That equates to a LOT of hours in the car. It has actually become more of a challenge as Mason has grown, and as we prepare for 2011 Spring Training, I thought I would share a few tips.
First, we try to do as much driving at night as possible.
I realize it's not always feasible, but we find that driving at night is quiet, quicker, and Mason will actually sleep in the car. If it's light outside, he doesn't want to miss a THING and refuses to even nap. The trick is to follow your bedtime routine at home, get your toddler into "sleep mode" and then hop into the car to leave. Mase will be out by the time we get out of the city limits. We play classical music to help with the white noise, especially during gas stops, where he is most likely to wake up.
Second, if you do have to travel during the day, make sure you are armed with lots of fun, new toys and games.
Here is part of what our kit looks like for the 9 hour drive home from Arizona (most of which will be done during waking hours):
If you're flying with a toddler, get one of those travel accessories cases that rolls up. You can stick little toys and treats in each pouch, unroll it on the airplane and tie it to the seat in front of you. It's even more fun if you wrap your toys and games, like it's Christmas! Who doesn't love the excitement of unwrapping a gift?
This week I whipped up a super cool Felt Travel Mat using
THIS tutorial and I think Mason is going to get lots of use out of it. Perfect for trains, planes,
and automobiles. :)
Third, SNACKS.
Here are my go-to's:
Cheerios (Have you tried the Cinnamon Burst yet? Mmm!)
Trader Joe's Organic Animal Crackers
Trader Joe's Organic Dried Cranberries
String Cheese or Cheese Sticks
Fruit Snacks or Trader Joe's Organic Fruit Leather
Goldfish Crackers + Marshmallows + Pretzel Sticks (snack mix)
Fourth, remember to be flexible and have a good time.
This is probably the most important tip. If you're stressed out, your kid will sense it and be stressed out too. If you're positive and having a good time on the adventure, they will too. See how that works? Try it. I swear. Have fun, make a few stops, run around the car and take some silly pictures.
*Note: We have yet to travel with a portable DVD player and there is no way Matt is going to let Mason (AKA, Destructo) anywhere near his iPhone, but those are probably good options to kill some time and entertain your kids too. Mason has been into "Finding Nemo" and "Cars" lately, so I am considering the DVD player option for the next trip. I'll let you know how it goes!
