Tips for long car/ferry with 1 year old!

[StarryNacht]

In a couple of weeks we're going to Belgium to see family. DS will be 14 months.

It's a 4/5 hour drive, 2 hour ferry crossing, then 2 hour drive. DS is good in the car but he's never been on a journey longer than about 90 mins. Any tips for making the journey work?

Suggest a short stop in the middle of the long car journey for a leg stretch and fresh air for everyone. Can you leave early in the morning? Is he walking? There may be soft play on the ferry?

Thank you!

We’re planning a picnic and leg stretch on the car journey. DS can currently do a few wobbly steps but maybe more by the time we go. Unfortunately the play area on the ferry is still closed for covid.

Stretch legs on the ferry, then you should be good for the last two hours, hopefully! Hope you have a good time. We managed a couple of long trips with DS1 about 12 months. East Anglia to West Highlands, though with an overnight stop.

Get a cabin if possible. I speak from experience that supervising a toddler on a ferry in the middle of a journey is a draining task of "constant vigilence" (as Mad Eye Moody would describe it )

Having a safe, closed off space where they can relax/ play makes a massive difference.

When we went to Britany with a 2 & 4yo, we bought a tub of new toy cars to entertain them on the first 6 hour leg to Plymouth.