HELP! 5+ hr car trip w/ very active 8mo old

[jumblebox]

We're driving to visit family for Thanksgiving, and I'm dreading it. Driving straight through, with no stops, it would take about 4.5 hrs. But there's no way we'll be able to drive straight through.  This is our first trip since DS was born.

Our (spirited) DS is almost 8 months, and VERY active. He started pulling up a couple weeks ago, and that's ALL he wants to do... practice pulling up, standing, crouching, early cruising.
HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO KEEP HIM ENTERTAINED IN THE CAR FOR 5 HOURS?!?
(Obviously, we hope he'll be taking a 1.5 hr nap at some point, but...)

Thanks for any & all help!
- LisaW

[TDR'smom]

Definitely get a portable DVD player. 

Lots of snacks.

Plan on stopping every 1 1/2-2 hours.

GOOD LUCK!!!   

[jumblebox]

Definitely get a portable DVD player. 

Would love to do this, but we don't have one, none of our friends have one, and we're broke. What did people do before DVD players?

Plan on stopping every 1 1/2-2 hours.

We do plan on this, but not sure how much it'll help. Everything will be closed on Thanksgiving Day (when we leave) and it's supposed to rain all day.    So far, I haven't come up with any ideas of where we can stop that he'd be able to move around. (Our state's "rest stops" are just restrooms with picnic pavillions. Aargh!)

[Two mummies]

Just two ideas so far...

-try making some tape recordings of you reading stories and singing songs, kids like to hear their parents voices, then play them in the car.

-readers digest magazines are good as they can handle the size and its no problems if they rip out a few pages along the way

[TDR'smom]

Stop at any McDonald's that has a "Play Center".  Even if he gets to crawl and cruise around a bit.  Different scenery than looking out the car window will help too. 

Just a warning, they are not always the cleanest places but that's what antibacterial wipes are for.   


You can get a portable DVD player for less than 100 bucks at Sam's or Costco.  Do you know anyone with a membership?  I wish we lived closer, I would lend you mind for sure!!!  Plus, it really is worth the investment!!

[Erin M]

Does he eat finger food yet?
Cheerios, fruit puffs, something that he needs to eat one at a time and will take some time picking up, transporting to mouth, etc...