We took a family vacation to Florida over the summer. This was the first long trip we’ve taken since our youngest was born, and I was a little worried about how to keep a six-year-old and a 3-year-old entertained in the car for two days. I looked for all kinds of ideas on the internet, talked to people who had taken long car trips with their kids, and then packed everything I could think of that might help at some point along the long road.
Being on the other side of that trip, I can honestly say that I packed entirely too much (but I always overpack, so that’s not really any different than usual). I can also say that the number one thing that made our trip better was something so simple, it seems a little too simple.
A plain cookie sheet.
That’s it. With a plain cookie sheet, you can do so many activities in the car! First, cookie sheets are magnetic, so I bought some trays and pencil boxes at the Dollar Store and put magnets on them to create crayon and marker containers that aren’t easily dropped and that don’t slip around! I also bought magnetic clips at the Dollar Store to help hold papers in place. The Dollar Store also had magnetic dry erase boards, and I even bought a Lego board and put magnets on it so that my oldest could play Legos in the car!
Just add coloring books, stickers, markers, crayons, and other craft supplies, and you’ve got everything you need!
The cookie sheets fit perfectly across the arms of the kids’ car seats, but could also be held vertically on their laps.
I even packed some play-doh, which worked great on the tray!
If you’re planning a long trip with kids, I highly recommend investing in a cookie sheet; it might save your sanity… or at least part of it. Happy traveling!
The Crazy Hat Box 
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