We are driving 10 hours with our 4 year old. We will bring a tablet, but also need ideas for toys/games/tricks.
For example, she prefers markers over crayons, but can anyone recommend something that is marker-ish without the cap (which will end up on the floor of the car). Other ideas that took up some time in the car? What worked for you 4 year old? She’s newly 4, if that matters. |
We like Imagine Ink. It’s just one marker/cap. My almost 4 year old will spend an hour on it in some drives. She also loves wikki stix. Stringing pony beads on pipe cleaners is big. |
I like the magic ink books where the color appears. It’s just one marker so easy to keep track of and she can’t write on the seats.
The Melissa and Doug reusable sticker pads are good too. |
These were good. Also magnatiles magformers, eeboo Tell Me a Story cards, where’s Waldo / seek and find books, simple maze books. Wiki sticks were great — can make window art with them! |
Adding sticker books. |
My car-sick prone 5 yo dies well with good music and books on tape. |
Reusable sticker books
Water wow books Felt Books w felt shapes to stick on the pages Magnetic dress up kit (Kind of like paper dolls but w magnetic pieces) CDs w kids music and audio books, podcasts for kids Lots and lots of good snacks Wipe clean books w Dry erase markers (you can get ones where the marker attaches to the book) Boogie board or magnadoodle And before a long road trip I always get a bunch of books from the library (especially books w favorite characters like Disney characters or Daniel tiger or whatever, so that just looking at the pictures is entertaining enough for a kid who doesn’t read yet) Keep all this stuff a secret from your kid until the road trip starts so it’s all a surprise as you bring things out 1 at a time in the car |
Water Wow books are a perfect car toy for that age. Also the Melissa & Doug reusable sticker books. We also pack action figures or other small dolls. |
I think water wow are for kids younger than 4. My 4 year old does it so quickly it lasts all of 5 mins. She started using water wow since she was 2.5. |
Well my 7 year old still likes it! |
My 4 yo entertained herself on a 4 hour drive this weekend with two baby dolls and a baby bottle. Let's just say they were well fed. |
So does my 8-year-old. |
Don’t forget the old fashioned road trip games! My kids are surprisingly entertained by I Spy and Name That Tune (we hum the song and the first to guess it wins). |
A boogie board might work.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AFPR6AC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Snap dolls if she is into dress-up and dolls https://smile.amazon.com/SnapDolls-Cloth-Pretend-Coordination-Maddie/dp/B07WVF6XZ8/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=snap+dolls&qid=1594049584&sr=8-3 Or magnetic dress up dolls or puzzles |
We make our own "blind bags" - I basically get them little dollar store toys and wrap them up in paper bags and they get one per hour. It also helps that they can do a countdown by counting how many bags they've received and how many are left to see how much longer "are we there yet?".
The Color Wonder markers are the only markers allowed in the car. We find the caps at each pit stop. |