Tips for long car journey with 20-21mo

[Justalittleblackraincloud]

I'm planning a 370 mile car journey, with DD, on my own in the next 3-4 weeks.

Does anyone have any tips for keeping her busy?

I'm planning on doing lots of stops, buying a portable DVD player, and having lots of music on the ipod handy...

Any more advice?

To add to it I've only recently passed my test, and normally do this journey with DH so there is one of us in the back to pass stuff to her!

So any tips for keeping stuff within reach for her would also be really useful.

The DVD player will keep her busy for most of the time I reckon, make sure you've got a good selection of things for her to watch.

When our kids were very little we used to do long journeys (bristol to newcastle so about the same distance as you) at night. We would leave home at around their bedtime and they would sleep for most of the journey. It has the added advantage of the motorways being very quiet too.

I definitely second setting off at bedtime so they sleep all the way - bliss.

Ill third the bedtime. In the day I have a basket of toys on the backseat and offer her a hard page book and she'll 'read' for a good 25 mins sometimes. Shes 18 months.

We took DD1 on a trip to a friends wedding.

She slept a fair bit and took regualr stops to stretch legs etc.

DH was with me so easier to pass her things but agree the DVD player should be handy. DD1 is now 2.5 and will play on the Ipad on journeys.

What about some buggy type books that you can attach to her carseat. A problem with DD1 was dropped books/toys causing a major meltdown if we couldnt reach then from the front.

Favourite songs/ nursery rhymes on the stereo.

Fruit bars (organics do some) are handy and not too messy for her to eat in the car.

Earplugs!! (for you) About 10 minutes away from the hotel we got stuck in a massive jam. The motorway was closed so the whole city was gridlocked and the last 10 minutes took us 2 hours!! Just at the point when DD1 needed a break and stop for fresh air and walk about. 2 hours of screaming in stationary traffic isnt nice.

However im sure that wont happen to you :)