29 hours? WHAT? Yes. We actually drove for 29 hours this weekend. We left at 5am on Wednesday and ventured out on our first family "road trip". 16 hours the way down to NJ and 13 hours on the road trip back to Chicago. Kayla is 2.5 years old. She's pretty good in the car, so we thought it wouldn't be so bad. In fact, it was somewhat exciting to be stuck so close together all day.
This is what I packed:
- TONS of snacks & drinks for Kayla and mommy/daddy
- DVD player that we borrowed from our friends (Thanks, Steve & Patty!). This was a cool Panasonic one that actually hooked onto the back of the front seat. This was super convenient with a lighter charger and Kayla thought it was super special. Before we borrowed this, we used to hold up our laptop for her - great for muscle building, but impossible for a long road trip ;)
- Books & coloring activities: I would sit in the back with her and go through the colors, pictures, etc. together. We would do this together just like we would at home. Makes the time fly away and has her forgetting that she's stuck in her car seat.
- Portable toddler potty with wipes/toilet paper: VERY convenient for those emergency "I have to go potty" moments when you're in the middle of nowhere. We just stop the car in a lot and have her potty in the back seat. Bring wet wipes to temporarily clean things down and you're good to go. Also more sanitary than some of those nasty rest stop bathrooms.
- Loaded up iPhone with a few great toddler applications - LIFESAVER
We didn't pack much, but we used everything! If I were to rank the above necessities for the trip, I would say the snacks/drinks & iPhone apps were the key essentials. I LOVE LOVE my iPhone. I don't know what I would do without it. As a parent, it's such a great tool for so many things like taking in-the-moment snapshots and providing entertainment for the kids.
There are 2 great iPhone apps that she LOVES and it's really enhancing her learning. I didn't want her to get started on video games just yet, so I focused on downloading "learning" apps. Check out the ones below:
1. iPlay n Learn application from Parents Magazine. Here is a link to a review: http://appadvice.com/app/331814911
Kayla loves all 3 sections of this app/game. It can really reinforce the shapes, letter, numbers, listening, following directions, etc. Even the tracing part is really cool. She can now actually draw some of the shapes and write letters/numbers because she practiced with this game. As a parent, I feel great that she's having a blast LEARNING! Check it out if you haven't already. The link should have direct links to how to get this application. I highly suggest it.
2. ANIMATCH - memory matching game. This is another game/application that she LOVES. It's a cute game of the traditional memory card game that makes the actual noises of the animals. It really enhances memory, the ability to understand the rules of the game, animal noises, etc. She can play this forever. Another great game that you can feel great about as a parent.
Other key tips for road tripping:
- Don't put on the DVD player with movies until you desperately need to. We always did the other activities first and then saved the movies for right before or after nap time. It's a great way to get them calmed down to sleep or a way to cheerfully wake them up.
- Instead of eating at the big rest plazas, find a place that has a play area like a McDonald's or family restaurant. After eating, having them run around & exert all their energy. Their feel more rested in the car. It's worth those extra 20 minutes - believe me.
- TALK a lot to them! This is a great time to talk about things you see outside, what you did yesterday, what you will do at grandma's house, etc. Kids get antsy in the car mostly because of boredom. Toddlers LOVE interacting with their parents the most, so take this opportunity to converse. :)
Happy road tripping if you have one coming up! Let us know how it goes and give us more tips/thoughts if you have them! Happy Holidays everyone!
(Our dog, Micah, enjoyed the road trip, too!)