packing, handheld toys projectiles, road trip questions

We've had a lot of loooong road trips since we moved last year, and with my MIL's health not being so great right now, we're doing it again for Easter. For some reason I'm having a harder time finding time to get anything ready this time, even though we just did this a few months ago. Maybe because they're a little older and now really able to get into some serious mischief if I they see that I'm not paying attention? So I have a few questions:

What activities are your kids really good at doing without you if you really have to get packing/cleaning done? Mine will be into building, coloring, play dough, dress up, etc., and then as soon as they figure out that I'm folding laundry or packing a suitcase, they either come try to help (which can be good for regular laundry, but when I'm counting outfits to make sure we have enough for each kid, forget it!) or else they whine for me to come play with them or to take them to a park, etc. If I'm just hanging around with nothing major to do, they can play on their own, but as soon as they see I'm busy, they go nuts!

In the car, what do you let them hold? We just gave them fisher-price iXLs (had them put away for a birthday gift because we found them at Target on a crazy sale on black Friday) because we thought it would be great for the car, but now I'm nervous about how heavy they are - seems like a pretty nasty projectile if we got into an accident. We've always given them books which I guess would be pretty bad, too, but I never really thought about it. I read somewhere that you should only bring soft toys...??? What soft toys will keep almost 3 y/os content for 16 hours? I usually let them have those mini magna doodles, coloring books with stickers, books, sometimes a deck of cards, and a few small toys that are favorites. How much do you worry?

 

We had a 16h trip when they were that age... honestly they didn't play with anything really long. I got them some little toys at a consignment store (dinosaurs, farm animals etc) in little bags, and some stickers and that's it... but they mostly played with the travel doodle, and even then it was maybe 20 minutes at a time. The trip kinda sucked... lol.

 

Not always popular but in both cases - if I really need to get something done around the house that cant wait until they nap or go down for bed I will put in a movie. Same with the car for long trips - I dont have it going non stop but it does help. You can also go to the dollar store and get some new toys and wrap them up and give them to them here and there throughout the trip. A variety of snacks and plan a couple places to stop and get wiggles out - which usually makes an already long trip even longer. Can you do some of the driving at night or when they are napping - if they will nap in the car?

 

We make a 2000 mile trip one way every summer, from south carolina to canada to my family's place. We've done it since our oldest was 5 months old, with only a couple of skipped summers...and he's 9 now

I usually pack when the kids are in bed, or when dh is home to keep them distracted. Otherwise, movies, or an activity like coloring or playdough that only needs partial supervision.

For the trip itself, I buy some new small toys, most dollar toys are crap, but if I'm lucky I can find a couple things there, otherwise, I buy them from walmart. Whatever they are into. My oldest ds likes transformers and lego's, my oldest dd likes ponies, and I'm not totally sure what to get the twins yet, some monster trucks and hot wheels cars for sure, maybe a CARS playset for Liam.

And I understand the concern about projectiles in the car, but honestly, in all the years we've been travelling, knock on wood....we've never had an accident. In my opinion, I'd rather have the toys and "projectiles" in the car to keep the kids occupied, than to have nothing for them to play with and them driving us crazy the whole trip.

I suggest stopping every 2 hrs for a leg stretch, bring bubbles, soccer balls, frisbee's...all stuff they can chase after. 15 mins of racing around, potty break, refill juice cups and snack traps, pop a new movie in the dvd player...and away you go

 

There are awesome matchbox monster trucks now. There were a ton on clearance at Target, so we picked up as many different ones that we could find. They are Roycie's favorite toys outside of the Thomas trains.

 

I'll have to check our target out then! Liam loves anything with wheels! Fortunately we have dozens and dozens (and dozens) of trains from our oldest train fanatic, there's not many thomas trains that we don't have yet! :lol:

 

They ran out of characters and started reissuing all of the old ones, they talk, or they're made of wood, or they're a different scale. . .

And the monster trucks are like this. . .

http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Wheels-Monster-Tour-Favorites/dp/B002HEWL2C/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1303327201&sr=8-4

They might not be Hot Wheels, they might be Matchbox. Either way, they're good and like $2. each if you can find them on clearance, about $4 if not.