Trip organizing ideas

[newcreature]

We will be taking a trip cross country this summer and I was wondering if anyone has car organizing tips. We have a mini van and I need to know where to put the kids stuff (books, movies, toys, etc) so that we will still have room in the van. My van is a Mazda MPV, so it is smaller than most other minivans. Also anu suggestions on things to keep them occupied while we travel? It will take us 2 full days to get where were going. Thanks in advance for the tips.

Elaine

 

[Hisrosebud]

I have one word for you, "BENEDRYL" no only kidding. My husband and I always joke about giving our kids benedryl to put them to sleep but we don't do it for real.


I have a organizer that I bought at a discount store for 1.00. It is blue with disney characters on it and hangs over the back of the front chairs. It has many pockets.

I am thinking that one of those shoe organizers that you buy with pockets for your closet is much the same thing. I only have two little kids so they each have their own.

The best idea that I do for traveling is pick up small new toys from a dollar store that keeps their interest..new coloring books, new crayons. DON'T LET THEM SEE ANYTHING until they're bored in your car.
The mere fact that they are new will keep them busy.


I love the bins with covers. When you travel the last thing you need are things falling all over the place. I bought the under the bed size ones. They are long and wide but not high. They fight nicely under the passenger seats.

I also take an old pillow case, sew a rope through the opening to make a tie string. They can each have their own bag----hey if you used white ones you could give them clothing markers to decorate them while they are traveling; that ought to keep them busy. If you don't need the bags for toys, you could use them later for their dirty clothes.

How old are your children? Let me know and I'll try to think of more ideas. I know that they make all kinds of miniture traveling games.

OH- when I travel with my kids I always pick up those parliamilk boxes. Have you seen them. They are milk in boxes like juice boxes that have a long shelf life and don't need refrigeration until they are openend. That invention became a godsend for us.

Jane

Jane

 

[newcreature]

WOW! Are you the fairy godmother of organization?!! These tips are great. They are so practical that i would have never thought of them on my own. thanks so much. My children are 5 1/2, 4, and 3. Two oldest are boys, and youngest is a girl. Would love to hear more ideas.

Elaine

 

[CarrieAg93]

Go to the web sites of some of you kid's favorite chracters. Some of them have things you can print out to do in the car. Blues Clues had a Bingo game where you look for things like cars and stop signs to get bingo. We also have a portable DVD that we use for long trips. We also always take along balls and bubbles and stop every once in awhile to let them run out some energy. When we stop to eat we go somewhere with a play area and let them play while we eat and then they can eat in the car if they don't at the restaurant. Good luck.

 

[erin74]

If $$$ is an issue, my friend just put toys they already had in paper bags and gave them to the kids as the trip went along - it was exciting enough as they were young. But I think it would good with just some cheap stuff - for some reason being wrapped up made it exciting.

We must have the worlds best travelling kids (little effort goes a really long way) - which is great cause we are about 10 hours from family, so do it on a fairly regular basis. We give my son a bag with his books in it, and he does a lot of 'reading' (can't actually read yet). We also take turns with CD's - one of ours then one of theirs.

I am dreading our next trip though, cause our youngest is now 12 months, and I can just see him getting really really bored - he's in the throwing toys - pick them up for me stage.

 

[BeanMak]

I did the trip from chicago to California with just me and my 2 boys when they were 8 and 10. Get books on tape from the kids section of the library. We liked scary stories, ghost stories, but they had a bunch. I also got cheap tape players and head phones for each of them, and they love having their own music.

I also made the trip part of the vacation. We stopped to see interesting things. We went to a movie when we stopped for the night, and I made sure to stay at places with a pool and we swam in the evening.

It really helped to get a luggage topper for the car. That way the big suitcases were up there, and all that was in the car was what we needed. That way we had a cooler for water and snacks. Grapes are great for traveling. (DON'T bring sugary pop, it makes them thirstier, they drink more, and then have to stop for the bathroom. Plus it makes my kids hyper.)

 

[Hisrosebud]

Something that I just remembered today and wanted to tell you.

My 4 year old LOVES "I SPY" games. So I put some dry white rice into an empty coke bottle (plastic and clear) and filled it with things around the house. Small toys, tacks, elastic bands, pen caps, pennies. I superglued the cap on and taped it for extra measure. He has his own "I SPY" game for the car.

I will yell, "I am thinking of something blue, small and covers a pen" And he will turn the bottle until he finds the pen cap.

thinking of more ideas and will get back to you,
Jane

 

[CarrieAg93]

Each state will have a vistor's center soon after you cross the state line. Most of them have a kid's coloring/activity book that you can pick up for free.

As far as organization goes I can't be alot of help. By the end of the trip our van usually looks like a tornado hit it. The only "organized" thing I do is pack an overnight bag with all the stuff you will need when you stay in a hotel. One bag for everyone's stuff. That way you just have to take that bag out instead off all of them.

Good luck.

 

[Andry]

Never thought I'd admit it or do it, let alone recommend it......DVD player!

Seriously. As much as we want our kids to enjoy and appreciate the scenery and beauty of our countries, a DVD silences the "are we there yet" syndrome. It's great for waiting in line (eg. for ferries or border crossings). And there's only so much of Montana or Saskatchewan our brains can take before we go comatose.

Just like our American Express, we don't leave home without it.

 

[andiesmama]

Never thought I'd admit it or do it, let alone recommend it......DVD player!

I vote for that, too!! I bought a portable one a year ago when I flew BY MYSELF on an airplane for 3 hours with my just turned 2 year old...and it was perfect...although by the time we got there, I had QUITE enough of Dora and Blue...

 

[Andry]

I know what you mean!! Over and over again.....Franklin the Turtle, Rescue Heroes....and Bionicle (I can't follow the story line, but kids seem to know!).

 

[newcreature]

We just got a portable DVD player for the car. I will have to make sure it works before the trip. LOL It is still in its box. Have any of you bought the cases seperately? We did, and I was wondering if it keeps the screen stable while driving? It attaches between the two front seats.

BTW, lots of great suggestions!!! Thanks

Elaine

 

[Andry]

It's quite stable unless you're planning to 4x4 the Rubicon Trail or race Pikes Peak.

If your unit didn't already come with it, buy a headphone splitter so that you can have two sets of headphones for the one headphone plug. You'll appreciate it after you've listened to Dora for the kabilionth time. (And you and your hubby get to listen to adult music or conversation up front).

 

[newcreature]

It's quite stable unless you're planning to 4x4 the Rubicon Trail or race Pikes Peak. LOL

If your unit didn't already come with it, buy a headphone splitter so that you can have two sets of headphones for the one headphone plug. You'll appreciate it after you've listened to Dora for the kabilionth time. (And you and your hubby get to listen to adult music or conversation up front).

Do you know how well cordless headphones work?

 

[Andry]

I haven't tried them myself. But my brother has them in his vehicle, and keeps complaining about having to buy batteries for them quite regularly. Oftentimes his daughter forgets to turn it off after usage.