Screen Free Road Trip- Toddler Edition

We made it to Florida…after more than 17 hours in the car spanned over two days…with an 18-month-old. Before this road trip, we have not done screen time with our little one, except Facetime, so we decided to try and do this trip screen free as well. (Full disclosure- we did Facetime family a few times to provide additional entertainment/breaks for mom and dad!) We also were lucky enough to have one of us sitting in the backseat the entire way, which we know is not always possible!

Here are links to all the toys and books we used along the way!

1. When I Grow Up Busy Book: This was a winner on our trip! My little one played with this toy more than any other toy we packed. There are so many opportunities for imaginative play and fine motor development in this activity book. There are some smaller pieces that are not attached, so we recommend supervision when using this toy.
2. Buckle Toy: We love this toy for fine motor development and it kept our little one busy for a while!
3. Stacking Cups: This might seem like a simple toy but it kept our little one busy. He enjoyed stacking and unstacking these cups and naming the colors!
4. Indestructible Books: There are tons of indestructible book options to choose from! We love these for littles who want to read independently but are not quite ready for picture books yet.
5. Ring Flashcards: Here is one set of flashcards we love, and they are together on a ring for little ones to flip through! These flashcards are great for building vocabulary and playing I spy!
6. Chunky Board Books: Another great option for littles ready to try flipping through books on their own!
7. Fidget Toys: We love fidget toys like this Dimpl by Fat Brain Toys. Keeps little hands busy!

Other necessary tools we used during the trip:

• Snacks!
  • For long car trips we always keep lots of snacks on hand, both healthy snacks and extra treats! We way overpacked on snacks, but having a variety of snacks was key.
• Coloring books/crayons
• Sticker books
  • Stickers were a huge hit in the car for our little guy!
• I Spy
  • This might seem like a simple game, but it can keep little ones busy for miles! For young children, you can keep this game simple (e.g., “I spy something green), and can get more complicated for older children.
• Singing
  • We sang, and sang, and sang! Our little one loves to listen to Raffi and Tom Chapin, as well as sing nursery rhymes and silly songs (like The Wonky Donkey)

Have you attempted a long trip with your little one? Share with us your tips and tricks below!