Tips for Long Trips

Posted on Saturday, October 27, 2007 at 6:27

We just returned from two rather lengthy trips- one to Neosho, Missouri (8 hours) and one to Corpus Christi, TX  (7 hours).  (Yes, that explains why this blog has been neglected the past two weeks!)  With two small children in tow, the miles got rather loooong...   Here are some things I did to keep our pumpkins occupied while the hours (and hours and hours) passed! 

• Bring toys!!!  Noisy toys, quiet toys, big toys, little toys, all kinds of toys!  And bring a variety... dolls, books and coloring books, musical games or puzzles, blocks, etc.  Just be sure to bring a special tote bag or basket to keep the toys in so they don't end up all over the vehicle!   
• Noise and more noise!  I don't usually have a special fondness for noise, but sometimes noise can actually be a good diversion when you're strapped in a vehicle for hours!  Not just any kind of noise, of course... "good" noise.  Be sure to bring your children's favorite music cd's, Adventures in Oddysee tapes, DVD's (you can purchase portable DVD players pretty inexpensively), and sing along books or tapes!
•   Munchies!  Don't forget to pack some yummy snacks for the trip... fruit, crackers, trail mix, chex mix, cookies, juice, bottled water, etc. 
• Blankets and Pillows!  When nap time comes around, it's much easier for little ones to fall alseep if they have their favorite pillow or blanket to snuggle with! 
• Potty break!  Our 3 1/2 yr old is like most toddlers... when she's gotta go, she's gotta go... NOW!  It isn't always feasible to stop for a potty break as soon as Amy feels the "urge"... and I really don't like her using dirty gas station bath rooms, anyway!  My solution is to carry a small potty chair in the vehicle with us on long trips.  We are blessed to have a Honda Oddysee mini van, so space isn't a problem.  We empty the potty at the next gas station stop- it has saved us lots of potty accidents!
• Leg stretches!  We don't usually stop frequently on trips, so when we do stop I make sure the girls are allowed out of their car seats to stretch a bit.  While Jeremy is filling up the tank with gasoline (a pricey thing to do these days!) I let the girls out to get at least a little exercise.  Even if they just climb around in the van for a few minutes, the little bit of "freedom" helps break the monotony of the trip. 

These are just some of my tips and tricks... they don't work magic, but it does make traveling a little more enjoyable, both for kiddies and mommy and daddy!  What do you do to help your children enjoy- or at least patiently endure- long trips??

~Kristy~

www.homemakerscottage.com

:)

Posted by Anna S on Sunday, October 28, 2007 at 11:19 - Link

You know what the funny thing is? I think most of these are needed for adults as well. ;) I, too, cannot survive without snacks, distractions... and breaks :)