Gail's Question:

I'm planning a vacation to Myrtle Beach with my 18-month-old son and worry about entertaining him on the 14-hour car trip. My sister and her three grandchildren (ages 14, 10, and 5) will accompany us. We hope to drive straight through. I know we will have to stop every two or three hours, except when everyone is sleeping. Any suggestions?

Gail Howser
Upstate New York

As you know, long drives with kids, especially very young ones, can be the stuff of parental nightmares. And at 18 months, your son is probably too young to focus on any one thing for a lengthy period. For some general tips on driving with kids, see my feature, Driving with Kids, for more tips.

You have my full sympathies, because in just a few days my own family is heading on a marathon drive from Massachusetts to Maryland and North Carolina. During our ten-day vacation, I estimate that my husband and I will spend at least 30 hours of "quality time" (ha!) with our seven-year-old son and twin girls, who just turned two.

Have plenty of little trinkets, games, books, and snacks on hand. Your son may also enjoy examining some of the older kids' toys, which should be fine, so long as they're baby-safe. My daughters, for instance, get a kick out of pressing the buttons on some of their big brother's handheld electronic games, even though they have no idea how to use them "correctly." Your son might also like stickers and coloring, although someone will have to watch that these don't go in his mouth.

On my own recent shopping trip for toddler travel entertainment, I found two items I pray will be a huge hit:

Travel Magna Doodle. A gadget similar to an Etch-A-Sketch, by Fisher-Price, and;

Crayola Color Wonder Marker and Activity Tote. Color Wonder is a new line of products from Crayola that includes special markers that only work on the special paper provided, and nowhere else-a perfect solution for kids who might be tempted to mark everywhere. The tote bag makes this a good diversion for car trips and restaurant outings.

Your son may also enjoy Mr. Potato Head, especially if he has older kids to help him with the pieces. My girls just got the famed Mr. and Mrs. for their birthday, and their brother likes to tinker with him too.

Before you leave, you may also want to go through your house and find a few household items that your son may enjoy examining during the ride. My girls, for instance, once spent an amazingly long time examining a dental floss container (empty, preferably!). They just loved opening and closing the tiny lid.

Pray that your son takes some nice, long naps. During these precious moments, plan some quiet activities for the older kids so that they don't wake up your son.

Have a safe, sanity-filled drive and a glorious trip!