What do toddlers do on long car journeys?

[Soverymuchfruit]

We don't own a car but will hire one over the summer. We're used to keeping our toddler (will be 20mo then) entertained on the train, where he can move around, read books, interact with us etc. He's going to be bored silly in the back of a car. How do you keep them entertained? Got any toy recommendations that work? Or what?

I think max journey time will be 4 hours, though we'll break that and not drive more than 2 hours at a time. One parent can sit in the back with him but still it sounds boring!

Comics and picture books
Fun kids radio
Audio stories
Small toys to playbwith

I used to put away surplus toys and bring them out on holidays, and they become new toys again. If I recall, it was a playmat and some cars.

Sing
Listen to stories
Sleep
Occasionally vomit.

When we travel with our toddler, we make sure to bring along some of his favorite toys and books. Snacks are a lifesaver, especially his favorites. We also have a playlist of songs and nursery rhymes that he loves. If you're okay with it, a tablet with a few downloaded cartoons or apps can really help. Don't forget their favorite comfort items, like a blanket or stuffed animal. And of course, take breaks for some fresh air and a good stretch. Safe travels!

Mine used to sleep through most of our journeys, but other than that plenty of snacks and a few toys to fiddle with works well. They'll probably enjoy some music and playing games looking out of the windows. Try and break your journey somewhere with a good spot to run around so they can really let some energy out.

Snacks
iPad videos
Travel at nap time or after bed time
Stop at swimming pool --> nap in car
Or stop at soft play

Screens are your friend. We have a tablet especially for long car journeys (DD doesn't otherwise have access to one). We load it up with downloads of her favourite programmes before a long journey and just let her watch to her hearts content. Screen time limits go out of the window for the duration of the journey!

When ours were that age, we bought cheap mp3 players and children's volume restricted headphones for long car journeys. We downloaded a load of children's songs and some audio books onto them. They also had (still have) a small rucksack each (cheap day sack from Decathlon) in the back of the car that contained books, pencils and pads, their special teddy and a snack pot and water bottle. We also have portable dvd players that go on the headrests of the front seat with headphones attached which weren't hugely expensive

1st hour nap time

2nd hour sing, read books, look out of the widow. Reach down to pick up toys he’s dropped. Tantrum because you can’t reach them all.

Stop for lunch/ snacks

3rd hour - same as 2nd hour

4th hour - give in and let him watch cocomelon on my phone.

Sleep!

Mine also likes tooking out the window, so for a one off long journey you don't NECESSARILY have to put in a lot of effort

(and yeah, a bit of screentime)

Be careful with screens unless you're confident he's not car sick. We found out our DS was violently travel sick at a similar age having tried to entertain him with a kids kindle strapped to the back of my headrest 🤢

Fun songs, variety of little snacks to constantly pass, audiobooks and hopefully sleep got us through. Stop somewhere for a good couple of hours to run around and get tired halfway if poss.

I used to sit in the back. Break up journey with a story, music, a snack, I-Spy out of the window, a toy, a nap etc.

We regularly did 16 hours with DTs

Eat
Sleep
Listen to sudio books - Julia Donaldson were great
Stick stick over the car / the dog / each other
Eat some more
Get out every couple of hours to let off some steam
eat
More stickers
Sleep

Thanks all!

We've avoided much screen time so far -- and I was very travel sick as a child, with screens / reading still making me feel sick. So I'm thinking this probably isn't the moment to start with that. But some other great ideas, we'll do our best!

I never give my kids anything to do.😆They look out the window, sing along to the radio, nap, eldest asks for a journey update every 5 minutes and asks random questions, youngest yells at every vehicle he sees.

We usually do 90 mins - 2hours before a stop, give them lunch and a massive run round then back in the car again. Rinse and repeat.

My kids are usually feral so no idea why they're so well behaved in the car.

We use to drive to Italy when the DC's were babies/toddlers. Two days of 8 hours. This was before tech, so we sang, did endless games of ispy, but mostly they slept. One year DH realised in exiting he car that DD1 had spent some considerable time flicking her ice tea straw at the back of his head! He was very sticky!!

Audiobooks go down really well. My children are 6 and 3 and we're doing the Narnia books at the moment. A lot of it is over the youngest's head but she seems to be enjoying listening, regardless. I've got the Horrid Henry ones as well which are more annoying for us parents, but if it keeps them happy in the car then it's worth it.

Time longer journeys to correspond with nap time. Otherwise dome toys, kids songs/audio books, snacks and just getting use to been bored sometimes.

i_Spy books are brilliant, so they can be occupied looking for sheep, church spires, etc.

Or do tally competitions of car colours, car models, etc., i.e. you count red, child counts blue, and see who wins.

Or just pointing out things of interest that they may not have seen before, such as unusual bridges, aircraft (if near an airport), railways, etc.

We found anything that involved looking out of the windows kept their attention longer and reduced the risk of car sickness etc.

Mine (3&6) also enjoy playing car colours. One gets a point for every blue car we see, the other for red cars, they spend ages trying to spot there colours.

Not sure if I was clear, my little one will only be 20 months for the car journeys -- is 19 months now. Has a few nice words, but not enough of them for audiobooks or games involving counting things out of the window etc.

Or maybe I should try getting some Julia Donaldson audiobooks and see? I can always use them next year if he doesn't get much out of them now.

Mine would be fine for 5/10 mins then started whinging, crying , screaming etc. vomiting if we hadn’t got the dose right for travel sickness medication 🤦‍♀️ we would have to stop every 30 mins . Nightmare

At that age we just didn't really drive that far, or timed it so they would sleep.

Mine are really car sick so no screens or books.

iSpy with a 19 month old!? Your babies are obviously a lot brighter than mine!

Mine are all quickly prone to travel sick but we find screens are ok- even actually help. I think the key thing is to put them on a holder on the headrest in front (or back headrest if rear facing), not down on the child's lap

... and mine. But these are nice tips for the future!