Road Tripping with Toddlers

Road trips are meant to be enjoyable experiences, allowing the participants involved the leisure of traveling at whatever pace they choose. On a road trip, one can stop at roadside attractions, take the time to have a picnic, spend the day at the beach, or make the decision to stop at various national parks or major metropolitan areas. Road trips are, shall we say, spontaneous. They become even more so when toddlers and young pre-teens are involved. Be prepared to plan ahead and have supplies handy for those "Oh my God" moments.

OMG Moment #1

Your two year old hates her car seat.

Solution: Be sure to take plenty of distractions. If you're vehemently opposed to portable DVD players, now might be a good time to change your mind. Purchase a good brand that comes with at least a two hour battery and a car charger. Buy a CD binder big enough to hold everyone's favorite DVDs and CDs and stow it underneath your seat. This not only keeps the discs out of direct heat and light, but it also ensures that you won't be fumbling around in the console for any lost discs. Another worthwhile investment is an activity tray. Most brands and styles fit directly on your child's lap and can be secured to the car seat. Once you have your child's activity tray, stock up on coloring books, crayons, stickers, Play Doh, Silly Putty, favorite books, etc. You know your child best, so make sure you have all her favorites on hand. Buy a cheap organizer or just use a sturdy cardboard box to keep all the toys/games/activities in.

Bonus Tip: Don't let your little one see all the toys at once. Introduce each coloring book/game/sticker book individually so that the novelty doesn't rub off immediately.

OMG Moment #2

Your toddler wants to sit on the potty and the next rest stop isn't for another thirty miles.

Solution: Road tripping with a child who has recently become interested in trying the potty can be frustrating. Granted, your little one is still in diapers, but you don't want to discourage his/her interest in using the toilet. All bets are off in situations like this. For little boys, it doesn't hurt to pull over to the side of the road and let him pee behind a tree. Another alternative is to have a travel potty on hand. There are several on the market as well as a range of prices to fit everyone's budget.

OMG Moment #3

Your toddler has absolutely had enough of the car for today...and a meltdown is about to happen.

Solution: In addition to your big book of CDs and DVDs, burn a couple of CDs for these specific meltdown moments and you'll be able to keep your sanity as you drive the last ten miles to the motel. Compile your child's absolute favorite songs on one or two discs and save them for these last crucial miles. DO NOT play these CDs at any other time during the trip. Believe me, the longer you can hold off on playing the emergency CDs, the greater the calming/happy effect they will have on your child.

Easy Snacks For Kids

Since your kids are going to be road tripping with you, you're going to want to have plenty of easy, healthy snacks on hand:

- Crackers of the Goldfish, Cheez It, Whales, Ducks, or Bunny variety
- Bottled water and juice boxes (there are even organic juice boxes!!)
- Dried fruit and trail mix
- Banana and plantain chips
- Fresh fruit: bananas, apples, grapes, and oranges can all be eaten at room temperature
- Mini boxes of raisins and craisins
- Granola bars/cereal bars
- Bagel chips
- String cheese (best kept in a small cooler)
- Dry cereal in mini boxes or baggies
- Fruit leather
- PB&J sandwiches

One Good Book To Have On Hand

Frommer's 100 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up

This is a great book to bring along on your road trip. It's got hotel listings and age recommendations. Fun to flip through, good for planning ahead or spur of the moment fun. var fctb_tool=null; function FCTB_Init_1262d9379228491cbb2af8a04f88e858(t) { fctb_tool=t;

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