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Toddler & Preschooler Road Trip Essentials
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items We just got back from our second roadtrip this summer with a preschooler and a toddler, and whew! Let me tell you, “vacation” takes on a whole different meaning when you have kids. With that said, after lots of road trips with littles, we've figured ...
Sections
6
Entertainment
Snack Time
Potty Time
Nap Time
Clean & Tidy
Our Favorite Ride
Entertainment
Our preschooler has LOVED his YOTO Mini since he received it for his third birthday. It's the perfect size for travel. He will stay happy listening to his favorite stories for most of our time in the van, as long as we keep him stocked with a steady ...
Yoto Mini 2024 - Kids Travel Audio Player
We don't have the adventure jacket for our YOTO yet, but I highly recommend adding this accessory and wish I knew it existed earlier. It's a good idea to have an extra layer of protection and make it easier for little ones to carry, especially when y...
YOTO Mini Adventure Jacket 2024 Ed.
We use this carrying case not only for travel, but also for storing our charging cord, headphones, and all our YOTO cards at home. It's sturdy and spacious.
YOTO Mini Travel Case Hard Shell Carrier
These are great headphones for my preschooler. They have held up well for over a year, fit my son comfortably, and have worked perfectly since day one.
iRAG J01 Kids Wired Headphones Ocean Blue
A buckle pillow is a great car activity that can keep a little one's hands and brain busy for a long time. This is the cutest one I've seen!
Buckle Pillow Sensory Toy for Therapy & Play
We use these fun tubes for so many things at home - bath play, pretend fire hoses, costumes…I could go on! They also make a perfect, lightweight and compact travel toy.
Nutty Toys Pop Tubes - Large 8-Pack Sensory Toys
A friend just told me her preschooler and toddler LOVE these sticker books, and I'm excited to get some for my kids as a mess-free travel activity that will be easy for them to work on independently. There are so many themes available for every inter...
Melissa & Doug Astronaut Stamper Toy
We have several of these Water Wow! books, and they make a great on-the-go activity. Just fill the paintbrush cartridge with water, and color will “magically” appear on the pictures.
Melissa & Doug Water Wow! Animals Activity Pad
Our kids love their Poke-a-Dot book! It's the perfect combination for any kid who enjoys books and sensory play. I recommend these smaller board books for travel, because the larger Poke-a-Dot storybooks are a little heavier and could be cumbersome t...
Melissa & Doug Poke-a-Dot First Words 3-Pack
We were gifted this LeapFrog talking “book” a few years ago, and it has been a lifesaver in the car more than once. Toddlers just have to touch the pictures to play the audio, so they can “read” all by themselves. There are several themes available t...
LeapFrog 100 Things that Go
For preschoolers, I'd recommend the LeapStart for independent “reading.” It's interactive like the LeapFrog “book," but more versatile because you can switch out a variety of books that are compatible with the reader. I had an old-school version of t...
LeapFrog LeapStart Learning Success Bundle, Green
Snack Time
We love these snack cups for mess-free car snacks! I love that they're stainless steel - yay for low tox - and easy to disassemble and clean. My kids love that it's easy to reach in and grab their snacks. :)
Elk and Friends Kids Stainless Steel Snack Cups 2pk
I don't own this (YET), but I think it's brilliant - a snack tray you can attach to a carseat's cupholder. For avid car snackers, I think this is a must.
Munchkin® Carseat Tray, Grey
My kids are crazy about BEAR fruit rolls. I love that they're made with real fruit. We only get them when we travel, so they're a special car treat - and extra fun, because they come with a collectible animal card in each package.
BEAR Raspberry Fruit Rolls 20g Pack of 18
It can be hard to find whole-food snacks for the car, but these freeze dried strawberries from ALDI are a no brainer! Simple, clean, and a favorite for my kids.
Simply Nature Freeze Dried Fruit, 6 count
These are a travel staple for us, because 1) We love the dinosaurs on the pouches, 2) they're easy to eat in the car and don't make hands sticky or messy, and 3) there's a sneaky veggie serving in each pouch. Win, win, win!
GoGo squeeZ No Sugar Jurassic Applesauce 20ct
We don't feed these to our toddler yet, but this is a new favorite snack for my preschooler AND my husband. A perfectly crunchy and salty whole-food snack.
LOVE CORN Sea Salt Roasted Corn Snack 16oz
Both of my kids are OBSESSED with LARABAR. These mini bars are the perfect size for little hands.
Larabar Minis Variety Pack Fruit & Nut Bars, 30 ct
Perfect Bars are mama's preferred car snack that SOMETIMES get shared with the kids! They're high-protein, filling, and packed with health-boosting ingredients, but they taste like cookie dough.
Perfect Bar Mini Dark Choc Chip Peanut Butter
String cheese is another no-brainer car snack for us. High protein and virtually mess free.
Cheese Heads String Cheese, Low-moisture Mozzarella Sticks 48 ct
Clementines are a two-in-one - activity PLUS snack! My preschooler enjoys peeling these on his own, and they're the perfect fruit to take on the go.
Mandarin Clementine, 3 Lb Bag
These yogurt pouches are a travel splurge for us, but my kids and I both love them. Easy peasy low-sugar, higher protein snack and minimal mess.
siggi’s Strawberry Banana Yogurt Pouches 4ct
The whole fam loves Chomps for a high-protein car snack. Chomplings are the perfect size for littles.
Chomps Original Beef Chomplings, 24ct
Potty Time
If you buy one thing from this list, please let it be this car potty. This will be one of the best things you ever own, especially if the thought of taking a toddler into a gas station bathroom gives you the ick. Easy to store and perfect for both ro...
OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Portable Potty with Bag
These bags go with the OXO potty and make for super easy cleanup!
OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty Refill Bags - 30 Pack
You've gotta stock up on wipes before a road trip, because you'll be spending lots of time wiping bums PLUS sticky mouths, crummy hands, messy carseats, etc.
Huggies Natural Care Sensitive Baby Wipes, Unscented, Hypoallergenic, 99% Purified Water, 12 Flip-Top Packs (768 Wipes Total)
Accidents happen, and when they do, you're gonna want some wet bags to store wet and soiled clothes until you can get to a washer. This set from mushie comes in so many cute patterns, which will maybe make you feel a little better about the mess?
mushie Water Resistant Wet Bags - Large & Small
Nap Time
If your little one struggles to sleep in the car, an on-the-go sound machine is a must!
Hatch Go Portable Sound Machine & Sleep Soother for Babies & Kids (Putty)
Our toddler gets super cranky in the car when he's tired, and music is the only thing that calms him down. This is one of our favorite albums - one my kids enjoy that I don't mind listening to on repeat.
You Are My Sunshine Album - Elizabeth Mitchell
JJ Heller has such a soothing voice, and you'll find some fun classics and oldie covers on her I Dream of You albums. Four of them are available as a card set from the Yoto store.
I Dream of You Collection (Pack) - JJ Heller
If you're looking for great Christian music for little ears, check out Rain for Roots. I love this album's warm, gentle, slightly folksy vibe.
All Creatures Album - Rain for Roots
Clean & Tidy
I take these wipes with me everywhere I go. Perfect for making sure hands stay clean when you're on the go.
Honest Company Sanitizing Wipes, Fragrance-Free, 150ct
We currently use an old basket as a car trash can, but I'm about to invest in this amazing waterproof car trash can to feel like a true roadtrip pro. I think this is a must for all parents, no?
EPAuto Waterproof Car Trash Can 2.5 Gal
Our Favorite Ride
If you have multiple children and don't have a minivan, what are you doing? The sliding doors alone make it a must (hello tight parking spots!). With a removable third row that converts to ample trunk space, the Odyssey has been amazing for comfortab...
2027 Honda Odyssey – The Fun Family Minivan | Honda
If you have rear-facing kids, it's great to be able to look back and see their face and make sure they're okay. These mirrors easily and safely attach to your vehicle's headrests and offer peace of mind for you and your child.
Little Chicks Rear Facing Baby Car Seat Mirror
We have both of our kids in these seats, and they've been a great fit in both the rear- and the front-facing configuration. I can (unfortunately for me) also attest that they are easy to disassemble and clean if, say, your child vomits everywhere in ...
Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat with Extension