Toys as potential flying projectiles...

Not sure where this topic would fit, but I am curious to know what you all do about toys in the car. Since anything that is not buckled in or otherwise contained would go flying around in a car accident, what do you all do about having toys in the car to entertain the LO's?

I don't allow heavy (or pointy, or otherwise potentially dangerous) toys in the car. Soft, lightweight toys and small, light paperback or cloth books (occasionally paper and crayon-- if they PICK THEM UP so they don't melt!) only, as a general rule. The rule of thumb question is, "Would you throw it at your kid's face?" If you wouldn't (well, you know, most parents wouldn't intentionally throw anything at their kid's face, but would it be harmful physically if you did), don't have it in the car, period.

Would you throw it at your kids face?

It does answer the question well tho, lol - only after getting over the initial shock. Really good test of what is and isn't appropriate in the car.

Thanks

I try to minimize projectiles by keeping heavy/large items under the cargo net in the back (such as the stroller, groceries, etc.) but it just isn't reasonable to keep some items back there.

I keep the diaper on the floorboard behind DS's seat because I access that frequently during outings. And water bottles? Those can't be secured in my vehicle so those are also 'unsecured.' I would never throw either of those things are my children's heads, but it just isn't reasonable to secure them.

I'm all for reducing projectiles, but sometimes people can take it to the extreme. :twocents:

Oh, yeah. We often have the (as light as possible) diaper bag in the back-- we keep it on the floor and partially under the seat if possible. We have water bottles, too, or sippy cups-- I allow lightweight plastic ones half-full of water. Sometimes you make a parental decision to choose convenience over safety. (Occasionally I've allowed a pointy magic wand or a heavy doll as a "one time exception" to forestall a really cranky kid from a meltdown.) We all do it. But a 14 lb. battery operated toy is probably not the best thing to have in the car unsecured if you can at all help it.

I'm with JGM on this one. We minimize projectiles as much as we reasonably can. The stroller is bungeed to a cargo hook in the back of the van, diaper bag goes on the floor in the front seat or behind my seat because I often need to access it during outings. On longer trips, the kids are allowed water in a sippy (DS) or sport bottle (DD). Gear is packed so that the heaviest items are on the bottom (pack-n-play), lighter items on top (pillows, blankets, etc.) We have one soft toy in the car for DS, otherwise there are no other loose items/toys... oh wait we do have a tissue box on the floor between the front seats, wedged in by the console. We're actually driving from MI to OK in April and I've been thinking about toys/activities for the car. I've made the parental decision to allow DD to use her Leapster during this trip, along with some other small toys such as a travel size Doodle Pro, Aqua Doodle, etc.

Really, I'm all for reducing risk as much as we can. However, sometimes it's just not reasonable for us... no amount of soft toys will satisfy my kids on a 14 hour drive, so for that particular occasion, we'll make an exception to the amount of potential projectiles allowed in the vehicle. Kind of have to weigh the risks... possible projectiles vs. screaming children for 14 hours.

I've thought a lot about this since the tech who installed our first car seat briefed us on it before baby #1 was born. I was afraid to let her have anything and she was miserable. When my mom pointed out that there were soft teething toys she could have, I realized I'd gone too far. All I can say is, I was a new very sleep-deprived mom.

I think about it, choose soft toys as much as possible, do not allow cargo stowed in the cargo area above the top of the back seat level (as my manual says) and cover it, but I do stow some things on the floor and I am not perfect.

Recently the question of water bottles came up for me. DD1 recently got a GN with an awesome cup/bottle holder. She wants to use her fancy water bottle in it, but I am reluctant because it is heavy. I feel okay about using light plastic cups back there and then she can have the bottle when we reach our destination. Of course that means I need to juggle even more stuff while I'm attempting the great feat of getting us into the car. And that probably means I'm being a hypocrite by using my nice water bottle up front. I don't want to discourage us from drinking water when it is so healthy. I do lots of things to make us safer (not just in the car), but sometimes I am forced to choose between two unsafe options (including far more difficult choices than that described here).

Athena... you find a middle ground... like a take n' toss straw cup... it's lightweight, small, and you can control how heavy it gets by only filling it halfway...

still reusable (though able to be tossed if one gets TOO yucky) and will fit the cupholder great.

http://www.learningcurve.com/product/detail/Y1157A3?locale=en_US (they also offer them in patterns like tinkerbell)

"Santa" brought my girls small, very lightweight plastic sports bottles from Babies R Us, with princesses on them, in their stockings. They were on sale again last time I was there. They're only a couple of dollars and they work perfectly.

Thanks for the thoughts everyone. My son is past the age where soft toys will keep him happy, but I will give more thought to finding some lighter toys that hold his interest. And believe it or not, a 1/2 full cup will not do for him. I have a water drinker! He can finish a 10oz. cup in 1/2 an hour sometimes, but maybe I will start tucking it into the diaper bag when he is not actively drinking from it. I like the idea of keeping the diaper bag on the floorboards beneath his seat. I feel like with his seat facing backwards, this will maybe help trap it down below in an accident.

You could also fill his cup half full at a time, but have an extra container of water securely but accessibly stowed for refills.

Mommy0608 said:

I'm with JGM on this one. We minimize projectiles as much as we reasonably can. The stroller is bungeed to a cargo hook in the back of the van, diaper bag goes on the floor in the front seat or behind my seat because I often need to access it during outings. On longer trips, the kids are allowed water in a sippy (DS) or sport bottle (DD). Gear is packed so that the heaviest items are on the bottom (pack-n-play), lighter items on top (pillows, blankets, etc.) We have one soft toy in the car for DS, otherwise there are no other loose items/toys... oh wait we do have a tissue box on the floor between the front seats, wedged in by the console. We're actually driving from MI to OK in April and I've been thinking about toys/activities for the car. I've made the parental decision to allow DD to use her Leapster during this trip, along with some other small toys such as a travel size Doodle Pro, Aqua Doodle, etc.

Really, I'm all for reducing risk as much as we can. However, sometimes it's just not reasonable for us... no amount of soft toys will satisfy my kids on a 14 hour drive, so for that particular occasion, we'll make an exception to the amount of potential projectiles allowed in the vehicle. Kind of have to weigh the risks... possible projectiles vs. screaming children for 14 hours.

Click to expand...

:yeahthat:
My diaper Bag is always in the front seat floor board, Ds has his aqua doodle, sometimes a crayon/notebook, I let him eat/drink in his car seat so a juice box is often back there with him...I'm just thinking about sippy cup... I never thought about the sippy cup... His new ones are a HARD plastic on the outershell & then the actual cup inside of it, with it full that could definitely do damage in a crash. But most of the time his sippy cup is in his diaper bag. All last week he's wanted to take his Play hammer to his Black and Decker tool bench with him and I let him but I put it in his diaper bag and got it out when we got to our destination. Wonder how I missed the Sippy Cup? lol