Travelin’ Tots – The Terrible 2′s
Spurred on by friends and fellow mothers asking me what kind of toys to buy for summer travels, I am starting a new series of posts called “Travelin’ Tots”. Today we are going to focus on one of the hardest ages to travel with kids, 2 years old. Having a two year old myself I know that traveling with them is a challenge. They are at an age where being tied down to a car seat is not exactly enjoyable for long stretches of time (like, say, 10 minutes). Distractions are key at this age and I have a few that have worked well for myself or other moms and dads I know. First off, you don’t want to give them anything too small. Not only could they be a choking hazard, you would also be a hazard on the road if you have to keep pulling over (or reaching into the back seat) to try and give them something that they have dropped. Keeping things all together and in their lap is key. I like the Star Kids Snack & Play Travel Tray just for this reason. It gives kids a little more surface area and has an edge to keep things from falling to the floor of the car. Some toys that have served us well while traveling are toys by LeapFrog . LeapFrog is a leading learning toy company that gives toddlers a chance to play with lots of buttons and knobs but also learn something along the way. The new T ext and Learn and Scribble and Write are perfect for this age group. They give them a variety of buttons to hit and things to do all at a manageable price point. When you need a little quiet time and to put the bells and whistles away, I also recommend DoodlePro toys by Fisher-Price. They are quiet, the have the pen attached, and there is no mess. Kids can scribble to their heart’s desire and then erase it and start all over again. Stickers are also a great tool for quiet travel. My kids love the Roger Priddy Sticker Books because all the stickers are contained inside the books and they give them lots of pages to then place the stickers too. Peelable and re-stickable, these books can kids entertained for hours with tons of themes to chose from. Another toy that I like is the Crayola Color Wonder Travel Tote . Color Wonder is just about the best kids’ art invention ever because there is absolutely no mess. You no longer have to worry about the little ones drawing on the car seat, their clothes or, the favorite of every kid- themselves. For a friend to travel with your little one, you might want to look into Smart-e Bear . More than just a talking stuffed animal, this bear plays with your tot, playing songs, games like Simon says, and tells stories. Your child can pick and chose what they want to do with their new friend. My kids love their bear and discover new activities to play with him each time they bring him out to play. Since my daughter was tiny, she loved playing with her stuffed animals. She still likes to make little houses for them, and make them talk to each other. Something like this l ittle Tree House from Pint Size Productions would have been perfect for her even at the age of two. This cute little set zips up to contain all the animals when it isn’t being played with in the car, and has a handle so that little hands can help bring things in the house after a long car ride. Do you have some hidden gems that you would like to suggest to our readers as great travel toys for two year olds? Let us know in the comments section! Happy travels! –Laura McMullan
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