Going on a long road trip with toddlers or tots might just deter even the most patient of parents from adventuring. We end up having to deal with their impatience, boredom, discomfort, refusal to nap and let’s not forget, dropping things that we constantly need to pick up. Never mind having to deal with our own frustrations.
Here’s the deal though, we need to be ready to counter anything our kids strike us with. The best road trip activities for little kids are simple, mess-free, and something they can do without supervision. Here are the best road trip activities for 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, and pre-schoolers plus links to where you can get the supplies.
1 . Let them eat!
Pack a bag or box of goodies and surprise them with it. Let them discover all the yummies these bags have to give.
We found a healthy “Kiddylicious Snack Box” put together by Rivionia-based online retailer Charley’s Boxes for these exact instances.
2 . Sticker Books
Stick on your kid’s good side with a sticker book that not only keeps them busy but keeps their fine motor skills in good practice. What’s even better is that we found a sticker book with hundreds of stickers to keep them busy for as long as possible.
The Melissa and Doug brand also has great magnetic sticker boxes and Scratch and Smell sticker books that explore sensory play. Click the button below to view their range on Takealot.
3 . Music
What better way to spend a toddler’s energy than singing and dancing in the car. This becomes a fun and playful way to cure your child of boredom, and not only creates bonding but likely some special memories! Encourage their musicality by packing some instruments in the car. We found a gift bag of instruments from Charley’s Boxes that any kid would love to dig their hands into.
4 . Sensory books
Allow your child to explore their touch and hearing senses with a sensory book. This becomes ideal for developing language recognition and motor skills. You can also never go wrong with a Melissa and Doug book that mixes sensory and motor skills play in one. For older kids, audio books come in handy too!
5 . Post-it Drawings
Prepare some post-its and crayons in a container and let your child draw images and stick them up all over the window, yes it becomes messy, but a very easy-to-clean mess.
6 . Busy wallet
Keep idle fingers busy by filling up an unused wallet or purse with unused cards, pictures, colourful papers and any small goodies you can find. Let your child explore what is inside and encourage them to put it back as well.
7 . Pop its
Glorified bubble-wrap, pop it toys can keep little fidgety fingers and fussing toddlers busy for several minutes because the act of fidgeting allows the mind to be still and focus.
We suggest you pair this with an audio storybook from Youtube for some calm-time in the car.
8 . Search and find books
Buy yourself some free time with a book that kids can dig themselves into.
9 . Doodle Tablets
These are inexpensive LCD tablets whose only function is to draw on them. Using an attached pen, kids can doodle and clear and doodle and clear to their heart’s content.
10 . Bring out the screen
At this point you have held it off for long enough, your kids can relax to a good movie or keep occupied with downloaded series. Just remember to download it all at least two nights before leaving.
