Tips for Traveling by Car with Young Children
Smokey Nielsen, Early Childhood Educator

A little planning and forethought when traveling with young children, can make your car trip as much fun as the vacation. By planning ahead you will be well on your way to making some wonderful memories that your children will someday cherish.

To begin, a simple idea to help keep your car clean and smelling good is to place a towel under car seats, as it is much easier to wash a towel than your fabric upholstery.  Have wipes available to clean-up sticky fingers and a few small bags for garbage that can be thrown away whenever you stop. Something we always hope we will not need to use, but we need to be prepared with is a well-stocked emergency kit. Also have diapers if your child needs them and a handy change of clothing is also a good idea to avoid having to get suitcases out.

Traveling with a toddler or preschooler can be challenging but very rewarding! Young children are all about action and fun! So a little planning can make a car trip something they really look forward to. A tray that fits on their car seat will make it easier for them to enjoy the fun activities you have collected for them to do. (If you do not have a tray I have included a web sight where they can be found).

Things Young Children Love to Do or Have in the Car:

• New books and some old favorites.
• Audio books which can be found at the library.
• Stickers with sticker books or notepaper.
• “Colorform” sets (will also stick to the car’s windows but are easily taken off.)
• Small cars.
• Baby doll with a bottle.
• Etch-a-Sketches and Magna Doodles are great drawing alternatives to crayons, which are easily dropped.
• Toys they can build with such as, “duplos”, soft blocks, or snap together toys.
• Wikki Stixs, waxed strings in different colors, that can be molded into different shapes.
• CD’s which encourage movement. (My family has enjoyed all the Dr. Jean CD’s, “I Know a Chicken” by Laurie Berkner, and the “Wee Sing in the Car” book and CD or make your own CD of your child’s favorite songs.)
• Snacks. Try for healthier snacks such as Trail Mix, granola bars, and fresh fruit.  Carry small water bottles to help your child keep hydrated.
• Favorite stuffed animal and blanket for naps in the car.
• Point out scenery as you see it.
• Play games such as finding cars of certain colors. Decide on things to look for according to where you are driving, in the country you can look for barns, tractors, and different animals. There is a great web sight with scavenger hunt ideas listed below. You might add pictures as words only can be frustrating to little ones.
• Coloring books and crayons if they have a tray to work on.
• Activity Pads which can be found at most dollar stores.
• Children always love presents, so you can wrap a few toys. They don’t have to be new. Just go around your house and find small items your child has not played with for awhile. Depending on how long your trip is you can decide how often they will get a “gift.”
• For long trips, a DVD player with a favorite movie, can be calming for your child. Used for a short time, this can give parents a little break without spoiling the memories you are hoping your child will have about your road trip.
• Sometime during your trip, turn off everything, put away everything, and just talk with your child. They will love your undivided attention!

When traveling with young children it is important to be realistic. Children are constantly on the go and to expect them to sit for hours is not going to make for a happy family! Make many stops where your child can run off some energy. Many rest stops have walking trails and by checking out good stopping points before leaving home you can tell your child what he has to look forward to at the next stop.

Wishing you many wonderful memories!

Additional Resources:

www.ehow.com/how_2037735_distances-car-children.html

www.associatedcontent.com/article/200322/surviving_car_travel_with_young_children.html

http://www.momsminivan.com/scavenger.html

www.vxkh.com/2009/06/preparing-for-road-trips-with-young-children/

www.familyonboard.com/car_seat_travel_trays.html

Smokey Nielsen
Early Childhood Teacher