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Since our little girl was born, my husband and I have taken her on a lot of road trips. We love hittin’ the road to go camping, climbing, or just to explore a new area! We wanted to get our little one involved in our adventures as early as possible!

I’ve realized that each new phase of her growth quickly involves new challenges. A road trip with a newborn is different than road tripping with an eight-month old. And unlike what I was expecting as a new mom, she didn’t just fall asleep the second she got in the car seat and wake up when we got to our destination (lol I wish.) Our baby does not sleep easily in the car, so I have to keep her entertained to keep her happy. This is when plugging her into a phone or iPad is VERY tempting.

Don’t get me wrong, I realize there will probably be a time when I’ll have a TV on the back of my front seat and Disney’s Frozen playing on repeat for ten hours straight. But I’m trying to hold that off as long as possible! So until then, I’ll share what has worked for us to keep our baby happy and entertained on the road—without a screen.

But first…

• affect their brain development
• stunt creativity
• lead to other problems such as ADHD, depression, and anxiety

As much as we like to be on the road, I’ve made it a goal not to let screen time be our go-to entertainment, especially while she’s this young. So far, with some simple strategies, we’ve been able to hold it off!

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Here are our tips and tricks for keeping the baby entertained on the road without a screen

Tip#1

Time your departure

One of the biggest ways to set yourself up for success on the road with a baby is timing. You definitely don’t want to start your journey with a cranky baby or hungry or sleepy one. We always plan our departure time right when she wakes up. That’s either first thing in the morning or right after her first morning nap. You want your little one to start the journey in a good mood, so make sure they are well rested and have a full tummy and fresh diaper! This is the foundation to a happy traveler.

Tip #2

Buy an engaging travel mobile

Find a good travel mobile that can keep your little one engaged. It’s best if you can have a mobile that they ONLY use in the car seat— not also on the stroller and swing and bouncer. That way it is always a fresh toy when they get in the car, and they will stay engaged with it longer. We personally love this one from the Manhattan toy company. Its design is so simple, yet the high-contrast images keep our girl mesmerized for a very long time! I got this for her when she was three months old and she STILL loves it at nine months old! I would definitely recommend it!

Tip #3

Sit in the backseat with baby

It’s ideal on long road trips to have one parent sitting in the back with baby if possible. This makes the following tips much easier because you will be able to observe your baby and see what they need next to keep them happy and occupied. Plus you can make silly faces at each other! =)

Tip #4

Put together a small travel bag of open-ended toys

I used a mesh bag like these ones and packed it with a variety of open-ended toys. Open-ended toys are toys that can be used in many different ways and they require more creativity to play with them, such as blocks or colorful scarves. Since they leave a lot of room for creativity, kids don’t get bored with them as quickly. For my eight-month old, this is what I packed:

• two or three of these blocks
• two egg shakers
• one stuffed animal (she had this stuffed bunny inspired by the French artist, Matisse)
• soft-covered book
• texture ball

Now the key to success with these simple toys is…

Tip #5

Don’t give them multiple toys at once

Don’t just throw all those toys in the car seat at once and hope they stay entertained for hours. There is a little strategy involved here. Start the journey with one activity such as a couple of blocks. Maybe even take the mobile away while she is playing with something else. If babies have too many options, they will lose interest with all of them. Give them a chance to really focus and engage with one toy or activity.

Tip #6

Refresh their interest in a toy

If you sense they are getting bored, don’t panic and throw them another toy just yet. Take that same toy and show them a new way to use it. For example, if they have a couple egg shakers and have gotten bored shaking them, show them the cool sound they make when you bang them together. Something as simple as that can reinvigorate their interest and keep them playing with the same toy even longer. This can help develop a child’s focus and concentration and lead to more creativity.

Tip #7

Don’t break their focus

If you notice your baby is focused and engaged with a toy, just look straight ahead and keep your eyes on the road. LEAVE THEM ALONE. Don’t break their focus by squeezing their cute little cheeks, giving them a snack, or showing them a new toy. These quiet, focused moments are sacred lol. Enjoy it!!!

When they are definitely done with one toy, TAKE IT AWAY and give them a fresh toy or activity. If they are restless and don’t want to play with any toys anymore, this may be the time to change up the rotation with….

Tip #8

Snack time! (but try to keep it low sugar)

I always like to wait to give our baby girl food or a snack until she is fussy and needs a break from toys. Food is a great distraction and can buy you some more time to get some miles behind you! We love these pouches because they are super healthy and yummy and have no added sugar or high-sugar fruit. They are all organic and have nutrient dense combinations like grass-fed beef with olive oil and kale. Our baby LOVES them, and they are a perfect snack to keep baby from having a sugar high on the road.

If you want something a little sweeter that’s still healthy, these are great as well! (And the chia seeds are good for preventing constipation while travelling 😉 )

Self feeders are also great because you can put anything in them for them to chew on, and you don’t have to worry about choking. You can put frozen breast milk in them! I love these ones because the handle is easier for babies to hold than some other ones on the market, and they are great for teething!

Tip #9

When they are done with toys and snack time, and you want to give them your phone, first try…

Music!

Babies LOVE music. Just because you hand your baby your phone doesn’t mean they have to stare at a screen. Lock your screen, find the music that gets your baby smiling (or sleepy), make a road-trip playlist, and let them hold it like a boom box and jam like it’s 1999! I generally don’t let our baby play with my phone, but letting her hold it while she listened to music was absolutely thrilling to her, and it bought us a little more time on the road— without a screen.

When my baby starts getting restless in the car, and toys aren’t cutting it anymore, she always snaps out of it when I start playing music. Even just a simple travel sound machine can do the trick! Our baby loved this one even though it only played two songs. It also has white noise sounds so sometimes it would put her to sleep. This monkey one looks pretty cool too! Babies love things with faces. =)

She also loves when I play and sing along with Disney songs or even classical music.

Tip #10

Break every 2-3 hours

It’s best for babies (and you) to get out of the car seat and move around every 2-3 hours. Not only is it important to keep their blood flow moving, it will also help keep them from having a meltdown in the car seat. And make sure to change the diaper every time you stop, even if it’s just a little wet. A dry diaper will help keep them happy in the car.

Tip #11

Don’t just break at gas stations

Sometimes gas stations are the most practical and convenient, but if you want to change it up, find a nearby park to take a break! When my husband and I are taking a rest stop for the baby (and the dog) we map the nearest park and take our break under a tree and in the grass if possible. We bring a little blanket and let the baby do some tummy time (to counteract the crunched position in the car seat) and we all take off our shoes to do a little grounding— including the baby.

Grounding (being barefoot on the earth) helps reduce inflammation, improve blood flow, and can help relax you— all very necessary when sitting long hours in a car! So not only does this give your baby some free playtime outside, the effects of grounding may relax them enough to help them sleep better in the car. (See my more in-depth article on the benefits of grounding here)

In conclusion…

All these tips are simple but are extremely effective when done with good timing. It’s like a choreographed dance with how and when each activity is introduced to keep your baby occupied for hours in the car. It starts with getting on the road when baby is well rested and happy. Then observe your baby, and ride the waves of their interest, or lack there of, by

• having a varied selection of open-ended toys
• not overwhelming them with too many choices at once
• taking a toy away before giving another
• trying to refresh their interest in a toy before changing to another
• not breaking their focus
• waiting until they are restless and uninterested in toys to give them a snack (or squeeze their cheeks)
• playing music, singing, or using a sound machine
• breaking up the drive with tummy time (or crawling time) barefoot in a park

These are the things that have worked for us on long road trips, and I hope some of these tips are helpful to you too! Sure it takes a little more effort, but it’s worth it to watch your little one use their creativity and help them develop key skills like patience and an ability to focus for long periods of time.

Plus, as they get older, these skills can lead to the greatest skill of all— being able to stare out the window and daydream. =)

Are you trying to have screen-free road trips with your baby? What has worked for you? I would love to hear your tips!!