Keeping a ERF 23month old occupied on a long car ride?

CPST_Augie

CPS Technician
I need tips, fast. We are heading out in 11ish hours to go to Kentucky. This is an emergency trip (funeral) and therefore no money was budgeted for this. I know soft toys and all, but we don't have money to go buy fun, NEW things to keep her attention. I know she will sleep for at least the first half of the trip and there will be an adult in the back seat with her the whole ride.

To give an idea of the length of the drive, we're leaving around midnight and expect to be there at 3pm. This includes two meal stops (not much way around that with a baby) and diaper stops.

Of course, we'll have the trip home in a few days too. It'll be a LOT of time in the car for someone so little, but it's unavoidable.
 
ADS

agave

New member
All I can say is good luck. My 22 month old starts yelling "Help stuck!" After about 3 hours.
 

Holly

New member
Music, books, lacing cards (if you dont have any, can you make some out of cardboard or cardstock (even a cereal box would work) and a hole punch and yarn or a shoelace)? Any toy she loves but hasn't seen in a while, or borrow some toys from a friend, toys she has never seen before or has rarely seen...
 

mamakc

Active member
Having the adult in back should help some.

Other than that, songs (we once made the wheels on the bus last an hour or more, making up new verses lol), check the library for childrens music CD's, books, check the dollar store for new exciting toys to bring along (like one of those squishy rubbery balls [ame="http://www.amazon.com/6-Squishy-Ball-Set/dp/B0014JHCUW"]Amazon.com: 6" Squishy Ball Set of 6: Sports & Outdoors[/ame] or something). Have something to block the sun so naps don't get interrupted. Do you have an ipod that you can put movies on? Or can you borrow one?
 

CPST_Augie

CPS Technician
Music, books, lacing cards (if you dont have any, can you make some out of cardboard or cardstock (even a cereal box would work) and a hole punch and yarn or a shoelace)? Any toy she loves but hasn't seen in a while, or borrow some toys from a friend, toys she has never seen before or has rarely seen...

I love the idea of borrowing toys from a friend. Off to make some phone calls now. Thanks! :D
 

krasota

Well-known member
What route are you taking? WV is frigid right now, but there's a nice playground/park in Hurricane, WV, right off I-64. You'd hit that late in the morning and could have a picnic/takeout and let her run off a lot of energy.

Borrowing a DVD player might not be a bad idea. You could hit Redboxes along the way for new movies. The novelty might help.

Baking sheet, paper/book, triangular crayons.
 

flipper68

Senior Community Member
All I can say is good luck. My 22 month old starts yelling "Help stuck!" After about 3 hours.

:p:)

For your trip: post it notes, travel yahtzee (the noise will drive you only slightly nuts, but something about pushing buttons is always fun), her favorite stuffed animal/baby doll, books, CD's / audio books - whatever will work in your vehicle, snacks/drinks, ball and/or small ride on toy to use when you stop, slinky, sticker book, magnet doodle/magic slate.
 

CPST_Augie

CPS Technician
Thanks everyone. We're leaving at midnight so she will be sleeping for the first several hours (hopefully). We're taking her color/shape flashcards, books, her 'baby" (stuffed doll), paper and crayons and some other toys (will have to see what they pack...this is my niece). We'll also have music going the whole time (she LOVES music). If it gets bad we can find a dollar store on the way. Maybe my other siblings in Kentucky will spoil her and she'll have new stuff for the ride home. (They haven't gotten to meet her yet.)
 

birdflippin'

New member
I just did a 16 hour trip with a 23 month old and 3 year old. I hit up the dollar store and stocked up on sticker books, "disposable" toys so harm if they're lost, and non melting junk food snack (skittles are awesome). I also packed some fave books.
If they were sleeping we drove until they woke up or we needed gas, whatever came first. If we stopped for gas we'd wake them up and find a patch of grass and ran races forwards, backwards, as kangaroos, skipping, etc... just to burn off energy.
We stopped at a hotel for the night, I put the TV on the cartoon channel, locked the door and blocked with our suit case, then told the boys you can play quietly but let mummy and daddy sleep. They were still running around the room at 4am, but they slept in the van the whole time.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
dollar tree or any cheap dollar store... hit it with about 10-20 bucks... get cheap crayons, coloring books, and little toys that you won't care if they get lost or broken and little bags of pretzels, granola bars, or some kind of easy snack, and a super fun drink cup (one where the straw wraps around or something)

you can even get some new paperback books there for cheap, some small things of bubbles (great for rest stops... helps encourage getting the energy out), and some soft cloth balls (sure, they may say splash balls or be intended for something else, but they're great for playing catch in the car if you sit in back with him)
 

CPST_Augie

CPS Technician
Thanks everyone. It's going well so far. Just finished breakfast in Hurricane, WV. She's wide awake now but Uncle Chris (my DH) splurged and got her a new doggy toy at Walmart in Hurricane because she got sick as we pulled into the first toll booth and sadly her favorites were all in the path.
 

CPST_Augie

CPS Technician
She did really well. We added in a few stops at the end just to let her get out and run. After our last stop she started yelling "I wanna walk!" :( We had just let her run for a half hour though. Luckily, she fell back asleep and didn't wake up until we got here.
 

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