Making our commute nicer for DS

[mrosehughes]

We've been having major battles with DS to get him to and especially from daycare: He will literally kick and scream and hit me when I try to get him in the car some days. It finally dawned on me that it's not actually daycare or home (or whatever destination) that's the thing he's resisting -- it's the car ride. We have a half an hour drive each way to daycare (at my workplace); he simply hates the car ride.

So, I need suggestions for things to make a regular, long car ride more fun for an almost three year old. He is still RFing and I'd like to keep him that way until he outgrows his seat, but something that will also work when I turn him around would be good. I've thought of a busy book but I think it would last about two days. I'm considering a DVD player, but that's a lot of screen time, plus I'm not convinced they're very safe (since they're not crash tested).

[EmilytheStrange]

Does he have a lovey? Those help us.

[stevensmom]

Singing songs
Pointing out items during the drive
A special car lovey (that is only for the car)

[jen_batten]

Is he artsy? Isn't there like some lap-desk type thing that are made to be safe in the car that he could make all sorts of creations on? Or what about a small, soft car track with cars, if he likes that type of thing. For us we just love singing and looking at scenery, but we aren't in the car near that much.

[earthflower]

http://www.gograhamgo.com/sweetpea-3...layer-big-kid/

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/re...tags=preschool

Kids II Einstein Takealong Tunes

Finger plays
"Itsy Bitsy Spider", "Where is Thumbkin", and "Open Shut Them"

Etch-a Sketch
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS.../chrisficti-20

here are some other travel toys
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/re...nd-games%2C327
When he is older and ff
I Spy
"The first person begins with the phrase, "I spy something that starts with the 'S' sound." The other players take turns guessing, and between each guess they get another sound clue, such as, "I see something that starts with the 'S' sound and is the color that starts with the 'R' sound." The game can also be played by looking for landmarks, signs and other common road finds.

The car game

two variations of the car game. The first one deals in color recognition. "Each child picks a color car. Who ever spies 10 cars first in their chosen color wins,"

For a slightly more challenging game, the family uses states. "Pick a state: Whoever finds the 5 plates from their chosen state first wins,"

[mariamommy]

The only thing that really keeps my kids (all ages, even my 2 yr old!) engaged is "kid music". They love listening to it!

[earthflower]

also I Spy Bags
http://www.etsy.com/search?q=i%20spy...ax=0&ref=auto3

[mrosehughes]

Thanks for the ideas! We've tried singing (works occasionally to entertain him) and for a long time I had only kids CDs playing. I can often calm him these days by offering to tell him a story ('about Owen and Mary the big bad wolf and the giant and the wild things,' lol). But none of these things seem to help with actually getting him into the car, even if they keep him somewhat entertained once he's there.

A lovey that's only for in the car might help. He just recently started napping again at school and his napping coincided with his bringing in a stuffed snake that he likes.

He is artsy, but they do tons of art at daycare, so I'm not sure it would be a draw. He adores puzzles, though; perhaps I can get him a lap desk and a set of car-only puzzles.

We have an ispy bag but he only likes it when I play with him.

[chandni3]

A special snack for the car?

[Brooke789]

A dvd player helped for us! We went from crying most of the time to practically never.