Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Is 5 hour car drive too long for a toddler?

99 replies

hm167 · 10/10/2021 23:16

i was planning a little holiday to Cornwall. I have a two year old, would a five hour car ride from london to cornwall be too much for her? Has anyone ever done a car journey this long with a toddler? what was your experience?

OP posts:
SallyLovesCheese · 11/10/2021 07:18

Did it in the summer to Devon with 2-year-old. Was a long journey down there (around six hours). I had a tablet-holder so DC could have a programme on (I downloaded 1-hour Thomas episodes from Amazon) and just stopped regularly. He also napped for a couple of hours. He was very good and the benefits of getting down there to the beach and to see family were massive!

Glencoeglenda · 11/10/2021 07:22

We did our first trip to Cornwall when DD was 2. We come from Scotland.

No it’s not too long. We actually split our trip in two by stopping overnight at a cheap Premier Inn, but we had far longer to drive than you.

Just split your journey up - stop a few times. We try and stop somewhere with a park so that we can stretch our legs and get a decent amount of fresh air.

Age 2, both of my DD slept for a big chunk of the journey too, which was fab!

I always pack a small bag of things to keep my kids occupied during the journey. Crayons, colouring books etc. She 2, DD also had one of those wee portable DVD players and soft headphones, which we took on the journey - this was before we had any iPads etc. It was great as we just took a few DVD’s.

Hardbackwriter · 11/10/2021 07:23

We did a similar length journey to go to Dorset with a just turned 3 year old and a baby this summer. On the way there we broke it up by stopping at a city on the way, which would have been a lot better if it hadn't unfortunately been bucketing it down when we got to that city! So there wasn't as much running around in the park as I'd imagined. But it was still more or less ok. DS1 watched a lot of Octonauts on the kindle. On the way back we set off at bedtime, drove straight home with one stop to feed the baby, and then transferred them both to their beds when we got home and that was a much better way of doing it.

The one thing I would say is - how long are you thinking of going for? Pre-kids I'd have happily done that drive for a long weekend but I wouldn't do it for less than a week's holiday now.

Bounce55 · 11/10/2021 07:27

I did a 5+ trip to North Yorkshire when my DD was about 2 1/2. Stopped a couple of times at the services to have a walk/drink/loo break. She absolutely loved it. Slept for an hour or so and was quite content tbh

EnidFrighten · 11/10/2021 07:28

Depends on the child. Can you tack a day on each side of the trip and stop over somewhere? If not then you need a stack of snacks and toys!

Glencoeglenda · 11/10/2021 07:28

You can buy activity trays that store owns / pencils etc. too. If you sit in the back with her you can take some stories too and read to her. There are lots of things you can do to fill a long journey.

proudwomansexmatters · 11/10/2021 07:30

@SMBH

I do it with my 3yo and 1yo every few weeks, leave at bedtime and arrive middle of the night and transfer to bed. I personally avoid travelling that far during the day at this age - mine can manage about 1.5hrs over naptime.
We do this too.
proudwomansexmatters · 11/10/2021 07:37

Also try and avoid giving tablets to them esp when they're young. My 5&4yo will do 2/3 hour journeys pretty regularly and we talk to them and play the Yoto player through the car so they listen to the stories. Or we have the radio on and talk to them.

Kids only get bored when they're ignored.

shivbo2014 · 11/10/2021 07:38

It was fine for us in the summer we drove to Cornwall from Hertfordshire so similar distance. We left early so he went back to sleep for an hour or two of the journey,stopped at services with a little play area so played for half an hour or so. Had some books and toys in the car as well and then done one more stop. It was fine! He had the best time on holiday, so was totally worth it.

SpinsForGin · 11/10/2021 07:43

@Skysblue

Depends on the child but I think it’s mean, at that age their bodies need so much movemenr, strapping them in for hours is curel no matter how many ipads you hypnotise them with. Maybe have an overnight so it’s two days of travelling instead of one.

But personally my desire for my toddler to be happy and have a nice holiday would come before a wish to go to Cornwall. Plenty of other beaches much nearer, wherever you are based.

I'm not sure it's possible to fit any more judgement in one post 🙄
Oliveandsage · 11/10/2021 07:45

We drive from Essex to Cornwall 4 or 5 times a year, right down to Penzance way since our daughter was 6 weeks old - it takes about 6-8 hours with stops. We now have another baby, so do it with a 3 year old and 5 month old - just did the drive yesterday! We find it pretty easy, lots of snacks for the toddler, a kindle and stopping every couple of hours for the baby.

But we have two children who like the car, so it really does depend on the child!

SpinsForGin · 11/10/2021 07:51

But to answer your post OP.... it's fine. You'll need more stops but it's absolutely possible.
Far easier than flying IMO. I found that quite challenging with a toddler!

girlmom21 · 11/10/2021 07:52

We did it from Birmingham in June so around the same travel time. 4 of our groups of friends travelled with toddlers too.

It was absolutely fine. DD was sick on the way there but was fine on the way back.

She slept for most of the journey.

SpamIAm · 11/10/2021 07:55

It's about 5 hours to our in laws so we've done it often. Works best if you can time it so they'll sleep for a fair stretch of it.

We've had most success leaving early (particularly when going to Cornwall as it means you avoid the traffic as well!). He doesn't go back to sleep unfortunately but he's pretty chilled just after he wakes up and then he sleeps for the second half of the journey. This was FAR FAR more successful than a recent late afternoon/evening journey where he cried endlessly 🙈

Also you'll need all the snacks. All. The. Snacks.

capercaillie · 11/10/2021 08:00

Regularly done longer journeys since they were 6 months old. We find it helpful to leave really early - 5am. Gets a good chunk of journey done when traffic quieter. Means more time for stop on way up or earlier arrival at destination.
Both great travellers now as teenagers!

Calmdown14 · 11/10/2021 08:02

Leave early. Set off by 5am. Take toddler out of bed only once the car is packed and you are ready to leave.
Just leave them in PJs and put a snuggly blanket round them. They may well wake for an hour or so but usually go back to sleep.
Work out where you will start to hit rush hour traffic and stop for breakfast, get them dressed etc.
You'll be there before lunch so plenty of time to run about a get tired before bedtime.
Even as adults I think early morning travelling passes so much quicker.
If they need some entertainment the magnetic drawing boards, especially the ones with stamps have always been popular in our house (tie the pieces on so they can't be dropped).
Stay sat in the front unless they get distressed. Mine were always more content that way. The times I had to sit in the back they looked to me for entertainment/ expected to come closer etc which was much harder work. Better to start in the front and move if necessary than to set this up as the expectation
Coming home is usually easier because they are exhausted from the holiday!

Hopeisallineed · 11/10/2021 08:04

Yep, regularly do a 6/7 trip to Scotland. Never with iPads. Lots of audio books, snacks and an activity bag.

TasteTheMeatNotTheHeat · 11/10/2021 08:05

It will be totally fine, but if they aren't used to it they might get grumpy.

Best option is to break it up a bit with stops to do something interesting, and maybe a stop for lunch if the timing works. Obviously this is going to be massively dependent on much time you can spare and whether or not there is anything interesting along your journey.

If you have to do it all in one then go nuclear. Snacks, toys, kid music and tablet with cartoons. Don't bring it all out straight away. Be strategic. Wait until they kick off before revealing something. Once they're fed up of it and start kicking off again, wheel out a new something.

LemonCake79 · 11/10/2021 08:10

It wouldn't even occur to me to ask. Mine have been travelling that far to see family since they were newborns. They are excellent travellers.

Ozanj · 11/10/2021 08:11

It’s fine we did 5 hr plus trips with mine since he was 6 weeks old even during lockdown. Prepare toddler for the journey in advance - tell them you’re going in the car, they will be able to count trucks etc. If they love going to cafes to eat let them know you will be going for breakfast / lunch etc. Load up their fav songs on your phone / snacks etc. Start early on the day, ideally when they’re still sleeping, and plan to stop at services when they wake - if possible start early enough that you can drive at least half way before you need to stop for breakfast. Then when they wake you take them out, get them dressed, breakfast, run around, them pop them back for the rest of the journey.

lazylinguist · 11/10/2021 08:12

Depends on the child but I think it’s mean, at that age their bodies need so much movemenr, strapping them in for hours is curel

Hmm If you were doing it all the time, sure. As a one-off, no you are being ridiculous.

TiddleTaddleTat · 11/10/2021 08:19

Depends on what you can handle - personally I really dislike long drives like this and so wouldn't do them unless totally necessary . I would rather get trains so we can interact , wander around etc, but that's just me. Totally up to you and your family really.

TiddleTaddleTat · 11/10/2021 08:21

As an aside I used to do a lot of long car journeys as a child and while the actual travel was ok, what has stayed with me is the arguments between my parents !!

sashh · 11/10/2021 08:25

As a child we did this from Yorkshire.

This was the days before even seatbelts in the back so we used to have a 'bed' made up of the back seat and luggage.

Anyway we would go to bed at the normal time and then be taken out to the car in PJs in the early hours.

We would stop somewhere for breakfast and a run around and then back in the car.

Have you considered the train? I've done that from London a few times, and I've done the overnight train. I believe toddlers are free if they share your bunk.

VanCleefArpels · 11/10/2021 08:28

Set off at bedtime so they can sleep for most of the way - means a long day for you but totally worth the peaceful journey