How to survive/entertain your kiddos on flights and car trips

Our longest car ride at this point has been Columbus to Maine, 14 hours and 37 minutes that’s not including stops mind you. Our oldest at the time was 3.5 years old and had decided she was ready to potty train days before we left. Uh oh!! I cringed at the thought of having to use a million public bathrooms between here and Maine, so I decided to bring the bathroom with us. We brought a princess potty, wipes and a trash bag. We proceeded to stop every few hours where we sent her to the back of the van to do her business. Then we would just dump the potty in the grass and carry on. You can imagine how much longer this made the trip haha. I will report though no accidents! Long trips we like to break up with a stay somewhere fun on the way if we can. If not though you must be prepared!!

I’ve have come up with some fun car ideas and will try and add pictures as we go. At this age I feel like each activity entertains for about 5 minutes so you’ll need a lot to do! I usually stock up on movies and make sure the ipads are full of fun games. Yes I know what you’re thinking ipads? I don’t know about your kids but mine could use an ipad better than me by age 2! And as much as I’d like to say I read to the kids the whole trip or they are napping and quiet that would be a huge lie! Its survival mode people so yes we use ipads. I also love to use on car trips a cookie sheet. It sounds so simple but think about it, it fits across the kids’ car seat and has a nice hard surface and ledge. This is awesome for eating and coloring etc. and in theory nothing can roll off. Now if you have a young boy he’ll test this theory and push his off his seat, then yes things will spill! However, for the most part it’s a great thing to bring. They are also magnetic so I bring magnet letters so we can practice words and different things. I also like to buy some of those window clings in the dollar spot at target. The kids love pealing them on and off their tray and if they can reach the windows they can decorate those as well.  I have a whole box full of fun things I keep on hand and reuse when traveling. Magnetic dry erase boards and markers are fun too because they also stick to your cookie sheet. For my son I bring cars and planes and he can drive them around on his sheet. I have also found magnetic little doll cut outs with outfits you can put on and off which seems to be a big hit. Get creative here the sky is the limit!! I also always pack lots of snacks and drinks to help cut the cost and always needing to stop. I don’t know about your kids but mine never seem to finish a meal and I hate wasting food so I feel better about bring my own. I usually pack snack cups too so I can divide out snacks and not pass out a whole bag and get it back empty. My go to car cooler is tote-ally thermal by 31. This one is great because it holds ice keeps everything cold and doesn’t leak!!

https://www.mythirtyone.com/kimknuppel/product/8257/tote-ally-thermal-loopsy-daisy

For flying it’s a bit different you don’t have as much space and don’t want to carry a ton of stuff. I started making my kids carry their own goodies asap!! They actually think it’s fun to have their own bags with treats and games to take in and out. At first it was a small book bag but has moved up to cute little roller bags that I can even fit blankets into for the flight. For snacks I use a bead box from the craft store. Yes you heard it right, a bead box. Toddlers love this because it’s like snacks galore. Each little compartment I put little finger foods. And the slots can be made bigger by pulling the tab out.  I fill these with cheerios, goldfish, mini marshmallows and whatever I can get to fit in there.  For healthier snacks because I don’t want them bouncing off the walls I use my little 31 thermal and put fruit, gogurts, string cheese whatever I have and toss it in my carry on. This works perfect because it’s small and doesn’t weigh too much and helps keep things cold. I have also used this for transporting breast milk to and from vacation.

https://www.mythirtyone.com/kimknuppel/product/8256/cool-clip-thermal-pouch-camo-crosshatch

 I always bring drinks for the big kids usually in a sippy cup of some sort. I will warn you I thought the camel back cute water bottles would be perfect for one particular flying trip. You know the ones with the straw and the little flip piece to drink out of. So I filled them with milk and off we went. We got into the air and the kids were thirsty, ahh good thing I’m prepared I thought because the stewardess was just taking drink orders around us and it would be a bit before they had a drink. So I opened the milk and bam! Milk shoots everywhere covering the stewardess in the face the guy behind me and the ceiling. Omg! Apparently the pressure from flying causes the milk to shoot out the straw hole thing when you open it. Well at this point I figured now the pressure was released and I could reopen to give to the kids. Nope wrong! Milk now flying two seats ahead all over the guy who already looked super annoyed to be flying near kids. oops sorry buddy. In conclusion, I don’t suggest the straw cups with the flip open top, ours ended in disaster.

In addition to the snack box each kiddo usually has some coloring stuff, a work book, some toys etc… I also made a fishing game that has also been a huge hit! Items and directions for fishing game below all from Hobby Lobby.

1.      Foam sea creatures

2.      Paper clips (attach to sea creatures)

3.      Dowel wood rods

4.      String (tie to rod attach magnet to other end)

5.      Magnets

http://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Basic-Crafts/Craft-Foam/Under-the-Sea-Foam-Stickers/p/27239

I spread all the creatures on the plane floor and the kids have to go fishing from their seats. This is the only thing they do for more than 5 minutes, they love this game!  We also play this is the car but just a warning the bottom of the van's captains seats are like all metal and they catch the seats more than the sea creatures. When all else fails on longer flights I have even made forts with the kids blankets and had them sit on the floor and play toys, of course only when the seat belt sign is off. On our flight home from Aruba, I have even had them help the stewardess’s pass out snacks!