I do everything in my power to road trip while my kids are sleeping. Travel during toddler sleep means less road trip games to coordinate and less travel toys to pack.
Check out How To Successfully Take A Road Trip With A Toddler for my favorite road trip hacks on how to realistically make this happen.
Unfortunately, life, logistics, and the length of the trip can get in the way of that idyllic plan, and some road trips with kids just must be done during waking hours.
In order to maintain a hint of sanity during a road trip with your toddler, prepare ahead of time.
Here are my favorite ways to keep toddlers entertained during a family road trip:
And as a bonus, save this packing list. It's gold.
Top 4 Road Trip Travel Toys For Kids
Yes, yes, great. You are going to try to drive while your toddler is sleeping. You have stops planned. You have travel snacks and drinks. (If you need help with all of this check out How To Successfully Take A Road Trip With A Toddler).
But how do you actually keep your toddler entertained on your road trip while they are awake? Without losing your mind?
The key: options!
While you may be content listening to a podcast for an entire 11 hour drive, your toddler is likely going to want to do one thing, and then something else, and then something else. All within a half hour.
Expect this. Manage your own expectations.
Speaking of expectations.
Expect your toddler to be tired of sitting in the car. To whine. To cry. To ask when you will be there on repeat.
If you are being honest with yourself, you probably feel the same.
It is ok for your toddler to not love the road trip. It is ok for your toddler to let you know. Your job is to acknowledge. Be empathetic. Let your toddler know you feel the same way. And then distract and redirect.
And to prepare ahead of time, check out my top 4 travel toy ideas.
1 - Surprise With a New Toy
Surprise your toddler with a new toy for the trip!
Give the new toy to your toddler either right before you get in the car or during the drive, depending on when you need him or her to be most entertained.
The new toy should be hand-held and easy to play with in the car.
Not only will this new travel toy be super exciting during the drive, but will entertain your toddler while away from home.
You'd be surprised at how simple of a toy this needs to be to keep your kids attention.
(keep reading for ideas)
2 - Fidget Toys
Fidget toys are all the rage and many of them make great road trip toddler toys.
Small, inexpensive, and keep kids entertained.
I like road trip toys that don't take a lot of space. Toddler attention spans are often pretty short. There is power in numbers with road trip toddler toys. Get bored, move onto the next toy, get bored, move onto the next toy. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Small toys for the win.
Popping Toys
I admittedly get sucked into playing with pop it's (as my kids call them) too.
Fun game I play with my daughter, I hide my fingers underneath and my daughter tries to guess which bubbles my fingers are under by pushing on the bubbles.
Fine Motor Toys
I like this Spike the Hedgehog. Can play imagination with just the hedgehog, put the spikes in the holes, put fingers in the holes, play with the spikes, talk about colors, practice counting, make patterns, spikes store inside the toy. So many ways to play with him.
Drip Toys
Drip toys (or Liquid Motion Bubbler) are fun to look at, fun to tip over and move around. I gave my daughter my drip toy from when I was little and she asked me "where did grammy and pappy get this, it is awesome".
Bristle Blocks
When my kids were younger I would have them pick a handful of bristle blocks to take along on trips, great to build and rearrange over and over.
Fidget Toy Variety Pack
There are tons of fidget toy variety packs, you can search around and find one that has toys you think your kiddo would love.
Fingerboards
These mini skateboards are great not only for the car ride, but also throughout the rest of the trip (in restaurants, in the hotel, etc.).
Note, if you get the same pack we did where you can personalize the skateboards (special colored wheels, stickers, etc), plan to personalize at home since the pieces are small.
Snap bracelets
How can a snap bracelet provide endless entertainment for your kiddos in the car?
I don't know but it worked for mine!
The texture, snapping it on different arms and legs, on the car seat, opening it and closing it, hearing the noise... its fun and a bit soothing (you may find yourself playing with one like I did!).
So many different texture options which make them extra fidgety.
3 - Backpack of Toys from Home
Ask your toddler to pack a backpack full of toys to bring along for the trip.
Will there be the most random things in the bag? Yep.
Will it seem like your toddler will never play with these things? Yep.
Will your toddler surprise you and play with them in the car? Yep
Allowing your toddler to pack a bag of road trip toys will:
provide the opportunity to participate in packing - i.e. give him a task to do so you can focus on actual packing
build excitement for the trip
give control over which toys come and which toys stay
limit the amount of road trip toys to just one backpack full
require your kiddo to be strategic about which toys are important enough to take up space in the backpack
provide entertainment in the car and during your time away from home
Helpful Backpack Packing Tip: Include any books you bring along in this bag. Of course, they are great entertainment for the car. But this also requires that they must fit in "the bag" so you don't find half of your suitcase loaded with books (or have to dig through 3 suitcases at a rest stop as you search for the books your kiddos suddenly want to read).
Backpack of Toys Example: Here is an example of how my 2 and 4 year old filled their backpack of travel toys
books
stacking cups
egg music shakers
matchbox cars
very small stuffed animal toys/figurines
a few pieces of play food
4 - Electronics
There are times to implement screen time limits and there are times to ignore them. This is one of those ignore type situations.
If you are on a road trips with toddlers, you must do what you need to do to survive.
Bring the iPad. Fully charged. With lots of downloaded shows and movies and games.
And, for older kiddos, handheld gaming systems like a Nintendo Switch are great too.
Helpful Tip: Ask your kiddo for requests ahead of time so you aren't having to manage tears when you tell them you don't have Wi-Fi and can't download Cocomelon.
Helpful Tip: Bring a strap so you can strap the iPad onto the seat in front of your kiddo. This way they don't have to hold the iPad. And even better, can't accidently push buttons.
For the poor kids who get car sickness when watching screens in the car (like my son), check out my helpful tips on how to pass time in the car for kids who get carsick.
Top 7 In-The-Car Toddler Road Trip Activities
My favorite ways to entertain a toddler strapped into a car seat on a long car trip include:
1 - Screen Time
Bring a full charged iPad, prepared with downloaded movies, shows, games, the whole bit. It will be a life saver. Cut off screen time 1 hour before bedtime to ensure your toddler has the right cues to fall asleep. Otherwise, let the screen time commence! We want happy and entertained toddlers. If screens does it for your kid, take the win!
2 - Kid Podcasts
A great option for all kids, but especially those who get car sickness when looking at screens in the car (like my son!). Our favorites are "Stories Podcast" and "Brains On". But if you search for "kids podcasts", you will find lots of options.
3 - Audiobooks
A great option for super long drives. There are many audiobooks available on Audible (short stories and longer chapter books) that toddlers and preschoolers are familiar with and would enjoy. Search "Disney" on audible as a good starting point. You will find books like "365 Bedtime Stories", "Children's Favorites", and basically any Disney movie in audiobook format.
4 - Books
Have your kids pick a few books to include in their "backpack of toys". Have your kid look at the pictures, "read" the book to you (by looking at the pictures), or you can read it to your child from the front seat.
5 - Backpack of Toys
Lots of small toys to rotate through. Click here if you missed my recommendations on what to pack. If your toddler wants to be entertained, make up games for him/her to play (i.e. pretend spike the hedgehog is going to the beach, build a sandcastle with your bristle blocks) or ask questions that will prompt your toddler to use his/her imagination (i.e. what is your pop it unicorn's name? Where does it live? Is it friends with your sparkly snap bracelet? What adventures do they go on?)
6 - Sing and Dance
Be prepared for lots of singing, dancing, and kids songs on repeat. Check out Best Road Trip Music and Songs for Kids for lots of fun ideas to have fun, pass time, and move your body, all while strapped into your seat belt.
7 - Family Band
Ok, this one is fun. Throw a few small music makers into your kid's backpack of toys, distribute them between all adults (non drivers) and kids) when you are in need of some distraction and movement, and put on a show. Check out Best Road Trip Music and Songs for Kids for details. I really love this one.
Best Road Trip Music/Songs For Kids Or Families
Music, one of my favorite ways to set the mood, distract, and occupy your toddler's attention during your family car trip. Plus, I love some good tunes.
We have a play list of all of the kids favorite songs. Makes it easy to turn on and not have to manage while driving. But we also love Kidz Bop. And Raffi. Classics.
My recommendation, make a playlist ahead of time and accept that while your kids are awake, you will not be catching up on your podcasts.
6 Ways to Use Music as a Toddler Activity
1 - Family Band
Ok, this one is fun. Throw a few small music makers into your kid's backpack of toys. Egg shakers are our go-to since they are small, easy to hold, not too annoying. You can also get creative and use the toys you do have packed to make music. When your toddler is bored or in need or a good wiggle in the car seat, distribute the music makers between all adults (non drivers) and kids. Play some sing along tunes, turn your family into a band (don't forget to give yourselves a name!), and put on a show.
2 - Relaxation Time
Need your toddler to relax? Turn on some chill music to help mellow the mood.
3 - Play DJ
You play DJ and take song requests. If siblings are arguing, this is a great way to take turns. Kids can earn the opportunity to request a song if they respect/enjoy the other's requests.
4 - Shake Your Sillies Out
Toddler getting restless sitting in the car? Turn on some fun music and shake your sillies out in the car seat. Your arms and legs can bust a move even while seated and bucked in!
5 - Play Games
Try playing fun games to keep everyone engaged and encourage some movement. Here are a few ideas:
Shake music makers in different directions: left, right, high, middle, low, in a circle, parent is the director who says and demonstrates the direction to shake, then toddler can be the director (song suggestion: Day-O)
Dance To A Word - Do something (dance move, make a noise, throw hands in the air) every time you hear a word in a song (song suggestion: Biscuits in the Oven)
Make a Beat - Make a beat with music makers during the chorus of the song
Dance Moves - Different dance moves made up by all people in the car
Sign Language - Learn a song in sign language
Different Language - Learn a song in another language
6 - Songs With Hand Movements
A great time to teach songs with hand movements
Hokey pokey
Shake your sillies out
Wheels on the bus (with hand motions)
This Little Light of Mine (learn hand motions)
Old McDonald (kids pick the animals and make noises)
Katie Ramirez, RN, BSN, CLC
Born Happy, Owner and Coach
Katie Ramirez is a Registered Nurse, Certified Lactation Counselor, and Coach for parents of babies and toddlers. She has spent more than a decade serving patients at major university hospitals such as Vanderbilt University and Penn State University Medical Centers. Katie now spends her time supporting and empowering parents of babies and toddlers as owner and Coach for Born Happy.
Katie is the proud mother of two beautiful children, Roberto (age 4), and Veronica (age 2). She has a passion for health, wellness, and happy children, and believes that, with the necessary knowledge and support, all parents can live happy.
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