Happy Travelers

Happy Travelers

Picture this:
A toddler & an older infant pleasantly eating, sleeping and laughing all the way through a 14 hour car trip …. Is this possible?

Not in our family! We recently returned from a car trip to upstate NY that w/o children takes between 11-12 hours & w/children between 12-15 hours. This trip took approximately 14 hours each way.

Overall, the kids really did travel well, considering the length of the drive. What we found was that the first 3-4 hours were no problem: the kids napped, ate, and sang songs. However by the 5th & 6th hour we lost them to the other side.

When traveling with young children there are a few things to keep in mind & keep with you:

  • Try & stay as close to your routines as possible
  • Often toddlers will nap in the car & when they wake they are energized & ready to play - so be sure to have plenty of toys, music, and often videos help - start with one item and as your child becomes bored change it up!
  • Stop for breaks! Take time out of the car & let your older infant & toddler stretch their legs & get some of that energy out!
  • Children are stuck pretty much in one position while traveling in the car - unlike adults who are able to shift around
  • Don’t forget the fun & easy snacks

Not all children travel long distances well. As we discovered from our recent car trip - our children’s tolerance for sitting in their car seats is up by the 6th hour in the car - for future trips where the drive is over 8 hours, we will contemplate loosing our sanity or spending the time and money on a hotel room & have happy dispositions all around.

For more information on traveling with young children check out the following links:

Safe & Happy Travels!