Our first trip as a family was to the beach, with an infant. Nine months later we made the same trip with a toddler. The second trip was infinitely more enjoyable while we were there, but, was a crying mess going and coming.
The trip down there with a toddler was much worse than coming back and the next trip should be even easier, now that we’ve learned a couple things.
Take LOTS of toys
Pack all of the toys that your child likes to rattle and books they like to look at-then pack more. Don’t forget a pair of stuffed animals. The stuffed animals can do a puppet show that will distract and entertain the toddler. (thanks to Mommy Mojo for the puppet show BTW..) As they get older I can envision having a small activity tray before eventually succumbing to a DVD player.
Pack snacks for them in the car
In our case it was Fig Newtons that we should’ve packed. We didn’t pack any snacks for him to eat while in the car, thinking that we’d pull off the road. That was a mistake as it seemed to double the trip time and made Daddy Mojo use the bathroom more often than he should have. Pack string cheese, bread, crackers, grapes and bring a bottle of water or two for the formula.
Be prepared to have someone sit back there with them
It gets lonely in the back seat all by yourself, looking at where you’ve been. Baby Mojo was in much better spirits when mom got in the back seat. This is where the driver needs to help pump up the person in the back seat by singing also, tell stories or do whatever is necessary to distract a restless toddler.
The vacation was amazing and now that we’ve experienced the trip down there, we’ll make it even better next time.
If you’ve got any tips for traveling with kids we’d love to hear them.
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