9 1/2 hrs in the car. ONE WAY! That's what I'm looking forward to at the end of the month. I've been racking my brain with how to keep them amused and entertained for that long of time because my boys do not like to draw or write or even color. So the traditional coloring books and what not are out. So I was at Big Lots today looking at little toys. My requirements were:
1) not too many loose parts to lose.
2) nothing that can be thrown at the driver or other passengers if we stopped suddenly or they got frustrated with it.
3) nothing too expensive. I'm on a budget here.
We already have the DVD player that we put in the car for long car trips. My rule is that it only goes on for trips longer than 1 1/2 hrs. (The time it takes to get to the closest grandparent) That way they don't get bored with it or I don't have to hear the same episode of Tom & Jerry for the 100,000th time!
So some of the things that I found:
Gone Fishing Magnetic travel game
Maze puzzles (the type you wiggle to get the ball to go where you want)
Hungry Hippos travel
BINGO
3 Lego knock-off sets (yeah this one broke my little pieces rule... I find I'm apathetic to losing lego pieces)
Dry Erase boards
Dry Erase markers
and last but not least
2- 12 qt tubs to store it all in
no slip shelf liner
I debated about how to contain the chaos. I had read on one of the pintrest pins that one lady had found shower caddy's and attached them to the back of the front seats... and I REALLY wanted to do that. But could NOT find anything remotely suitable to hand from my car. So I had to come up with plan B. Plan B was to find storage tubs that they could also use as desks because I was not going to also pay $10-14 for a lap desk that I would also have to find space for in my car. So I decided to turn the lids of the storage tub into the top of the lap desk.
How I started. First I took a fleece blanket that was too little for anyone to use anymore and I found some leftover batting from a previous quilting project. So that part didn't cost me any money.
Then I cut the batting and fleece so that it would be thick enough to pad their legs and still not take up too much space. I think I decided 3-4 layers of batting and about a 1 1/2 inch bigger on the the fleece.
Next I grabbed a handful of heavy card stock out of my paper supplies (if you don't have this cut up a cereal box or any heavy duty box you have on hand to stiffen the whole thing up a little bit. And I sewed the whole thing shut like I was upholstering a chair. Tucking in the corners first and the pulling the edges taut. This was my first one... my second one came out a little neater because I had practice. The only reason I sewed it was to make it easier to handle when I flipped it over. You can hot glue this step to save yourself some time. I just happen to not have a hot glue gun.
Glue it to the lid. Make sure it's pressed on there well by using something heavy. I used gorilla glue because that's what we have in the house. Use what you have on hand.
The storage boxes cost me $3.50 each at the Dollar General. I think it's totally worth it. If I throw some of their other toys in there and some snacks. I think we all may just survive the drive!
