How do you drive alone with a toddler???

[pixiebell79]

Wanting to take 2 year old to the beach, about an hour away. How do you cope with them (v active boy) being cooped up for that time? I'm probably being an absolute wuss, but genuinely intrigued.

I just did it. Maybe I was lucky and he was easy to entertain. He used to sleep a lot and otherwise play with things or look at picture books. We went from the south of England to Scotland at least once a year so a lot further than an hour. We both sat in the front so there was nobody in the back to entertain him.

The Julia Donaldson audio CDs are brilliant for long journeys. Have saved our sanity a few times during unexpected traffic.

Lots of snacks, books and toys. I used to time long journeys with naps when DS was small. An hour isn't that long really, just go for it.

CD story, we have a basket next to our two with books and small toys, few snacks along the way! But if a sing song and just go for it! I regularly do 2/3 hrs with two of mine plus a ferry trip and once you get going its fine I promise!

Just do it. I've done lots of journeys with toddlers/babies/kids and TBH, I hand them a small bag of sweets and off we go.

Either they sleep, or they look out of the window, and if they scream we pull over somewhere and I let them have a walk about. NP.

Time the trip to coincide with a nap?

I'd not have any worries about an hour, but my child is pretty laid back. My parents are an hour away so I don't think of it as a long trip.

For long trips (2.5 hours plus) I would have:

-BBC iplayer with downloaded shows
-Box of raisins
-a book
-nursery rhymes CD

So you could try those?

My son enjoys watching the world out of the window a lot of the time and will usually only grump if he's hot or he's woken up from a nap and we are still driving.

I would put in car and go. An hour isn't that long really, no stopping needed.
The can just look out window, sleep or listen to music

I would suggest no raisens or sweets in car. You are driving. If your on the motorway and he chokes it's going to be unsafe to pull over quickly often and you will panic. No food whilst driving

For an hour I'd just go. We have music on. He likes any music so I just put on Mumford and Sons and we both enjoy.

For say a 4 or 5 hour journey we travel at 7pm.