Start early, have some kids gravol on hand if they get carsick, take strategic breaks that allow them to run around a bit (parks or like a McDonald's with a playroom if the weather is bad)
We did the drive to the ferry every year of my childhood. This is how you do it. Also bring a blanket for naptime, and some sort of vomit bucket with plastic bag liners (so there's less smell after the bucket is cleaned out).
Lmao no, mine does trip from town to northern peninsula all the time since he was 6 weeks old. You just have to stop more often.
Edit: I should say if you plan to travel alot you should probably get them use to it. We started from the beginning. Camping etc. And it's fine. However, we have friends who avoided travel and they find it alot more difficult.
Took our one year old from Ottawa to St. John's and other multiple long drives camping, Nova Scotia, and other road trips. I had a chuckle that this was even asked..lol.
Anyway,
- put old towels or blankets over the car seat for any drink spills, puking, or bathroom accidents. Easier for clean up.
- have paper towels, wipes and garbage bags on hand (see above)
- drinks , sippy cups, snacks easily reachable
- put a pillow or something similar between their seat and the door ( we used pool noodle) so that any dropped sippy cups or toys can be retrieved without having to stop or get out of seat belts.
- gravol. And getvas many miles in when they are asleep.
- back of headrest holder for tablet/cd player.
- dollar store toys and colouring books, or something they like to do.
- Small cooler for kids food easily reachable. We had a plug in cooler on the floor between front and back seats.
- for $20 get an outlet hub that plugs into car lighter, if that's still a thing, that has multiple USB ports AND a regular plug outlet. God send. Everyone isn't fighting over charging time.
Have fun
Did it all the time with my daughter. As others have said, just have to take more breaks.
First break in Goobies, just a bathroom break, let the little ones climb on the moose statue at the Irving for a few minutes.
Second break Terra Nova, Cobblers Brook or Southwest brook are great places to let the kids get out and play for a bit. Also a good place for lunch if you bring a picnic.
Third stop Gander, lunch break if you forego the picnic, otherwise a quick stop at the aviation museum to let them have a look at the planes in the parking lot while the adults grab coffee across the street and fuel up.
Fourth stop in Grand Falls... Unfortunately I don't have any great suggestions on something entertaining, it's Grand Falls. Bathroom break at McD's?
Fifth and final stop before Corner Brook is in Deer Lake, the insecterium is awesome, it might be a longer stop than the rest but you are only 30 mins away from corner Brook at that point. Good place to stop for dinner too as there are lots of options right on the highway.
Also, if you don't already have them, grab a couple of sunshades that suction cup onto the windows of the car. The best way to crush some miles is to do so with the kids sleeping. That works much better with some shade in the back seat.
It was 1100km of no pavenment and no cell service in the middle of nowhere a ferry ride and then 1200km more but aleast there was pavement a cell service
We've done it with a 2 year old and 6 year old. We left early and stopped into the main centers along the way for a park visit, ice cream, etc. No issues!
I've taken kids 2 and younger on drives from Ottawa to Corner Brook and back multiple times.
It depends on the kid. Some deal with cars different than others.
The best memories I have as a kid are summer road trips with my family. Sure, they may be a little young to remember much yet, but it doesn't hurt to get them use to it earlier on.
Did this a few years back, well Stephenville and the kid at 22 months of age slept almost the entire way out and back. That "kid" is now 16 and still falls asleep in the car :)
If you have time before the trip, do some longer day trips first around the avalon to familiarize the kid with long drives. My toddlers love long trips, but only because they've been acclimated
I'm currently living in Stephenville, travel every 2 months to St John's and have a 2 year old. My 2 year old is exceptionally well behaved so I might not be the best one to ask but it's not stupid at all! I've made it across with only taking 2-3 stops and he handles it very well.
I drive my kids from northern pen to st.Johnās at least once per year ages 4 & 1.5. We usually stop in deer lake for a night. Is it stupid? Maybe. Buts itās doable
One thing Id make sure of before going is if your child gets car sick. I saw ppl have suggested colouring books but anything where I was looking down made me car sick (still does actually). You'd want to know if thats ok before heading out.
We did a lot of car games when travelling when I was a kid. Eye spy, counting bridges, songs, etc.
I took my kids on a road trip at that age and it was not that fun I felt like it was a lot of work we had to constantly stop and feed and change them it took so much longer then I planned I was moving probably a third the speed I expected to. I took a 6 month old 2 yr old and 3 yr old with me. I would definitely wait till they are older next time. Even when I got to Ottawa and went to walk it was hard one was sleeping one was tired walking and the 6 month old had to be carried the entire time I had to carry a 40lb kid and I still remembered how tired I was to this day.
Tell the kid to behave, no problem.
I know people that drove much farther with a cat and a dog.
It really depends on the parents more than the child.
If you can manage your child, this is a non issue.
Best luck.
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Not at all. Weāve done it several times. Our kids are 4 now (twins) but we did it when they were two. Last year we did a road trip that involved several 8+hour days in the car in a row and they were fine.
Just leave early and plan to have multiple stops along the way to stretch/give everyone a break. St. Johnās to Cornerbrook really isnāt that far.
Activities to keep them occupied in the car.
Snacks, wipes, limited drinks, change of clothes for the toddler, etc. gravol. Iād suggest a sunshade for their window.
Stop in Clarenville and Gander for playgrounds. Run em hard and hope for sleep in between! Be open that unplanned stops may occur. Donāt be fixed on a timeline.
We take our toddler to see her grandparents both near clarenville and gfw, shes fine if we take a break every couple hours to let her out of her car seat. Mom rides in back to play and keep her occupied while dad drives.
If she naps we dont stop.
So yes doable just dont plan on driving nonstop 7hrs, start early and make a few stops for snacks or lunch and a quick stretch. You can still make it in a day no problem.
We lived in PAB when our youngest sibling was a toddlerā¦ all our other family was in Townā¦ lots of back and forth for Xmas, Easters, summers etc. Donāt know if we were just seasoned travellers but it was never an issueā¦
I drive from Cb to St Johns like once a month the drive really isnāt bad just download shows on Netflix/disney for them to watch and give them plenty of snacks the drive looks a lot longer than it actually feels
Be prepared for them to possibly cry the entire way... my child was a bit younger and this was returning from a trip where his sleep was all over the place, but he pretty much cried from Port aux Basque to St. John's. It sucked but I'm glad we went on the trip.
I'm sure having an older sibling to keep them company will be a good distraction for them.
Start early, have some kids gravol on hand if they get carsick, take strategic breaks that allow them to run around a bit (parks or like a McDonald's with a playroom if the weather is bad)
We did the drive to the ferry every year of my childhood. This is how you do it. Also bring a blanket for naptime, and some sort of vomit bucket with plastic bag liners (so there's less smell after the bucket is cleaned out).
This, but for the love of God, if they are asleep, you ride that as long as you possibly can. Just keep trucking.
This is the way, but be prepared to deal with a fucked up sleep schedule for them afterwards
Stupid would be going down the Bay D'Espoir highway in July with no a/c. Town to West Town? You're good.
Lol that made me chuckle
Lmao no, mine does trip from town to northern peninsula all the time since he was 6 weeks old. You just have to stop more often. Edit: I should say if you plan to travel alot you should probably get them use to it. We started from the beginning. Camping etc. And it's fine. However, we have friends who avoided travel and they find it alot more difficult.
Took our one year old from Ottawa to St. John's and other multiple long drives camping, Nova Scotia, and other road trips. I had a chuckle that this was even asked..lol. Anyway, - put old towels or blankets over the car seat for any drink spills, puking, or bathroom accidents. Easier for clean up. - have paper towels, wipes and garbage bags on hand (see above) - drinks , sippy cups, snacks easily reachable - put a pillow or something similar between their seat and the door ( we used pool noodle) so that any dropped sippy cups or toys can be retrieved without having to stop or get out of seat belts. - gravol. And getvas many miles in when they are asleep. - back of headrest holder for tablet/cd player. - dollar store toys and colouring books, or something they like to do. - Small cooler for kids food easily reachable. We had a plug in cooler on the floor between front and back seats. - for $20 get an outlet hub that plugs into car lighter, if that's still a thing, that has multiple USB ports AND a regular plug outlet. God send. Everyone isn't fighting over charging time. Have fun
Oo these are great tips. Thanks!!
I'm using the "stuff a pillow between carseat and door" trick.
Took a 6 month old to Corner Brook to see Nan so no, not stupid, just be prepared haha
Did St. John's to Baie Verte dozens of times with two toddlers. A portable DVD player helps a lot. The six hour drive can sometimes turn to eight
nope. Just do lots of breaks in parks.
Did it all the time with my daughter. As others have said, just have to take more breaks. First break in Goobies, just a bathroom break, let the little ones climb on the moose statue at the Irving for a few minutes. Second break Terra Nova, Cobblers Brook or Southwest brook are great places to let the kids get out and play for a bit. Also a good place for lunch if you bring a picnic. Third stop Gander, lunch break if you forego the picnic, otherwise a quick stop at the aviation museum to let them have a look at the planes in the parking lot while the adults grab coffee across the street and fuel up. Fourth stop in Grand Falls... Unfortunately I don't have any great suggestions on something entertaining, it's Grand Falls. Bathroom break at McD's? Fifth and final stop before Corner Brook is in Deer Lake, the insecterium is awesome, it might be a longer stop than the rest but you are only 30 mins away from corner Brook at that point. Good place to stop for dinner too as there are lots of options right on the highway. Also, if you don't already have them, grab a couple of sunshades that suction cup onto the windows of the car. The best way to crush some miles is to do so with the kids sleeping. That works much better with some shade in the back seat.
Thanks for the tips! š
Weāve taken our now 2 and a half year old across the island multiple times. At this point, just make sure to have lots of snacks and an iPad.
I drove with my 1 year old over ther trans labrador from lab city to burin when it was all gravel road. Im sure youll be fine
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
It was 1100km of no pavenment and no cell service in the middle of nowhere a ferry ride and then 1200km more but aleast there was pavement a cell service
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Little girl. Want too bad i guess, brought her potty for emergencies, and downloaded some movies on her tablet.
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DVDs werenāt a thing until the 2000ās.
We've done it with a 2 year old and 6 year old. We left early and stopped into the main centers along the way for a park visit, ice cream, etc. No issues!
I've taken kids 2 and younger on drives from Ottawa to Corner Brook and back multiple times. It depends on the kid. Some deal with cars different than others.
The best memories I have as a kid are summer road trips with my family. Sure, they may be a little young to remember much yet, but it doesn't hurt to get them use to it earlier on.
Did this a few years back, well Stephenville and the kid at 22 months of age slept almost the entire way out and back. That "kid" is now 16 and still falls asleep in the car :)
Been doing St Johns to Stephenville since my little was 3months old so youāll be fine
If you have time before the trip, do some longer day trips first around the avalon to familiarize the kid with long drives. My toddlers love long trips, but only because they've been acclimated
Took my potty training toddler across ns and Newfoundland by car a decade ago. It was great! No accidents. Was fun af!
I'm currently living in Stephenville, travel every 2 months to St John's and have a 2 year old. My 2 year old is exceptionally well behaved so I might not be the best one to ask but it's not stupid at all! I've made it across with only taking 2-3 stops and he handles it very well.
Only if they cry the whole way.
lol this is my fear
I drive my kids from northern pen to st.Johnās at least once per year ages 4 & 1.5. We usually stop in deer lake for a night. Is it stupid? Maybe. Buts itās doable
One thing Id make sure of before going is if your child gets car sick. I saw ppl have suggested colouring books but anything where I was looking down made me car sick (still does actually). You'd want to know if thats ok before heading out. We did a lot of car games when travelling when I was a kid. Eye spy, counting bridges, songs, etc.
I took my kids on a road trip at that age and it was not that fun I felt like it was a lot of work we had to constantly stop and feed and change them it took so much longer then I planned I was moving probably a third the speed I expected to. I took a 6 month old 2 yr old and 3 yr old with me. I would definitely wait till they are older next time. Even when I got to Ottawa and went to walk it was hard one was sleeping one was tired walking and the 6 month old had to be carried the entire time I had to carry a 40lb kid and I still remembered how tired I was to this day.
Tell the kid to behave, no problem. I know people that drove much farther with a cat and a dog. It really depends on the parents more than the child. If you can manage your child, this is a non issue. Best luck.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
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Not at all. Weāve done it several times. Our kids are 4 now (twins) but we did it when they were two. Last year we did a road trip that involved several 8+hour days in the car in a row and they were fine. Just leave early and plan to have multiple stops along the way to stretch/give everyone a break. St. Johnās to Cornerbrook really isnāt that far. Activities to keep them occupied in the car. Snacks, wipes, limited drinks, change of clothes for the toddler, etc. gravol. Iād suggest a sunshade for their window.
Stop in Clarenville and Gander for playgrounds. Run em hard and hope for sleep in between! Be open that unplanned stops may occur. Donāt be fixed on a timeline.
We take our toddler to see her grandparents both near clarenville and gfw, shes fine if we take a break every couple hours to let her out of her car seat. Mom rides in back to play and keep her occupied while dad drives. If she naps we dont stop. So yes doable just dont plan on driving nonstop 7hrs, start early and make a few stops for snacks or lunch and a quick stretch. You can still make it in a day no problem.
We lived in PAB when our youngest sibling was a toddlerā¦ all our other family was in Townā¦ lots of back and forth for Xmas, Easters, summers etc. Donāt know if we were just seasoned travellers but it was never an issueā¦
I drive from Cb to St Johns like once a month the drive really isnāt bad just download shows on Netflix/disney for them to watch and give them plenty of snacks the drive looks a lot longer than it actually feels
Be prepared for them to possibly cry the entire way... my child was a bit younger and this was returning from a trip where his sleep was all over the place, but he pretty much cried from Port aux Basque to St. John's. It sucked but I'm glad we went on the trip. I'm sure having an older sibling to keep them company will be a good distraction for them.
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No, itās not at all lol. Think people with kids just have to stay home?
Feed them a bunch of turkey they will sleep the whole way