making school runs easier for little ones?

[wildlingtribe]

Any tips on this? We have a five, four, two year old and newborn. I do the 15min drive to and from school a obviously twice a day. Two year old hates this most of the time, sk t blame him but anyway making this easier?

We have to drive, and get there 20mibs early to get a car space.

I try snacks,
Books,
Audio cd,
Etc

But he will scream to get out. We can't get out until DD is coming out as its in a village in a main road.

[TeaBelle]

Is there no park/pond/bit of green anywhere nearby at all?

[wildlingtribe]

Nothing

[RicStar]

20 mins sitting in a car is dull. Can't you just get out. Put baby in sling toddler holding hands / reins walk 10mins up road one way and 10mins back? Unless there are no pavements? Where do other parents wait? Does everyone come by car?

[parrotonmyshoulder]

2 year olds just hate being still.

Can you stretch to paying someone to do the pick ups?

[defineme]

I used to, in similar circumstances, do the whole meal in the car, do a lot of ridiculous singing and dancing with me as the star...they thought this was hilarious. Car only toys like dressing up doll in lots of different things or lots of different animals with me leading the zoo game-i found if i was all singing all dancing mum it would go better. Or could it be nap time?
Or could you lift share, get someone to look after them whilst you do schoolrun, petition the school to let you in earlier, ask the local pub/hall/shop if they canbe the overflow school car park -i know of 2 schoolswho use pub car parks as times don't clash.

[FishWithABicycle]

are there non-main side roads in the village that you could take 2yo on a little walk down. A 2yo can be entertained by seemingly quite dull things like a daily "visit to see the lion house" (that is, a house that has a lion knocker on).

Or could you find somewhere to park that's a 10 minute walk away and spend the time walking slowly to school (presumably you could get away with being a bit less than 20 mins early if you aren't right by the school?)