Really long car journey (Malaga to Wales!) - Help!

[dixia]

Hi,

We are driving from Malaga to Wales. We are being fairly sensible and not doing more than 4.5 hours a day (at least that is how long it should take, roadworks and accidents permitting). DS1 is 5 and DS2 is 17 months. The five year old is brilliant and always has been in the car - like a wonder-child. But the little one is a complete nightmare! He may fall asleep and can do about an hour usually with no worries, just looking out of the window and stuff. But I am really worried about how we will entertain him for 5/6 days of long journeys (oh and we have to get back to Malaga in September as well).

I get sick sitting in the back and DH is one of those easily-angered types. He has in the past stopped the car at the side of the road and slammed the door shouting that he will never, ever get in a car with that boy (DS2) again!

I have looked at the suggestions on some threads for entertaining toddlers on flights and some of those suggestions are useful, but I really need some ideas for things that I don't have to sit next to him to do.

I could get a DVD player and some DVDs but he has a short concentration span and he's not that bothered about the tele.

HELP!

oh it sounds like a nightmare... any chance you and the little one could fly instead? You wouldn't have to buy a seat for him...

Other than that I can only think of playdough (but I guess it might get eaten?) and those 'activity centre' thingies with a soft steering wheel, toy phone etc. attached to them. Also, you can get play trays for some types of car seats, which might make life a little easier.

No chance of flying. The trip is a bit of a holiday - lots of nice campsites etc. We are staying in one for a week - so at least that will break up the journey. All planned to get out of the heat of southern spain. Really looking forward to the camping bits - really not looking forward to the driving!

A play tray is a good idea. Maybe i could fashion one using my common sense and a bit of gaffa tape?

this looks good

loads of other good stuff on that site actually

Yeah sounds like a mare.

I would drive only at night.

If you are happy to spend 5-6days on the road

Do it like this, this is what we do when we drive to skiing.

5pm feed kids.

6pm get in car, have sing along, isn't this jolly, la la la.

8pm kids asleep.

share driving with DH through the night,a nd sleep in between

8am, stop for breakfast somewhere : earlier if kids wake up.

9am drive until 10 - 10.30am

Stop somewhere fun, eg play ground, farm, etc

run around, play for a couple of hours, have lunch:

2pm Back in car for two more hours driving, one of you sleep.

4pm: stop for run around, play, and tea etc, wash too hopefully.

6-7pm back in car, drive all night again.

You get about 12 - 15 hours driving in a day, it works well. for one night, not done it for more..............

We do 12-15 hours drives with ours (now 4 and 2) twice a year and we now have it sussed (works for us).

Always leave at 6pm, then you miss traffic. Kids excited and fun for couple of hours and then they fall asleep for whole night. it is peaceful.

I think that 12-15 hour driving stint sounds like more of a nightmare than 4.5 hours a day! I'm not sure that would seem like much of a holiday. But I can see that if you really need to get somewhere fast, then that would be a good system. I may print it off and save it somewhere for when I need it!

The car tray looks great, geekgirl, I have emailed them to see how quickly they can ship one here!