This post and giveaway is sponsored by Munchkin. Thank you, Munchkin!
2015 has been the year of the car for us. Between driving around Los Angeles to check out places for my job and going on weekend adventures, we spend a lot of time on wheels. The kids love the places we go to, but the journey can sometimes be hard on them. I totally understand – my parents drove us everywhere when we were kids, and besides getting terribly car sick, I remember feeling like the drives lasted forever. What might seem like a fairly short few hours in the car to me and Mike can feel like eternity for my kids. I’ve spent the last few months working on ways to make time in the car more enjoyable for them both.
I’m of two minds when it comes to car entertainment. On the one hand, I think looking out the window is really wonderful – you can literally watch the world change around you. I do know that can eventually get tedious for kids (it can get tedious for me, too!), but I think I found a good compromise. As you know, Annabel loves drawing, so I got her this travel lap desk.
It has raised sides so crayons can’t roll off, plus pockets for holding things like snacks, crayons, etc. (you can clip it in place so it won’t go flying in an accident). We ask Annabel to draw pictures of what she sees when she looks out the window, which has prompted some fun drawings.
The other thing I got is helpful for me AND Annabel. This travel organizer is where I keep the extra paper and markers for her drawing, plus wet wipes, napkins, diapers, cups, snacks, you name it. It has a bunch of pockets, plus it zips closed. It’s also easy to set up, which is nice because sometimes my parents join us on our trips and we take their car.
But, this organizer has a secret – it also has a tuck-away sleeve for a tablet. Annabel had no idea about this until the last trip we went on. I surprised her by putting my iPad in the tablet sleeve and setting My Little Pony to autoplay.
I liked that she was able to pass some of the hours watching her show, but the iPad itself was out of her reach so she couldn’t play games on it, etc.
James is a little harder to keep entertained on car trips. Since the little guy is still in a rear-facing car seat, he can’t draw, look out the window, or see the iPad. He can only see the people sitting next to him, and sometimes it’s just Annabel (and she doesn’t always want to entertain him, nor should she have to). For especially long trips we try to put an adult next to him, but it’s often just the three of us in the car. I’ve found one sure-fire way to keep James happy in the car – food! The key was finding something he could use to serve himself that wouldn’t spill all over him and the seat. I love snack catchers, which are impossible to spill and also come with the added bonus of slowing down his eating – James would stuff as much food into his mouth as possible, if he could! I just hand the container back to him when he gets fussy and he calms down immediately.
Incidentally, the snack catchers also do a good job of keeping Rigby from getting into James’ food:
You know she tries, digestive issues be damned.
The company behind these products is Munchkin, a brand I’ve been using since Maddie was a little baby. I always hit the Munchkin aisle at Target when there’s something we need! Munchkin wants to give one of my readers a $50 credit to Munchkin.com, and I am going to match it (for a total of $100) because I know once you get on their online shop, you’re going to see a ton of stuff you need for your kids! To enter, please leave a comment below telling me how your kids deal with long periods in the car. If you follow Munchkin on Instagram, leave another comment letting me know and you’ll get an extra entry! Contest ends on Thursday, March 5th at 12pm Pacific time. Winner will be chosen by Random.org. Open to US Residents only.
Munchkin rids the world of the mundane by developing clever, innovative solutions that make family life safer, easier, and more fun. You can find Munchkin products at Munchkin.com, Target, Babie
Good luck, everyone!
UPDATE!
We have a winner:
Congrats to Tabitha! You have an email from me!
Thank you to everyone who entered!
Natasha Garrett says:
My little guy, Sammy, spends every car ride pulling on his favorite toy, a red mouse that vibrates and jingles every. single. time. he pulls it, lol. My oldest, Jackson, spends most of his time changing the lyrics to every song he hears into something about either chicken nuggets or superheroes. Love the photos, Heather! Your two are getting SO big!
Natasha Garrett says:
I also followed Munchkin on Instagram, my profile is private but it’s @staaarshine. Thank you!
Kelly says:
While I cannot comment yet on how I will entertain my first(due in 4 weeks) on car trips, I would love to use munchkin to try different things!
Erin says:
To pass time in the car my 2 year old screams. It is horrible to drive with him, we have tried lots of things, singing helps, playing eye spy helps, snacks…
Shelly says:
My kids are older and do get to use devices to entertain themselves in the car, but I’ve found that the key to happiness for long road trips is headphones. It cuts down on their bickering and allows my husband and I to actually have adult conversations. Happy trails to you.
Erin says:
Our little one is only 5 months old, so right now, she sleeps through most car trips. Or we sing to put her to sleep. I had a travel desk like Annie’s when I was a kid – the top opened to put crayons and coloring books in. I loved it!!
sarah says:
So, we also use the ipad for entertainment…go minecraft! My other littles end up napping
sarah says:
And, I am following Munchkin on instagram!
Katie Dambach says:
Our girls have always been good travelers but for Christmas we got them portable DVD players for the car. We only use them during trips longer than 1 hour so they’re a novelty when they do get to use them!
Judy says:
Reading for some of my losers ones. Good old fashioned games like the license plate game and the alphabet game
Judy says:
Should be older not loser, not a Freudian slip
Kristi says:
We sing, play Simon Says, use the Leap Pads or play a funny road sign game my girls made up.
Aida says:
For drives longer than 2 hours we let them (3, 5, 7 year olds) watch a movie in the van. After the movie is over we have to take a break so the 5 year old won’t get car sick. During the non movie time, they have to entertain themselves with books and small toys that they packed in their bags. They also like to play games like finding letters on signs. To keep everyone competitive we offer small prizes at rest stops.
Emily P says:
Are main go to is the ipad. Our kids have never slept in the car, (drove 13 hours to the beach when they were 2 and 5 and they slept for 15 minutes total both ways!) and eventually I end up giving them the ipad…
Jessica says:
We have taken a ton of car trips with our kiddos. The baby is not quite at an age where she does more than sleep and whine about sleeping, but my son watches DVDs, and we have the same (I think) lap desk as the one you have for Annie that he uses for coloring (we usually go with ColorWonder products for the car to minimize messes). And yes, snacks! Any food we can throw at my son (also a great tip for plane rides).
Amy W. says:
We used to use a portable DVD player for my first child, but when his sister came along she became car sick watching it. Now, our older one will read most of the time. We have bought a bunch of Melissa and Doug travel games (License plate, hangman, memory, bear hunt) and those are fabulous for both kids!
Erin Christine says:
I LOVE Munchkin products!! This is a great giveaway, thanks!! My daughter is 16 months old and I admit long car rides are something I don’t look forward to! Luckily, she really loves her car seat and will fall asleep for at least a portion of the trip, but during her alert periods, I’ve had to get into the back of the car with her and keep her entertained when she gets fussy. I read her little books and sing songs to her, just try to keep things fun. I just realized I haven’t made any long trips solo so I don’t know what I would do in that situation…I like the idea of using the snack catcher; I’ve never tried that in the car. I am ALWAYS looking for new ideas to make our trips interesting for her.
Erin Christine says:
I am also following Munchkin on Instagram!
Leeanna H says:
The DVD player is our saving grace (we actually had one installed for our kids when they were rearfacing too!). For long trips, it is the only thing that keeps my kiddos occupied! I love the idea of that drawing desk. My 5 year old would totally use that!
Jennifer says:
We have doodle pads for our daily 45 minute commute and also snacks. I love the snack cup, I usually am cleaning up goldfish crumbs from the backseat every weekend!
Leeanna H says:
I follow Munchkin on IG!
Kelli says:
Sadly, the only way I really entertain my toddler is with a DVD player, which is either playing Caillou or Frozen (please help me). I desperately need a new way to entertain her! These are great ideas.
Lupe says:
Hello everyone! I had the Munchkin Snack Catcher as well for my girls who are now almost 8 and almost 7. I used it almost entirely outside the house, subway, bus, doctors office, etc… because at home I made them sit at the table when eating even as infants and toddlers, (no high chairs for us), and I really liked it. When they got older, I just used it as a drinking cup without the lid.
We don’t take long car rides often, but the girls and their brother (2.8 years old), always seem to fall asleep within minutes of being in the car. It’s not like being in the subway being forced to stand or move out of people way, that it’s so relaxing to them being in the car. Our 2 year old is still being rear-faced but he is so good in the car, he also loves having the chance to sit since he’s been forced out of a stroller since 1.5 years old (easier to travel around the city). The girls like to sleep as I mentioned but we also put music on for them. Honestly, what would make them more comfortable is having a footrest because they’re legs dangle in their booster car seats and their legs get numbed after a while.
Well, hope to win so I can buy my son some cool products.
kim says:
We always have lots of snacks (always some light and plain in case of car sickness) and we rely on movies for long trips. With 2 boys, it’s the only thing that holds their attention long enough.
Amanda says:
i was also a kid who would draw on long car trips.
Lisa says:
Audiobooks! We love them and that is, hands down, the best thing to do with my kids in the car. Everyone listens, sits calmly and leaves each other alone!
Lisa says:
Audiobooks! That is, hands down, the best thing to do with my kids in the car. Everyone listens, sits calmly and leaves each other alone.
They have them for all ages at the library so they are free, too!
Teresa says:
On long car trips he still sleeps a good chunk of the time. Because he is still rear facing, a mirror has been a lifesaver if nobody is in the back with him. He likes making faces at himself and we can see him.
rachel says:
I hate to sound negative, but loose items like pens and cups or books in a car can get airborne and create major damage in case of an accident. Since I heard a newsstory where a kid essentially lost most of her scalp from drinking out of a fruitpouch while riding I am too scared…
JennS says:
I love Munchkin! We use food (in the Munchkin snack container), books and toys to stay entertained in the car. My almost-2-year-old son loves flipping through board books and telling me about the animals in the books.
Chandra says:
We do a variety of things, games like I spy, videos, and drawing. I totally need to get that lap pad though, that is awesome! Both my kids always fall asleep too for awhile so that helps, lol
Morgan says:
We have a big box of loud/musical/annoying toys that lives in the basement until car trips…it also includes drawing materials and that lap desk would be a dream come true! Music, eye spy, and snacks – then games on our phones after several hours in the car when everyone reaches their breaking point!!
Morgan says:
I am also following Munchkin on Instagram. Thanks!
rachel says:
No kids yet but I love to sit with my niece and nephew in the backseat and be their entertainment
Jessica Stringer says:
We drove to Florida last year for vacation (we are in MO) and my little guy was about 19 months old. It was a long two days to get there. We tried the car DVD, he’s not a big tv watcher. So, it came down to me having to sit in the back with him. I get super car sick, super easy so it wasn’t really a fun drive. We also made up snack packs, a small cooler, etc. Next time, I think we will fly!
Diana says:
We’re gearing up for our first long car ride this weekend, so I’m not sure how it’s going to go! Keep your fingers crossed it turns out to be a success.
Jen T. says:
I am pregnant with my first babies (yes plural…just found out we’re having TWINS!), so I don’t know how I’ll keep them entertained, but I love your ideas! Now that we know we’re getting a two babies instead of one, we need all the help we can get to purchase baby things, so I would love this credit!
Jess says:
Long car rides can be so stressful with kids. They are screaming, you are straining to turn around and soothe them. Everyone’s sweating by the end! We pass the ipad back on long trips and often stick an adult back there to calm the baby!
Kristin Troska says:
car bingo. trivia games. hand held games. sing-a-longs. treats!
Felicia Collins says:
We went on our first long road trip with our 20 month old daughter and lets just say it did not go smoothly. With a few coming up this summer, I thank you for all these great suggestions and a chance of winning!
Amy says:
My daughter loves to draw, but on trips longer than a couple of hours she gets carsick. We made a trip to the beach last summer, so we gave her children’s dramamine and she slept about half the way, and the other half she was drawing and watching movies.
Tabitha says:
Movies, coloring, iPad games, and naps!!
Tracy says:
Our daughter is a month younger than James, and I have found the EXACT solution lately. I throw some snacks in her Munchkin snack cup, and off we go. The only problem is when we run out, and we want “more” before we reach our destination! She also likes to “color” on her small magna-doodle to pass a little bit of time. I haven’t come up with much more for keeping her occupied while still rear facing.
Kristin C says:
My son is 17 months and rear facing so a lot of singing and talking to him while he is turned around. He is a good sport about it all.
Leslie F says:
My kids handle long trips in the car by keeping up a constant stream of talking, singing, and yelling
kim says:
Snack traps are lifesavers everywhere, not just the car!
RW says:
For long trips, we have to resort to the old iPhone with toddler games on it. If the drive is short enough, he likes to tell us everything he sees on the road.
Kylee says:
My 5 year old is very similar to Annie, she colors and when she gets bored, she’ll watch the ipad. My 1 year old hasn’t been on too long of a trip, but he’s pretty content looking out the window and napping. I’m sure that will change as he gets older.
Allison M. says:
We try to plan long trips around nap time which gives us a good 2-3 hour window. Other things we bring are tablets, dvd player, FOOD!
Krystal says:
We took many 12 hour road trips to see my family when my kids were about the same age as yours. My main trick was to drive at night so they could sleep. Other than that I had the lap desk like yours, lots of snacks, and a large selection of Kidz Bop. I don’t quite recommend the Kidz Bop because I swear that music haunts me in my dreams but my daughter loves it.
Jenny says:
My 15 month old doesn’t do well on long trips. We also try to have an adult back there, but it isn’t always possible. We also try to travel during nap time. Recently I have started giving him my phone with the toddler pandora station. And we have gotten a portable dvd player for long trips. Would love to win this giveaway.
Jill says:
We keep the boys occupied with the TV and snacks. Love the tray you posted a picture of here! I think they’d love that as well.
Jill says:
I follow Munchkin on Instagram.
Deepa says:
If I win, it wouldnt come at a more great a time, have a long road trip planned for end of March
Laurie L says:
I keep tons of paperback books and High5 magazines in the car. My girls are 3 & 6 so they pass books back and forth so there is plenty to go around!
Laurie L says:
I also just started following Munchkin on Instagram. Thanks for sharing!
Rachel says:
We sing lots and lots of Raffi!
Sarah says:
We have a CD of kids song and play that and sing along. My daughter loves to draw, so we always have lots of paper and crayons/markers along. And for my son…snacks!
Kate says:
I love those Munchkin snackers. Magna doodle, etchasketch, type things for my young tot. Maybe James would like that?
GreenInOC says:
Singing, everyone yelling when going through a tunnel, upper body dance parties!
Kayla K says:
My 2 year old likes to look at pictures on my phone, or color, or eat. Haha. My 6 month old likes to nap or drink her bottle!
Cathy E says:
My kids either read a book or play on their Leap Pads.
Angie says:
Laura is still little, so she mostly just sleeps.
Becky says:
My boys love playing ISpy while we are on trips. Lately my oldest has really been into playing the quiet game. He is really competitive so he does pretty good (my youngest only stays quiet for a couple of minutes) but it is nice to get a little bit of peace while driving especially if we are having a hard time with directions or something. Other than that we have DVD players that we use for emergencies!
Jesabes says:
I hope they do well, because we’ve got long journey coming up! I’ve bought massive amounts of games/activites and we have a DVD player in the van.
Jesabes says:
Followed on instagram.
Lisa says:
That tray is really cool. I’m resisting tech as entertainment for now, so I always bring a “bag of tricks” for my now-4-year old: a few books (one she knows all the words to, plus at least one with lots of photos, like a guide to animals or picture dictionary), a mini magna-doodle, a stuffed buddy or two for snuggling, a couple little figurines to tell stories with, snacks, Melissa & Doug Water Wow painting books (these are AWESOME), and painter’s tape (trust me on this – James in particular might have fun with long strips to play with or ball up).
I used to keep the bag up front next to me and dole things out, but now she’s old enough to have it next to her and go through it herself. We sing and listen to music, and she likes to bring her little guitar to play along.
I can count on one hand the number of times she’s napped in the car, but she does fantastic on the 6-hour road trips we take a few times a year, plus lots of shorter ones.
Jackie says:
My oldest (10) earns time with his iPod which I encourage him to save for the car! My twins (6) like to draw, watch movies or play “I spy” which is great except the thing they “spy” is usually 15 miles behind us by the time I guess correctly
Wolfe says:
My kids entertain themselves in the car by making up songs. The songs are usually only 1 line long. They enjoy repeating that line over and over and over…
Amy Jones says:
I have two little girls, ages 2 and 4.5. My parents live two hours away, so we travel a LOT. I always coordinate nap time with travel time so my girls won’t miss their naps, and I can have quiet time to think. We also use a portable DVD player for longer trips, and a vanilla milk is a special treat for looking tips, too!
Amy Jones says:
Clearly, I meant “longer trips,” haha! I also follow Munchkin on Instagram.
Jen says:
My little guy LOVES all things that move — so he’s usually checking out the big trucks, buses or trains we see as we drive. Every so often we’ll open the sun roof so he can check out a plane or helicopter. We do our best to keep devices off in the car — but that organizer with the hidden ipad compartment looks like it would be a life-saver for really long drives.
Sara Holtsberry says:
One of our favorite time passers on long car rides is a game we made up. One person describes an animal/person/character and the others take turns guessing. We also do eye spy, movies on ipad’s and making up stories as a group where each person tells a part.
Lisa says:
My guy is 20 months and still rear facing. We take down his mirror and put up a DVD player with the wiggles on it. The boy loves his wiggles…
Emily says:
When we travel 2-4 hours in the car, we try to do most of it after bedtime
Kelley says:
We travel a lot in the car as well. Videos on the phone or tablet are always good. But I like books and small games as well. Those Munchkin snack catchers are the best! We love those too!
Annalisa says:
We don’t do video in the car (I refuse, it comes with a set of challenges I’m not keen on), so the 4 year old spends time drawing or looking out the window and playing peekaboo with the toddler. The toddler usually has an assortment of toys in/near his car seat, and also likes to hum along to music.
Courtney says:
My 5yo uses his LeapReader pen/books in the car, games on the iPad, books, and lots of singing. My 2yo HATES being in the car, so we generally try to keep rides with her to an hour max (or time it during nap time so there’s only an hour or so of wake time). But, they both LOVE drawing, so I love that travel desk idea. We might have to get it for a trip to CA in the spring.
BTW, I recently discovered that those snack catchers are the perfect size for transporting cupcakes Managed to bring one with me from DC to AL–in my suitcase!–with frosting still intact. I was pretty proud of myself for that one.
Emily Luellwitz says:
My 3 month old sleeps and we try to let our 3 year old entertain himself for as long as possible and then we put a show or movie on the tablet.
Emily Luellwitz says:
I follow munchkin on Instagram.
Jaime says:
We sing songs, sometimes watch a movie and lately we have been looking for objects that start with the letters of the alphabet. I also saw a car bingo game at AAA I want to pick up.
Erin says:
My 5 year old colors, talks, sing and snacks. My 2 year old screams….a lot. He is rear facing, he talks and sings, mostly screams…
Danielle Flood says:
I LOVE munchkin products but didn’t know about their car organizer! Thanks for sharing!
Danielle Flood says:
We now follow munchkin on instagram! I enjoy your blog very much!
Miranda says:
For our summer vacation last year I made a bingo type game using pictures of things we would see along the way. I gave my 3 year old a sheet of stickers and he covered the pictures when we saw them.
Jody Munn says:
I give my 22 month old Hot Wheel cars to play with in the car. We also have DVD player that straps to the headrest of the seat he is rear facing in.
Sharon H says:
We have an old portable DVD player and he has a Leap Pad – both made the day long drive to Myrtle Beach last year so easy with him!
Sharon H says:
Also following Munchkin on Instagram!
BT says:
Unfortunately, its nothing creative. DVDs or IPODs and yes food too!
Carrie says:
We had the misfortune to take a 10+ hour car trip with our (then) 10-month-old twins last 4th of July. We usually like to drive at night with them, but only for short trips, so mom and dad get some sleep, too! For this one, we knew we’d have to drive during the day. Since they were rear-facing, they reacted by screaming out of boredom for prolonged periods (Diane), and drinking too much water at a rest stop and vomiting (Daniel). I know we’ll have to make this same trip later this year. By then they’ll be almost 2 (!!!!), and I’m hoping we’ll ALL handle the trip better!
Melissa says:
We love singing along with the radio or playing games like ispy.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Kathy Kumpe says:
LOVE the snack catchers!
Teresa says:
We love the snack catcher cup! I always bring a ton of books, toys, etc. and save the dvd player for last resort:)
Sue T. says:
We play our made-up game: “Guess the animal” which then turns into “Guess the human”
Mami2jcn says:
My kids like to listen to music and have snacks on long car rides.
Mami2jcn says:
I follow Munchkin on Instagram.
Cat says:
I don’t have kids yet, but I do have some nephews who would love Munchkin items. They are lucky enough to have a pull down screen in the car so on long trips they watch movies. On shorter trips they like to draw as well or play car games like “pretend.”
Michele says:
We had a DVD player built in and I let them bring their ipads/iphones if they want. And food! Tons of food. No drawing or reading because my kids get carsick like me.
Beverly Fisher says:
We like to do sing alongs and the DVD player is always a hit. I love the travel desk and need to look into getting those for my nieces.
Lindsey C. says:
They like to watch the portable DVD player but we try to encourage imaginative car games also!
Tyneisha says:
My daughter is pretty good on long trips especially if we have the radio going, then she loves to sing and dance with daddy. My son will be taking his first long trip soon, so we’ll see what happens!
Tyneisha says:
I follow Munchkin on Instagram too, under @luvmyminime!
Kristen in CO says:
My eldest has always been able to read in the car, so she takes care of herself. My 3-yr-old is much tougher. He also likes snacks, and my phone!
Heather says:
We definitely use the ipad to entertain our 6 year old. Our 1 year old is harder to keep busy in the car, but we try to leave right before naptime for longer trips. And cross our fingers he sleeps….
Meg says:
My child is a furry one, who sits in the back seat in her harness buckled in, with country music playing if she gets fussy, but she’s a good traveler. I give her half a Dramamine if we’re going more than a half hour or will be in heavy traffic as she get carsick (and that is not fun with a dog).
I read constantly in the car as a child. Every second. The cars had reading lights (do cars have those anymore? I don’t remember seeing them lately) and I devoured my books.
Michelle W says:
Tablets…car games…dvd player…snacks…little activity books
Kirsten says:
Commenting. Alot of their stuff would be totally awesome for my friends baby shower
Kirsten says:
I’m trying to comment again. My phone keeps freezing on the stupid catchall numbers thing. It won’t show half the question
Jaclyn says:
We have a DVD player in our van, but I try to limit its usage (I didn’t even want it, it just came with the van I wanted). So, to avoid watching movies, we play games like I spy or 20 questions. My girls love sticker books, so those are a must for long trips. They also bring small toys to play with. We listen to music and sing along. I remember how long car trips felt as a child, so I’m always trying to make them a little more fun.
Beth says:
My older two are quite a bit older than the youngest, so they can entertain themselves by reading or listening to their ipods. The little one has snacks, we bring special books and toys that are only for the car and we make frequent stops to let her run around (and keep the older two from becoming car sick from reading).
Connie says:
When my 17 month old was younger she slept most of the time in the car. Now that she faces forward she likes to look out the window and watch the DVD player on long trips.
Bianca says:
Heartened that there are still (just about!) more mentions of books and reading than tablet computers in these comments. Even if your kids get car sick from reading (I still do, even as an adult), there are still plenty of other word games they can play, particularly once they are of reading age (e.g. make the longest word possible using all of the letters on the car numberplate in front of you. To extend the challenge, you can only use the letters in the order given! Or do math games with the numbers on the plates…). To me, there are just so many more things you can do with kids before breaking out the iPad on a journey and I’m glad some parents here seem to be doing that
Casey says:
My little guy is 17 months – and much like James, we can always calm him down with snacks!!
Sarah says:
On our last car trip we played go fish!
Madeleine says:
My little one counts planes he sees in the sky. He also loves his books. My 8yr old is another story. He naps most of the trip or complains he’s bored and wants an Ipad.
Paula says:
We listen to mind numbing kids music to keep our little guy happy. It works like a charm, so its definitely worth it. He also has a couple of toys that he can sit in his lap to play with even though he’s rear facing – including his own little steering wheel.
Rita A. says:
Since my baby is still rear facing, like James, and babbles more than speaks, on long car rides I make sure I make him as comfortable as possible. No coats, hats or gloves on those rides (we’re in freezing NY). Just a hoodie and blanket. Then I also have snacks handy but they always end up in his seat. And I finish up with keeping the music good and I sing & talk to him.
Rita A. says:
I also follow munchkin on IG.
Lisa says:
Love me some munchkin too!!!! We totally suck and use the dvd player in the van….but with the rear facing baby, try to keep it off so the older girls can entertain the baby. Which usually involves a screaming contest. So. much. fun. Not.
Mel J. says:
Snacks, movies, food and a new toy or two. Also, stopping frequently.
Val says:
Asher didn’t handle long periods of time in the car well at all until about a month ago when I introduced two things: the windshield wipers and Elsa.
I showed him that if he counted to three the windshield wipers would come on. He can now count to five which he learned entirely by playing this game.
And Elsa… well, that’s self-explanatory. I put Elsa on the iPod and now we listen to the same five songs over and over again for hours. Having a child really is a joy.
Hope says:
The longest car ride we’ve done is 4 hours. I usually try to wear my son out by going to a playground or something and then he falls asleep in the car. When he wakes up with occupy him by snacks and shows on a cell phone.
Lindsey Hoskins says:
We do a LOT of singing in the car! And food. Totally relate with a rear-facing toddler.
Pat Connor says:
Granddaughter is almost two and as long as she had a book, she is happy.
Pat Connor says:
Following on Instagram.
Romina says:
My little boy is due on May! So… I can’t comment yet on this! Much love to your family and Thank you
Karen says:
For long car rides we either use the car DVD players for the boys or give them their leap pads to play. We also have videos on their leap pads for them to watch.
Nancy says:
My boys are 3 and 4 1/2 and we still use munchkin straw cups every day. I love them! We used to use the snack catcher cups as well. Those are the best invention.
Amy Hopkins says:
My boys read, color, play tic tac toe, and on our latest car adventure from Minnesota to Key West we played bingo and I had prizes for them which they were so excited about!!
Rebecca says:
We like to listen to books on CD and of course….snacking! We usually take at least 1 long trip per year.
Shannon says:
For long rides we use our portable DVD player. I recently got headsets for my kids which makes the ride super quiet for the adults.
Rie says:
We sing lots of songs! For really long trips, I take along a tablet for movies and games. I usually try to schedule long trips around nap time so she will nap in the car.
shelli culley says:
our little one is almost one month old so he only sleeps in the car at this point. i’m looking forward to munchkin products once he’s older. great giveaway!!
C says:
Baby #1 is due in July, but I hope she’s as into audiobooks as I am!
Kelly D says:
My kids like to listen to music, watch dvds and color during long car trips.
Kelly D says:
I follow Munchkin on Instagram(Kellywcu)
Jill says:
We try to drive during naptimes/bedtime, so that the kids are sleeping… otherwise, screen time, snacks and books! We often drive 11 hours to visit family, and it is CHALLENGING!
Cheryl says:
Our son is 15 weeks old and we are going on our first road trip next month. So it was great reading the tips from everyone else. Thank you!
Kristen E says:
My 9-month-old just goes to sleep. My two-year-old is a little harder – we use the snack catchers as well. He is still rear-facing so I often give him a stuffed animal or special toy that is only for car time. And otherwise he is content to just chill
kbos says:
We deal with long periods in the car by planning around sleep for the little one and having lots of distractions like audiobooks, color wonder coloring books, and books for the big one.
Kara says:
Sleep & snacks for us. Both sets of grandparents live far away, so we have to road trip to see them. We always plan on driving during nap time, so that helps eat up some of the trip. We make sure each has their special blanket, a stuffed animal, etc. so they can snuggle and sleep as long as possible. And lots and lots of snacks to rotate during the trip
Mary says:
Long periods usually come with a lot of whining, unless I’m prepared with lots of snacks, new toys, and a super charged up kindle!
shaunie says:
They sing and do a lot of play of games in the car. So fun when the whole family joins in.
shaunie says:
Following as instagram.com/sandyhills25
Ashley says:
My baby is still young, she is only 5 months. We just took our first plane ride & I let her use the iPad to watch Sesame Street. She also played with some small toys I brought her. I love Munchkin products, she already has quite a few snack catchers for when she gets bigger
Dandi D says:
My son loves to watch out the windows and ask questions about everything we see. Or else he really likes to read books in the car.
Jeni C says:
I have two kids and they can be a handful if we don’t pack wisely when going on some road trips. I learned really quickly of this . We bring from snacks, tablets, coloring books, crayons and so much more to keep them entertained. We also play games like the ‘I spy with my little eye something….’ or other games I can’t think of right this moment. On really long road trips we will play a movie on the tablet as well. Munchkin products look great and will help a lot. What a great invention. I need to get some for my kids.. and why not for me too… I can be pretty messy lol
Jeni C says:
We bring lots of pictured books too.
Melissa K says:
We try to plan car trips around nap time so they sleep. We also use snacks, books, magnadoodle and small toys.