Tips for driving 'cross country' with 3?

Hi all..

This is my first time posting in the 2nd year. So HELLO!

My twins are 12.5 months old and I also have a 2.5 year old son...all boys!

Ok, sometime this week, we are headed from Colorado to Wisconsin (1,100 miles) The longest the twins have been in the car is about 30 mins, on a foggy day on the way to daycare. They do pretty well in their seats, plus they have their big bro in the backseat to 'watch', since they are rear facing. We're probably cutting the trip in to 2 days, roughly 8 hours a day. Our almost 3 year old is potty training so I know we'll have to make a few stops along the way.

Anyone have some tips or ideas to keep them entertained for the time in the van? I wish they were forward facing so they could watch movies too, but I know it's safest this way, and 1 of my twins isn't 20 lbs yet. Anything you guys can think of would be awesome!

 

I think having snacks and a bunch of soft toys will help. Because this is new to them I think they will enjoy it and hopefully the trip itself will be a distraction. Good luck and have fun!

 

I agree with Brigette and would also add bringing books that they like to look at too. We drove from PA to Michigan when our two were 17 months and rear facing and giving them snacks, books, soft toys to play with did keep them occupied. We did do occasional stops along the way to have them run around a little. Good luck with your trip!

 

We drove from Seattle to Montana last summer when our kiddos were 12 months old...it was a long trip, but we survived! I am the driver in the family (yes, I like to be in control ), so my husband was responsible for "entertaining" the babies. He had a ton of toys to pass back to them...soft toys that make noise, books that make noise, new things for them to explore. To make sure they were new and novel, we hid a lot of the toys it the weeks leading up to the trip. At each stop along the way (and there were more than expected!), we would collect all the toys that ended up on the floor, restocking the bags for the next leg of the trip.

Also, make sure to have music they like and plan to do a lot of singing! Mine were teething big-time during the trip and sometimes inconsolable...singing "Wheels on the Bus" very loudly and very silly was often the only thing that would calm them down

I also had all of their food packed and ready...we were in the middle of transitioning to whole milk, so I had a cooler with a gallon of milk, assorted cut-up fruits/veggies, string cheese, yogurts, etc. I also had a reusable grocery bag packed with crackers, dried fruit, bibs, utensils, extra sippies, etc. It always makes it easier on ME if I have EVERYTHING available for both snacks and meals. Some people think it is more stressful to pack this much, so do what works best for your family.

Keep in mind that the drive will probably take you longer than you expect, but you will survive! Have fun!

 

We've done 4-5 hour car trips, but nothing like what you're planning! My biggest piece of advice is to plan on it taking a lot longer than you think it should. There will be diaper changes, breaks to stretch your legs, and times where you might just want to get out of the car for 5 minutes of quiet!

On long car trips we rely heavily on DVDs. I don't know if you already have one, but if you buy the portable, dual units you *can* install them rear-facing! We have this setup for our guys (they are still rear-facing) and it's a lifesaver. I know our local Target has a Philips 7" setup on sale this week for $109; a good deal!

Good luck and I hope you have a great trip!

 

I can so relate to this question. We are leaving Sunday to drive from Illinois to Arizona. We have the 1y/o twin boys, my 6 y/o DD, my 7y/o DSS and my 11 y/o DS. Not sure how it is going to go but we have my parents driving with us so we hope to put one of the kids with them. We are planning to keep a stocked cooler with drinks and snacks in the van. We will be bringing videos, probably a variety since we have all different ages. I doubt The Wiggles will keep my older kids entertained. They'll be bringing their technology gadgets and puzzle books. Most importantly, everyone will have a pillow and small blanket. We'll have to compare notes on how it goes.