Mom with Irish twins, a baby and toddler, on the boardwalk in Hawaii in a double stroller

Road Trip Activities for Toddlers (Parent AND Toddler Approved!)

ByChelsea

I know that thinking about taking long road trips with a toddler can seem a little daunting. But around here, we love traveling with our kids and we want you to feel as empowered and excited as possible to be taking a new adventure with your little one.

Our first road trip with our two kids was when our oldest was 13 months old and our youngest was 2 months old. We took a 7 hour road trip to 30A for a week and we have been on countless road trips since then.

They aren’t babies anymore and now we have two toddlers to entertain on road trips. These are our tried and true activities and top tips for keeping everyone in a good mood on your road trip with toddlers!

toddler in his car seat on a road trip with mountains and clouds in the window


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Travel Tray/Lap Desk

The first thing that you definitely want to get is a travel lap desk. This will be great for your toddler to have somewhere to put all of the activities we’re going to be talking about.

Busy Bags

A busy bag is basically an empty bag that you can fill with fun activities. I use this two pack of mesh bags with a zipper.

This doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Here are some ideas on what to fill it with:

The Dollar Spot at Target, holiday clearance items, and the Dollar Tree are all great spots to stock up for busy bag items.

And if you don’t want to put it together yourself, this busy board is a similar concept.

When I used to work with kids throughout college, we called this our “bag of tricks” and we kept it on us in case there was a lull in things to do. Now that I have kids of my own, I like to always have something like this around. Not only is it nice for road trips but also for rainy days, days I’m not feeling well, or just to change things up a little bit.

dad holding a toddlers hand and carrying a baby in an infant seat

Interactive Books

Packing books that will hold your toddler’s attention are great to bring along:

  • Lift-the-Flap Books
  • Touch-and-Feel Books
  • Interactive Sound Books

We like board books so that they don’t get beat up.

These are easy to pack because they don’t take up much room. I like bringing a combination of new books they haven’t seen before as well as some of their favorite books.

Your local library is a great resource for “new” books without spending any money!

Audiobooks and Music

Tonies are all the rage right now. Tonies are collectable figurines, usually of movies or TV shows that your toddler already knows and love. They play audio on a Toniebox. It’s audio only with no screen and easy for even younger toddlers to manage. There’s also an option to listen with headphones if you don’t want to listen to it.

I’ve also heard great things about Yoto.

You can also play some of their favorite music or a sing along song.

zoe v2 double stroller with a baby and toddler in front of an airport

Snacks

Definitely bring plenty of snacks. This is a must for everyone in the car, not just the toddlers.

But since this is a post about road tripping with toddlers, bring some of their favorite snacks. You could even make eating entertaining by asking them to count their pieces or sorting by color before eating.

Play I-Spy

Road trip games can make the time fly by, but a lot of the games out there are for older kids.

I-Spy is a simple game perfect kids of all ages. It’s engaging, requires no extra supplies, and keeps young kids entertained by drawing their attention to their surroundings.

Toddlers think it’s a lot of fun and it’s easy to tailor the difficulty to their age. I love that it allows me to spend time bonding with my kids even while in the car.

dad holding a lap infant on the airplane with a toddler in his car seat on the plane next to him

Crafts

Bringing some simple crafts (that don’t make a lot of mess, of course) is a great way to keep your toddler entertained.

Here are some ideas:

Window Clings

Window clings are easy to find in different themes. If you wanted to, you could even get some that match the “theme” of where you’re going.

For example, you could get ocean-themed window clings for a beach trip or holiday window clings if you’re traveling around that time.

Other Road Trip Essentials

These are the less exciting things that you don’t want to forget. They won’t necessarily keep your toddler entertained, but they’ll make your life easier and you’ll be glad you packed them!

  • Toddler potty – a travel potty is a good thing to bring if your little one is potty training or newly potty trained
  • Portable snack tray – an easy way to keep a lot of options readily available without digging through your bag to try to find a specific snack.
  • Good road trip music or a podcast for you!
toddler sleeping in his car seat with the turquoise water of the florida keys in the background

Screen Time

The best way to have a successful road trip with toddlers is by doing what works for you. If you want to use screen time in the car, use screen time in the car. Our kids good without it in the car, so we do try to limit it. But when we travel by airplane with kids, we use that screen time! So you won’t find judgment here.

But if you want to get away with as little screen time as possible, I truly think that using the ideas I have listed in this article will help you achieve that goal. I find that the more engaging I am with toddlers on long car rides, the more content they tend to be, but every kid is different.

a dad on the streets of paia, hawaii, with his toddler and baby in a double stroller

Other Tips for Road Trips with Toddlers

It’s common to eat meals when you stop. Instead, I recommend eating in the car. It breaks up the trip and then you can stop at playgrounds or similar places where your toddlers can stretch their legs.

Have realistic expectations. I know that the last thing we all want is a meltdown, but if there are moments where it hits the fan, that’s ok. It doesn’t mean you did anything wrong! Just roll with it as much as you can.

Keep the toys that you’re bringing a surprise. Sometimes, the toys we bring are daily toys and not only for travel. If that’s the case, I’ll take them away for a week or two before the trip so that they’re “new” and exciting.

I mentioned this earlier, but I just want to reiterate that this does not need to be expensive. You do not have to spend a ton of money on new toys for a road trip. The Dollar Store, Dollar Spot at Target, and clearance items from holidays all make great opportunities to stock up.

Also consider when you want to leave. There are pros/cons to leaving at any point, so it will be up to you/your preferences. Some families like driving overnight so their toddlers can sleep but the downside is that then the parents are not well rested. My personal preference is to do our morning routine like normal then leave an hour or so before nap time. Usually they aren’t too bored in just an hour and they’ve also had all morning to play/stretch their legs.

I have an article on good toys for babies if you happen to be traveling with a toddler and a baby. Babies are generally easier to travel with than toddlers (unless they hate their car seat) because they sleep more. But of course there are exceptions and every kid is different!

If you want to boost your confidence, you can go on a short road trip to “practice”. This is a great option if you want to learn more about how your little one handles being in the car. It can also give you practice staying in a hotel if that’s something you want to try, too.

two toddlers playing on a playground with an enclosed tube section
two toddlers swinging at the park
toddler boy playing with a truck in the sand at a park with water in the background and a yellow slide also in the background

Final Thoughts on Road Trips with Toddlers

Toddler road trips don’t have the best reputation. But it’s totally possible to have an enjoyable trip with younger kids.

Bringing along some parent- and toddler-approved activities can make all the difference. Pack a mix of options so your toddler has something to turn to, no matter what mood strikes. And remember, it’s not just about keeping them entertained—it’s about creating a positive, memorable experience for the entire family.