Our Growing List of Screen-Free Boredom Busters for Long Car Rides (Ages 1-6)
Tried-and-True Screen-Free Car Ride Activities That Actually Work
We have to drive out of state to visit family, usually between 7 and 12 hours at a time. Its always unpredictable how our kids are going to respond to car rides during their different phases of development. We've traveled with 3 kids up to 6 years old, and as they've gotten older we've opted for less and less screen time. We used to have a kid tablet, and it really works to keep them entertained, but this last time the trip was on the shorter end (7 hours) and I didn't even bring the tablet. Instead I got some screen-free Boredom Busters and they were a huge hit!
Why These Work (Even With Mixed Ages + Personalities)
We have three boys with drastically different personalities and energy levels. So it came as a surprise to me when these activities worked to entertain them all! At the time of this road trip we had an almost 2 year old, almost 4 year old, and a 6 year old. The trick, I found, was leaning into the sensory aspect of the toys rather than the age range of them. Some of the things I got one for each child, and some of them were passed around and shared. I'll start with the things that seemed universally entertaining regardless of the age of the child.
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Things That Work for All Ages
Each of our children have their own color coordinated set of the following:
Backpack
Water bottle
Yoto
Headphones
I like making it all color coordinated because we never get anything mixed up and it's easy for each kid to remember what stuff is theirs. I also remember my mom doing that for us growing up and it was always really fun to have control over all my own things while traveling.
Here Are links to the things that are color coordinated in these pictures:
Here are the things that were more entertaining for the children based on age, along with ideas we didn't end up buying.
Easy Wins for Ages 1-2
Things we tried that worked:
Snack containers (Using a variety of Snack bags/containers is something I've found holds his interest longer)
Bonus ideas:
Soft finger puppets or loveys
Sun windows shade (I noticed our baby gets fussy when the sun is on him too long in the car)
Preschool Favorites (Ages 3-4)
Things we tried that worked:
Yoto (I'm able to customize which stories and songs they have access to based on age and their personal preferences)
Sketch book and markers
Bonus ideas
Magnetic drawing boards
Reusable sticker books
Lacing cards or large beads
Big Kid Picks (Ages 5-6)
Things we tried that worked:
Yoto (I'm able to customize which stories and songs they have access to based on age and their personal preferences, including school memory work)
Sketch book and markers
Bonus ideas:
Dry-erase boards with doodles or mazes
Story dice or make-your-own stories
Drawing prompts
Themed scavenger hunts
"Crunchy" Mom Snacks
Pumpkin seeds
Rest + Reset Options (All Ages)
Special blankies
Travel pillows (not recommended for car seat safety)
My Other Car Ride Essentials
We do have a DVD player and a few DVDs just in case. We really like this one, however, it is pretty quiet.
Wipes
Extra ziplocks and trash bags
Chargers (this kind is the best)
For more screen-free, and Montessori-inspired activities, check out some of my other posts:
