July 23, 2019

Toddler Road Trip Essentials Checklist

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This summer has been full of road trips, big and small, with both the dog and the kiddo. We’re enjoying this stage where he’s still in diapers, so we don’t have to stop every 45 minutes, but he’s old enough to experience and enjoy new things. It’s been incredible to see him swim in a lake for the first time, run around his Grandparent’s house and eat his first real ice cream cone. The driving is something we’ve been doing since we first started dating, but packing and driving with a toddler has been a heck of a learning experience.

First things first, we decided we were throwing screen time rules out of the window while in the car. This guy frequently does 1.5 hours with me back and forth to visit my sister and family during the week, but, once he hit 2 hours and was wide awake, we decided that now was not the time to plant a flag in the “No Screen” camp. We were using an old hand me down iPad with downloaded Netflix Episodes, but, buying the Kindle Fire 7 was a game changer! Not only was it full of kid friendly educational games and shows for the drive, it’s become a part of our “wind down” routine in the evening before bedtime. 10/10 would recommend.

Another SUPER helpful thing in the car has been an insulated water bottle that fits in the carseat cup holder. This keeps his water, juice or milk cold for hours and doesn’t leak anywhere in the car… no matter how many times he offers it to the dog.

Sleeping away from home was a daunting prospect but we were able to seamlessly use the sleep tools we use at home to help him feel safe and comfortable in hotels, cottages and other homes. This adorable sleeping blanket with pillow was actually a gift from his Grandma, but, ended up being perfect for sleeping away from home. We let him use it in his crib at home for a few weeks before we left on our first trip so he could get used to it, and it made the pack’n’play in the hotel room feel just like home.

We tried to stick to our routine as much as possible to help him know when to expect food and sleep, but, at the end of the day, we were able to just follow his lead and enjoy making memories together as a family. There’s nothing cooler than seeing the world through your toddler’s eyes.