Tip—Give some careful thought in advance on how to keep your toddler occupied and content on a long car or plane trip—and pack accordingly.

Young children's activity levels seem to range from intense energy to noodle limp exhaustion. When they are exhausted, we know what to do with them. When they are awake, they want to be exploring, moving around and generally keeping busy. This can be a problem when your (awake) child is trapped in a car seat on a long trip. What can you do to provide your child with good memories of the trip and allow you to arrive in one piece? Here are some things to consider:

• Toddlers need life to be predictable. Travel is change, not only in their routine, but also in their environment. Bring some things from home to offer a little continuity for your child: the comfort item she uses to help fall asleep, those favorite pajamas, her pillow, and the favorite bedtime storybook.

• Toddlers need variety. Although they like things to be predictable—they aren't. So, you'll need some tricks up your sleeve to keep your child entertained and in his seat. Toddlers don't take long to "use up" an item, so quantity is just as important as quality.

• Toddlers need to stretch. Remember to stop along the way and let your wiggly wanderer have a break from the car seat. Try to remember how it felt when you went to an event that was utterly boring and you longed to stand up and scream, "Let me out of here!" Avoid this by visiting the rest stops to stretch your legs and get the blood flowing. It will help everyone.

• If you are visiting someone new, you can help familiarize your child with his new friends by showing him photos and telling stories about them on the way.

Tools—The following are some tried-and-true ideas for keeping young children busy in the car or in a hotel room. Some are drawn from Joyful Play with Toddlers: Recipes for Fun with Odds and Ends.

• Think small. Put a variety of miniature items in a bag. Lots of books come in small sizes for small hands now, and you can find many other items which have toddler appeal. A lunch box filled with small toys is pure delight to a toddler. Little blank books for scribbling are just the ticket. (Caution: make sure your child is safely past the stage of putting everything in the mouth.)

• Rainbow in a bag. Make paint extender. Put a cup or two of the goop in a zippered plastic bag. Add a few drops of two different colors of food coloring. Work the air out of the bag, seal it and then cover the zipper with duct tape. As your child manipulates the goop, the colors will move and merge, making a new color. I call this travel finger painting! (Caution: no biting the bag!)

  

• Story in a bag. Have a little pouch around the house? Look for small items to fill the bag. Pull the items out, one at a time, and tell a story using the items. Kids love the surprise element and you can toss everything back in and do it again. Items will come out at different times and you can do a whole new story. Involve your child in the storytelling by asking what the item is as you pull it out, what the name of the character might be, etc.

• Books. Bring your child's favorites. You can also personalize a special book for your child by using family photographs. Begin with a picture of your child as a baby and continue with more recent photos of her—particularly shots of her engaged in some of her favorite activities. Put in photos of family members, pets, her room, or other favorite objects. Put the pages in plastic bags of the same size. Sew the pages together on the zippered side. This book will not only entertain her in the car, it will ease any homesickness while you're away.

• Pack a favorite friend. Having someone familiar along for the ride can make all the difference in your child's experience being far from home. Children get a kick out of you photographing their friend at various photo spots on the trip and it's a great way to recall past adventures.

You’ll find more practical tips you can use right now in Joyful Play with Toddlers: Recipes for Fun with Odds and Ends by Sandi Dexter.

E-mail this page to a friend