Last month our little family took a road trip from Austin, Texas to Atlanta, Georgia for 16++ hours. We were with our toddler, who turned two, in the same month.
A long drive with a tot had its own challenges, I've made sure to prepare for it. If possible I hope not to commit the same mistakes I did beforehand.
Below are the things I've packed to make this road trip memorable and fun for all of us.
- travel tray | I was hoping he'd used this while eating, playing or watching youtube videos. He doesn't like it. Maybe it feels cramped. I'm keeping this still for when he gets a bit older.
- turn & learn driver | Love this toy. This kept him entertained for a while.
- new toy | He got something like this for his 2nd birthday. I've saved it until our road trip for him to check out.
- favorite stuff toy/security blanket & favorite books for learning
- water wow coloring book | I like how mess free this is. You'll only have to fill the pen included with water. He didn't care for it while we were on the road but he likes it now. Still a win.
- a random object he really likes | For some reason our little boy likes to play with the car key. He sleeps with it and looks for it when he wakes up. It could be because he's really interested in cars. Glad we had a spare for this.
- petroleum jelly | This is essential for us because our son suffers from eczema. A lot of stuff flares him up. We apply this whenever his skin gets inflamed, dry and/or itchy.
- simple game app & toddler learning videos on the phone | Dave & Ava's farm puzzle animals is a simple game for young tots. This is the only game we've installed because it's free. Youtube videos keep him entertained for a long while. He also likes watching his own videos as well as taking his own videos and photos.
- utensils for eating
- food: bananas, apples, applesauce, cheerios, this cereal is made from rice (Asians love rice. Its gluten-free too!), candies (to keep him in place during diaper changes), rice milk, small bottled water, this gummy bear (Out of all we've tried, this is tasty and easy to chew. Love that its organic.), bread. We serve his cereals/snacks on small zip locks or paper cups.
- probiotics, vitamins & medicine | To keep it cool we place them in a small cooler. We freeze a few of our drinks and also place ice cubes on a ziplock.
We've also made a lot of stops to keep our daddy from falling asleep on the road, to stretch, toilet break, food and breathe the fresh air outside.
That's it. I hope the above list gives you ideas on what to pack on a road trip with a toddler.
Well, someone is not happy it's time to go. Haha. Have fun!
