Tips for Car and Plane Trips

Car trips will seem a lot longer with a preschooler who isn't happy to be there! When Ryan was really little, we scheduled our medium length car trips--say 2-4 hours--to coincide with his nap time. We'd hit the road and soon he'd be asleep, usually for most of the trip. Now that he is almost three, the portable DVD player has become our friend. Between a nap and some favorite DVDs we get about three hours of driving before he begins to complain. Headphones mean that Ryan hears better--watch the volume level--and we can listen to music or talk while he watches his shows.

Bring mess proof snacks and drinks, like water and baby carrots. We learned the hard way that even an innocent looking hamburger provides a creative tot with opportunities for creating art.

Longer plane flights can be painful with small children. (This is obvious if you've taken long flights while sitting near them!) We took our last long flight--about 10 hours--when Ryan was five months old. That was a much better age than two years old for long flights! We had the option of trying for a non-guaranteed bassinet on a bulkhead, but opted for getting him his own seat: expensive, but we did not want to risk holding him in our lap for 10 hours. He sat in his car seat when we were not holding him and all was well. (DVD player's help on planes, too.)

When he was really little, we'd give him a bottle at take-off and landing to help him clear his ears. Luckily, he doesn't seem to have a problem clearing his ears.

If you have proven tips for longer trips, I'd love to hear them!