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!

Point out things to him, cows, sheep etc.

Things can be really exciting when you are little.

My mum bought my nephew and Eddie Stobart Truck when he was little, and he apparently got really excited when he saw a real 'big lorry like mine', I think he was older then.

I'm not normally car sick but one car we had when I was a child made me sick. The travel sickness pills used to knock me out. Very useful when you are driving to Spain. I'm not suggesting you drug your child and I don't know if you can get travel sickness meds for someone so young.

We regularly do journeys of 4 hours and our lo is 20 months. We’ve never done anything specific to entertain them, and we’ve found the best thing is to leave late in the eve (say, 6ish) and she just sleeps through most of it. Try to stop half way for a run around.

My son would listen to Julia Donaldson audiobooks on repeat he loved them so much. For my littlest one I make sure she has a multi sensory soft toy at hand to keep her occupied for a while. This one has worked really well.

Link to the toy

We allow unlimited screen time on long journeys, by car or plane. It keeps them quiet and stops them from being bored. Plus it gives me peace to watch my own films as well. They also sleep for a big chunk of the time.