Driving Across Country with a Toddler

Being a member of many mom groups on Facebook, I often see posts and questions made about a daunting task for many parents: Travelling long distances with a small child, and how to keep them happy during the trip. My son has never been a big fan of being in his car seat during drives, especially if they’re any longer than half an hour. So when my husband and I decided to up and move back across the country on a whim, in our little car nonetheless, the thought of how well our child would handle the trip caused me to experience dread. When we took the plunge and made the journey, however, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had anticipated. I’d like to help put your nerves about the idea of travelling long distance with a young child at ease, and share with you the tricks to how we did it; without it being a nightmare experience.

First of all, make sure you keep stocked up on snacks and drinks; and replenish your supply as needed. Things that you can open and simply pass back to your child are the easiest, such as granola bars, crackers, cookies, fruit pieces and such. I’ve learned from experience that when my son gets hungry or thirsty, it causes him to be much more grumpy, and impatient when in his car seat. He is much more happy when he can sit and have a snack or drink; and doing so will help him to feel more content in the car.

Secondly, be prepared to make a LOT of stops. We all know that toddlers usually don’t do well when they have to sit still for long periods of time, especially when their movement is restricted heavily; such as when they’re in a car seat. Taking frequent breaks to get out of the car, breathe some fresh air; and spend some time to walk/stretch your legs is a big help; not only for the child but for the parents as well. Where you can find them, take a break to visit a park for a short while; and allow your child to get some play time. We did this several times throughout our long trip from British Columbia to Ontario, and it was a great help for keeping our son’s spirits up; and keeping him from getting too upset in the car.

It’s pretty much a given that you’ll have to stop at least some of the nights to rest and recuperate. While driving through the night can be a great method to save on time and cover more distance; we found that it’s better to stop, and let everybody get a good night’s sleep. Taking a break at a motel or hotel to unwind, eat some substantial food, and get sleep is very helpful; and will help everybody to feel better when it’s time to get back in the car and carry on.

Something else that helped us immensely for keeping our child calm during the drive, was entertainment. We either had the radio, or CD’s playing practically the entire time we were in the car. We also talked with our toddler regularly, and made sure to frequently check in on him; ensuring that he never felt as if he were alone in the back seat while we were both up front. What was perhaps the thing that helped us keep him entertained the most, was toys. Try to make sure that you have several toys that they can access or reach, or at least keep a variety in the vehicle so that you can switch them out from time to time. There was one toy our son played with more than any others, but there were points that he got bored of it; and temporarily lost interest. It’s important to switch things up, try and make things always seem fun and exciting.

Most importantly, remember to have patience. Long travel can be hard and draining on everybody, and emotions can run high when the exhaustion and jet lag hit. Unless you have a time limit on when you need to reach your destination by, it will go a lot better and easier if you take your time; and don’t try to rush it or push yourselves. Take as many breaks as you need, enjoy some fun places and take in the sights along the way! The more easy going and fun you can make the trip, the easier and less stressful it will be.