We are so grateful for all of the “tips and ideas”:/news/2007/needed-trip-tips/ we received that really helped on the “Cedar Campus car trip”:/news/2007/champion-traveler/. Now that I’m processing my list for future trips, I’ll offer here some of the things that helped The Lu travel in comfort and style:
* *The Fridge Farm.* Lucy is addicted to this “musical puzzle”:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0001X0DR6/octothorppres-20 on land or on wheels, so we were glad to have Farmer Tad with us in the car, even though Mama and Papa got a little tired of singing half-choruses of “O Susanna” after awhile.
p{color:gray}. Photo: Lucy, single-socked, playing with the Fridge Farm far from home.
* *Pretzel Rods.* A bit messy, but Lucy really enjoyed chomping a couple of these down. She seemed to discover that they make a good hair product, too.
* *Baby Powder.* I failed to pack this, but was glad that I bought some mid-week for those sandy beach adventures. Grainy toes, no more!
* *McDonald’s PlayLand.* Although turning Lucy loose to play here challenged my germophobic tendencies, Lucy loved it — and where else can you find a safe place for a crawling toddler? (Other than Nicole and James’ house?) We called the toll-free number on the McDonald’s bag (1-800-244-6227), and they were able to direct us to a couple of McDonald’s with PlayLands on the way to our destination. They were super-helpful. (We were a little disappointed to learn, upon returning home, that there is no web map showing all the PlayLands.) Remember to wear socks — it’s policy (not to mention good hygiene).
* *A large plastic cup.* I don’t know about other babies, but Lucy just can’t get enough of big plastic cups — talking into them, waving them around, putting things in and taking them out. She especially enjoyed it when I put a small handful of Cheerios in the cup and she could eat them herself (or, more accurately, eat some and scatter the rest as far as her arm could reach).
* *Walkie-talkies.* We were bringing these along anyway so Jon and I could stay in touch when we weren’t together. It turns out that Lucy loves these almost as much as our cordless phones at home. Bonus: no danger of her dialing 911.
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*Placemat.* We picked up a “Tiny Diner portable placemat”:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000067PRC/octothorppres-20, though we weren’t sure if it would be worth the money. But it was great! Not only did it provide Lucy with a sanitary spot for eating her meals at public locations, but it also served as an excellent reminder of where *not* to put the bottle of ketchup (or whatever else you didn’t want Lucy to touch).
* *An audio book.* We happened to be listening to “_Eragon_”:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400090687/octothorppres-20 during our trip, which helped soothe Lucy to sleep in the car (even when we didn’t intend for this to happen!). It doesn’t necessarily have the same effect on the adults, at least those who are driving.
We can’t wait for our next road trip with our little explorer!
Ahh how many times have I had to sing “I’m Farmer Tad I have…” only to have the page turned before we get to 3 pigs or 5 chicks and then it’s “I’m Farmer Tad” all over again. He is a favorite for kids all over though.
Thanks for your tips! We are traveling to Silverwood next month. Only a 5 hour drive (since we are hauling the trailer), but that’s a long drive for a 1 year old. Luckily we do have our “home” with us wherever we stop.