1. Busy bags! I already blogged about this one, and the kids love them! Super easy to stash in a box, and switch out bags at rest stops! BEFORE you go on the road trip, teach the kids how to use the busy bags! That means, sit down with them for 5 minutes with each bag, and show the "right" way to play with it.
2. Books! I am very fortunate to have my mom driving back with me, and she is willing to read books aloud, and the kids will listen to stories for hours! PLUS I packed some of their favorite books that they know so well they are basically memorized!
3. Play car games! One of my first blogs ever was about some easy speech games to play in the car, and I also did one about some working memory games, which are harder and require more effort, but are so good for developing brains!
4. Coloring Books and Water Wow painting books. These are Melissa and Doug products, my favorite company EVER!!!! The markers only color those pages, nothing else, AND the water wow only uses water!
4. Coloring Books and Water Wow painting books. These are Melissa and Doug products, my favorite company EVER!!!! The markers only color those pages, nothing else, AND the water wow only uses water!
5. Rest Stop Toys! A ball to chase (just like fetch with a dog, but kids are way cuter!), flying toys, Frisbee, etc.
6. Busy Boxes! Very similar to busy bags, but everything can stay in the box. We made dinosaur and ninja play boxes, a lego box, and an art box. This one is the one I am most proud of:
7. Coloring Books! I have several different ones here, with some crayons packed as well. They loooove to color, for about 10-15 minutes. Then they get to switch coloring books, since kids always want what the other has anyway!
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| Halloween, Dory, church, pirates, minions... |
8. Glow Sticks! Driving in the dark can be difficult- you can't look at books or color, can't see for busy bags/ boxes, and I don't like them watching movies before bed, so the solution is- glowsticks!!!
9. Sing songs! I made Chelsea a picture songbook, where she can point to pictures of songs she likes "Three Blind Mice" or "Hush Little Baby". Since she can't read yet, it works out great, and I can glance quickly at the picture instead of trying to read the titles of songs. And she has something to look at while we sing. (Yes, I am aware that I am a terrible artist, but Chelsea likes it anyway!)
10. Printable Pages! Scavenger hunts, cars and roads, bingo... So many options! (Best to laminate these or put them in sheet protectors for easy cleaning and re-use)
12. Re-useable stickers! Another Melissa and Doug product (seriously love these guys!), and I LOVE these in the car! Not only can you stick them on the habitat pages they have, but the stickers can ALSO stick on the car windows!!!!
Tips:
- Stay organized!!!! I turn into a complete psycho when things get disorganized and messy, so I like stopping every two hours for a potty and snack break, to stretch our legs, and clean out the car! Exchange busy bags and books to keep things fresh, throw away trash, etc. It makes me feel sooo much happier!
- Have a prize bucket! We had a little box of plastic animals, small magnadoodles, cheap toys and snacks, all that jazz. The kids get to choose something at each rest stop, and they get super excited!
- Indulge. My weaknesses are Dr. Pepper and Peachie-Os, so I'm going to treat myself for staying cooped up in a tiny space with stir-crazy children for three days!
- Remove as much packaging as possible BEFORE the car trip starts! This means the wrap around stickers, take prizes out of their boxes, have everything ready to go! Less trash and far less frustrated kids when they are trying to open stickers or get out a game. My goal was no trash in the car!
- Snack bag! This is a no-brainer for any parent, and I like snacks too!!! I just hit Costco and got the boxes of things like crackers, squeeze applesauce, fruit snacks, etc.
- Pack the pillows in the car! I put pillows between the seats to prevent the kids fighting and also for easy reach to fall asleep. 
9. Sing songs! I made Chelsea a picture songbook, where she can point to pictures of songs she likes "Three Blind Mice" or "Hush Little Baby". Since she can't read yet, it works out great, and I can glance quickly at the picture instead of trying to read the titles of songs. And she has something to look at while we sing. (Yes, I am aware that I am a terrible artist, but Chelsea likes it anyway!)
10. Printable Pages! Scavenger hunts, cars and roads, bingo... So many options! (Best to laminate these or put them in sheet protectors for easy cleaning and re-use)
11. Movies. We did two screen-free weeks prior to our trip, so I was okay with them watching 3 movies a day, especially during those loooong desert stretches with nothing for 2+ hours at a time. I loaded them onto the iPad and wedged that between the front seats. Because that is 3.5-4 hours of peace and quiet, and who doesn't love the Disney princesses???
12. Re-useable stickers! Another Melissa and Doug product (seriously love these guys!), and I LOVE these in the car! Not only can you stick them on the habitat pages they have, but the stickers can ALSO stick on the car windows!!!!
Tips:
- Stay organized!!!! I turn into a complete psycho when things get disorganized and messy, so I like stopping every two hours for a potty and snack break, to stretch our legs, and clean out the car! Exchange busy bags and books to keep things fresh, throw away trash, etc. It makes me feel sooo much happier!
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| All my busy bags and boxes, coloring books, etc. Nice and organized! |
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| With the prize bucket in there as well! |
- Have a prize bucket! We had a little box of plastic animals, small magnadoodles, cheap toys and snacks, all that jazz. The kids get to choose something at each rest stop, and they get super excited!
- Indulge. My weaknesses are Dr. Pepper and Peachie-Os, so I'm going to treat myself for staying cooped up in a tiny space with stir-crazy children for three days!
- Remove as much packaging as possible BEFORE the car trip starts! This means the wrap around stickers, take prizes out of their boxes, have everything ready to go! Less trash and far less frustrated kids when they are trying to open stickers or get out a game. My goal was no trash in the car!
- Snack bag! This is a no-brainer for any parent, and I like snacks too!!! I just hit Costco and got the boxes of things like crackers, squeeze applesauce, fruit snacks, etc.
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| I wanted to do this, but I think it would end up dumped... |
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