5 Tips for Surviving a Long Car Trip With a Toddler

Thinking about taking a long car ride with your toddler but dreading the endless hours on the road? I’ve been there myself! Here are 5 tips on surviving a long car ride with your toddler.

1) Snacks
A hungry tummy is a grumpy tummy. Have those snacks ready and easy to pass to your kids. My favourite snack is anything from Love Child Organics. Give them a try, you won’t regret it.

2) Frequent Stops
I believe the recommendation is to take your baby out of the car seat every 2 hours. Truth is, we can all do with a nice stretch. Aim for every 1.5-2 hours to give the whole family time out of the car. Plan to stop at exciting places along the way if you can.

3) Activities
Looking at scenery is wonderful but some children get bored of that. Spice things up with books, magnetic boards, colouring books, wipe and clean books, and look and find books or play eye spy with items in the car. Having fun activities will make the time fly by.

4) Comfort Items
Does your Little One have a favourite plushie or blanket? Bring it along! Having comfort items to hold can help soothe a grumpy and tired child.

5) Timing
This is a big one. When is the best time to travel with a toddler? I would say plan to leave as early as you can in an effort to have a lot of the drive when your toddler is usually asleep. So that might mean leaving at 5 a.m. just as the sun is rising! Enjoy the sunset and hit the road!

There you have it. My 5 tips for surviving a long car ride with your toddler. It isn’t always easy to drive long distance with young children but with some preparation, you can make it easier on the whole family.