Car trip with 21 month old

[TinyM]

We are getting ready for a car trip with our 21 month old DD. She never really loved the car and will only sleep if it's around nap time or she's really tired. Our trip will be about 12 hours total. We have a car VCR which we plan on using but she gets tired of that after a few hours. She really likes books, to color and draw but it's difficult to do in the car seat. I looked into one of those car seat trays but they are alittle expensive ($50) and I don't know if it will even work. Any advice or suggestions is greatly appreciated.

TIA

[RhondaSue]

My dd is now 30 mo old and we have traveled extensively by car since she was a newborn. Some things that have worked for us (and still do), along with the DVD player:

A large cookie sheet to put on her lap for drawing and coloring (if she likes magnets, they stick, or stickers)

Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, nuff said

Magnadoodles, they come in travel sizes, too

Pipe cleaners (don't ask me why about this one, she just likes to twist them around)

Non-breakable mirror to make funny faces

If you have the room, which we really didn't but made room for anyway, is pack a ride-on toy. At rest stops, etc. or when we couldn't take it anymore, we would get that out for her.

I always make a stop at a dollar store too and pick up little surprises to "whip out" as needed.

Hope this helps, have a great trip

Rhonda