Trips for Traveling with Toddlers

If you've ever traveled with a toddler, you know that it can be quite stressful and you may even dread it. Here are some tips on how to keep your toddler entertained while traveling, and even once you arrive at your destination. They worked for me when I traveled from Pennsylvania to Virginia, alone with my son. It could have been a dreadful experience, but instead it was virtually stress-free for the both of us.

Travel during naptime- This will cut the length of the trip down for your toddler and they will still have had their nap and be ready to roll once you meet your destination. I made sure to pack a blanket and a small pillow for him, and I left the radio on to help lull him to sleep. This made our 6 hour drive, only 4 hours for him and much more do-able.

Bring snacks- Full bellies make for happy children, and noone likes to be hungry. Giving healthy snacks such as granola bars, animal crackers or some Cheerio's can help keep your stops down to a minimum for food. This saves money, since fast food places along highways can be overpriced and not very healthy.

Stop and Rest- Make stops at rest-areas or parks so everyone can stretch their legs. It's not easy for anyone to be in a car for hours on end, and it's even harder on a toddler. Allowing your child to get out and move around, will make the ride more pleasant.

Take toys-. If traveling alone with your child, you won't be able to turn around and play with them. Make sure the toys are interactive and talk to them about what the toys are doing. Toys will also come in handy while you are in your hotel room.

Talk, talk, talk- As we rode down the highway, I talked to my son about the big trucks that we were passing, and I named them by color. This was not only educational, but gave us a chance to interact and took some of the boredom out of the drive. We also "looked" for deer that might be along side the road, and in more rural areas- some cows, horses and dogs.

Explore & Roam- Most hotel rooms are child-proof since there isn't much in them anyway. Let them explore and roam, you won't need to be on edge about what they may find and it will give you some time to relax on the bed or start un-packing after that long trip.

Find a hotel that has something to do nearby.-Whether it be a park, a pond or a small toddler friendly attraction. Our son enjoyed the small pond outside our hotel room, as it attracted ducks and turtles. The hotel staff gave us a biscuit from breakfast to feed to the ducks, and he just loved it. This will also give you time to chill out around the hotel, and still keep your toddler occupied and out of trouble.

Get a hotel room that has two beds- Our room had two queen sized beds, and it was a life-saver. We brought the Pack N Play with us, so that our son had a place to sleep. Since we were in a strange place, he wasn't happy about sleeping in there and not being able to see us immediately when he woke up. Instead- we pushed the bed against the wall, put the Pack N Play in between the two beds, and used pillows on the end of the bed to keep him from rolling off. We laid down with him while he fell asleep, and once he was asleep we were able to crawl into our own bed. This was much less stressful than letting him scream and cry because he didn't want to sleep in the Pack N Play.

Long trips do not need to be stressful for parents and children. Small and easy ideas can help keep your sanity and make your vacation enjoyable.