Bus with 18m old

[MeadowHay]

DD 18m was absolutely fine on the buses when she was younger, she used to almost always sleep on them really. We don't get the bus that often although have done a few journeys recently and she has been Difficult. Two out of the four journeys we have done, both around half an hour each, she has screamed for most of those journeys. Both of those times it was due to being tired but she wouldn't sleep, both times I naively assumed she would sleep on the bus as she used to when smaller.

Is this common? Does anyone have ideas for activities/toys for the bus that could keep her occupied? Or how to encourage her to nap on the bus?

Is she walking yet? It might be that she doesn't want to be in the pram and wants to be up and exploring, despite it not being a suitable environment! My DD is around the same age and some bus journeys have been a pain. I've taken her out the pram, thinking it would make her less upset but then she wants to do anything but sit still on your lap!

You could try a book (maybe one with flaps or lots to look at/spot together) or a toy that makes some noise and has lights? My DD has a small V-tech bear which is very annoying but it keeps her entertained for a good while.

or a toy that makes some noise...*My DD has a small V-tech bear which is very annoying
*
Please don't do this for the sake of the other people on the bus!

People will understand the sound of an upset baby, but taking something you know is irritating is immensely selfish.

As is expecting that people will leave their kids to scream to avoid an annoying toy sound IMO... It's not like buses are quite places.

Ruffles Yeah, she is walking, and yeah, like you we've found that taking her out of the pram often just means she wants to walk about so she screams on our laps anyway!

I don't agree with annoying toy sound being selfish. Wouldn't you rather listen to that than a baby screaming sitting right next to you? Maybe your child(ren) don't reach the ear-shattering volume that my DD does but I know which of the two I would prefer!! I wouldn't bring an annoying noisy toy on for her straight away but if I had something that would halt that horrendous screeching I would definitely use it. Unfortunately DD doesn't seem that interested in things like that anyway, as it is. She has a V-Tech Teletubbies book that she sometimes shows some interest in and she played with that for maybe 5 mins on one of the buses the other day, but that's it. She has a few other animal toys that make noise etc but she's not interested in them for more than about 2 mins at a time so it's not even worth carting them along. She does like books especially with flaps etc so can try that next time. We did a short bus journey today, just 15 mins and she was absolutely fine and sat lovely and played with my bus pass. Maybe I need to just avoid longer journeys and just take her local places and accept she can't sit for longer than that really.

Youtube

Sticker books work for us.

Snacks! I am totally fine with creating quiet in public spaces with the judicious application of breadsticks and mini rice cakes.

Does she want to be looking out the window?

I’d definitely rather hear an annoying toy than screaming.

My dd is 12years old and loves the bus but can get restless and if upset will become a little bit of a handful. What we do is put teletubbies on my phone and she listens through earphones, is there something your dd likes ? Programme or music videos etc ?

Let her sit by the windows. Talk to her lots. Play eye spy. Find different coloured cars. Bring books, colouring in, small toy. Cards like top trumps. My 5 year old and I have been getting the bus daily since she was 4 days old. She's gone through rough patches but always come out the other end. I do agree with the noisy toys, it's an enclosed space and some people have real sensitivity to noise. Good luck :)

Tried looking out the windows and she doesn't seem arsed really. The best thing is basically if other people on the bus interact with her, or if there are other kids to watch, then she is always quiet and fine. But often nobody does (understandably especially if she's already clearly in a bad mood) lol.

Colouring I could try too. She's got right into drawing with felt tip pens and whiteboard pens now. Might be a bit messy for bus tho? Obviously her motor skills arent too refined yet.

Teletubbies or something on my phone may work but selfishly I don't want to go down that road and as I don't want her to start asking to do that with my phone at other times/other places and throwing tantrums when I won't let her etc. Plus she wouldn't tolerate headphones of any sort.

I do talk to her loads but she just gets in a rage and ignores and screams. Eye spy obviously way ahead of her cognitive abilities at 18 months I can't think of a single small toy she is interested in to play with...she sometimes plays with stacking cups but not for more than a couple of mins at a time.