder Finger Paints (didn't use) but I'd get the markers next time.
Dora Coloring book/crayons (washable)
Colorforms
A few books
take along piano/keyboard
plastic slinky
some little dora figures
A CD or two of Disney Faves
2 puzzles (w/ the red knobs on them)

can't remember what esle

The DVD player is what we used the most.