Kids Healthworks | Topic Description

Making Car Trips Fun

It is possible to keep your child safe and happy on family car trips. Here's a few suggestions to ensure everyone gets there safe and sound:

Birth to 9 Months

Ensure your newborn's comfort by padding the sides of his car seat with rolled towels to prevent slouching.
Place a small rolled towel between the crotch strap and your baby to prevent his lower body from sliding too far forward.
If your infant's head flops forward, tilt the seat backward until it is level by wedging firm padding, such as a rolled towel, under the front of the base of the seat.

9 Months to 24 Months

Children this age love to climb, and may want desperately to get out of the car seat. If this describes your child, remind yourself that this is only a phase, and in a calm but stern voice insist that he stay in his seat whenever the car is on the road.
Entertain your toddler by talking or singing with him as you drive. However, never do this to the point that it distracts you from paying attention to your driving.

24 Months to 36 Months

Make driving a learning experience by talking about the things your child sees out the window, as long as this doesn't distract the driver.
Encourage your child to buckle his toy animals or dolls into a seat belt and talk about how safe the toy is now that it's buckled up.

Travel Activities

Talk about the passing sights. Ask your child what she sees out her window. Point out interesting sights. When she begins to learn colors, letters, and numbers, ask her to identify them in signs and billboards. Remember to keep your eyes on the road, however.
Keep a variety of picture books and small toys in the car within reach of her car seat.
Keep several cassettes of children's songs or stories in the car. Encourage your child to sing along with her favorite tunes.
For longer trips, bring along a small box filled with age-appropriate activity materials, such as coloring or activity books, crayons, paper, stickers, paper dolls, pop-beads, a Viewmaster(c) or an Etch-A-Sketch(c). (Do not allow scissors in the car; they could be hazardous in the event of a sudden stop.)
Stop at least every two hours to break up the trip. This will allow your child a chance to stretch, perhaps eat a snack, and have a diaper change or use the toilet.
If your child is prone to motion sickness, it may help to give her an appropriate dose of Dramamine(r) a half hour before getting in the car.

Keeping Preschoolers Happy and Safe on the Road

Talk about safety as "grown-up" behavior, and praise your child whenever he voluntarily buckles up.
Encourage your child to accept the seat belts by suggesting make-believe roles, such as astronaut, pilot or racecar driver.
Explain why the safety seat is important: "If we have to stop suddenly, the straps keep you from bumping your head."
Show him books and pictures with safety messages.
Always wear your seat belt, and make sure everyone else in the car buckles up, too.

Traveling Rules

Don't allow yelling, hitting, biting or loud noisemaking.
Don't allow children to touch door handles.
Never let a child play alone in the car.
Remind children to be considerate of other people in the car.