Tips for Toddlers at Rest Areas
Personal note — In my blog, I’ve referred to my young daughter simply as B.G. (Baby Girl). Well…she’s not a baby anymore (she calls herself a “big grown-up toddler!). So now I will be referring to her as S.
If you don't understand the need for security and a play area at rest stops, you've probably never been with a non-sleeping toddler at a rest stop around 2 AM.
My friend helped us move from Louisiana to Maine and crashed out for a few hours somewhere in Alabama. She's a road tripper and a night driver but at one point, she just needed to sleep. At this point, S woke up because the car got too hot for her.
I know many people say that women and children should not be on the road at night; it's not safe. Contrary–make it safe. Security at rest stops is good for everything.
So while the rest stops did have security–we made sure to stop at one that did–it did not have any type of play area for children. So what do you do with a toddler at a rest stop?
Snacks
I packed easy finger food into stainless steel cups with lids. These are so convenient for packed lunches, picnics, and even storing leftovers! If you have a long car drive with a little one, pack a few with different favorite snacks. I put animal crackers in one, Cheerios and baby puffs in one, oatmeal in one, and mini muffins in one.
S loves picnics, so it was exciting to grab one of the snack containers and her water bottle and eat a picnic table.
Explore the Grounds
We inspected every picnic table. She climbed on each bench and ran around the posts. Obviously, do not go to one if someone else is using it!
We looked at the trees and the wildflowers growing. You could bring a bag to collect rocks, pinecones, flowers, etc.
There was also a set of stairs set into a steep hill. She learned to climb stairs at 2 AM at a rest stop in Alabama!
Explore the Inside
The rest stop we were at had huge murals, so we examined them. There were maps and pamphlets about local attractions we looked at.
Other Suggestions
Bring some outdoor toys. Balls, bubbles, trucks, dolls, etc. Whatever your kid likes doing in your yard at home! You want to get them moving for the next leg of the trip in the car.
Overall, (try) to relax and enjoy the trip. Toddlers pick up on stress like fuzzy socks picking static electricity when you’re walking across a carpet. The recommendation is to stop every two hours (good for both kids and adults!). If it’s the middle of the night, look for a rest area that has security. It will say this right on the sign! Again, just get the toddler moving!
Thanks for reading!
💜
Laura
