Traveling with a Toddler: Oh the Joys of Mommyhood!

   

     Have you heard this saying yet? "Going to the grocery store alone is like a vacation, but going on vacation is like work!" I'm going to assume if you're mom and have a Facebook account, then you have probably seen the funny little mommy e-cards floating around! Go ahead and admit it, traveling with your children isn't always easy!

     We will be traveling to see my in-laws for the upcoming holiday and you want to know what I'm dreading the most? If you guessed a 12 hour car drive with a toddler, you guessed right! I know, some people dread their in-laws, but honestly mine are quite lovely! :) Must be where my hubby gets it from. Our first trip with our daughter when she was only about two months old took us almost 17 hours for a 12 trip! Holy Toledo! Between her breastfeeding every couple of hours, stopping to change diapers, traffic, etc it was one of the longest trips of my life. Thankfully since that time, we decided to start traveling through the night since she's been a great sleeper since she was about 2 months old. I must say that doing this saved us lots of time and kept us from losing our hearing! Read: lots of screaming! The only problem with traveling through the night is that my husband has never been able to fight off sleepiness while driving and since having our daughter I'm not the best night driver either. Sigh...maybe it's the sign of getting old? Hopefully it's just another "negative side effect" of having a child! ;)

     This year Kylee is two years old and she's in the most horrible terrible-two stage very strong willed. Do you know what a strong willed child is like? It's amazing and a curse all at the same time. She's determined and so am I. She's smart, but I'm smarter. This makes for a screaming match with a two year old. No, seriously!!! I try to reason with her and speak on a calm level but often find myself having to out-shout her! I'm sure having her extended rear-facing doesn't help matters, along with her ability to self entertain is at a bare minimum. Keeping that in mind I'm always looking for ways to keep her entertained in the car. I'll be honest, in some desperate attempts I probably look like the worst mom ever by handing my child a napkin to tear up, a straw to play with, or who knows what other nonsense. What are you laughing at? I bet you've done it too! I'll be bringing my "A game" this year and packing all the punches! Want to know what's on my list? Sit tight, this could get lengthy (especially when one thing only entertains her for 2.4 seconds)!

Things to Pack for Your Toddler on a Road Trip to Keep Them Entertained:

1) Snacks-- by this I really mean gummy bears. Don't judge me, desperate times call for desperate measures. OK, OK, I'll be bringing more appropriate snacks too! 

2) Portable DVD player-- My child actually has never really been into TV that much (I guess I should be thankful) but we have a few movies that she loves. Ice Age is one of her favorite movies. Most kids her age are not into movies like that, but she loves it. 

3) Portable work station-- with lots of crayons and things to color on (I keep the scraps of paper from the coupons I clip so she has blank sheets to scribble on). I honestly have no clue what this whatchamacallit is, but I've had it since I was in college and now I'm glad I kept it! It's a HUGE lifesaver!

4) A ride along in the back seat-- If you're traveling with someone else, take turns sitting in the back seat with your child/children. It's much easier to keep them entertained this way.

5) A grab bag-- Explain to your child if they cooperate for a certain length of time or whatever suits your family's needs, they'll be allowed to choose one thing out of the grab bag. You can throw in some of their favorite sweet treats, toys you grab from the Dollar Store, or money they can trade in to buy something on the trip.

6) Flashlight-- if you're traveling at night or in the evening, chances are your child would love to go crazy with one! If you're easily distracted by this type thing while driving, this one might not work for you. My daughter has a Disney Princess Light Up Projector Flashlight that she loves! It's not too bright, but she loves waving it around! Kids love bright lights! 

7) Something musical-- I highly recommend the Disney Princess Play CD Player if you have a little girl. It has three "play CD's" that feature some of Disney's favorite songs and melodies! My daughter loves to change her CD's out and push the play button. Fisher Price also makes a CD player for young children, and it has great reviews.

8) No spill bubbles-- I'm sure you're thinking wow, what a mess. Hey...I can easily wipe down a window etc if it keeps my child entertained. The no spill buckets you can now get are pretty genius! Just don't let it distract the driver!

9) Straws-- :) You know those bendable ones that make noise when you blow through them? I'm being serious! Try it!

10) A small sensory box-- The possibilities are endless. Throw some age appropriate items in a plastic container (when Kylee was younger, we re-used plastic wipes boxes). Follow me on Pinterest to get some great ideas! Stay tuned for a "sensory box" board! :)

     As I stated before, my list could get lengthy but I hope those top 10 will help you on your next road trip! I will be sure to report back on how the trip went and which items worked best or the longest period of time!

Do you have any suggestions on keeping your little ones entertained while on a road trip? Please feel free to comment below, email me, or contact me on Facebook and/or Twitter! I would love to add any of your suggestions to my list! :)