Keeping Kids Entertained in the Car

Let me just start out by saying, "We don't have a dvd player in the car." There I said it. Maybe some day we will get one. Perhaps I will even find it a necessity for traveling with a later born child. However, for Jessica it is generally not necessary. Actually, I am kind of glad that we don't have to have a dvd player for her because otherwise we would not get to experience moments like this:

Note the Potato Head ear in her ear!

I really do enjoy the quality time with the kids and the creative ways she finds to keep herself occupied! So, what do we generally do to entertain ourselves for 9 hours (one way) in the car? I always pack a bag of toys for Jessica. Usually these are not noisy electronic toys, and I make an effort to choose toys that she has not seen in a while. Occasionally I will also buy or pull out a "new" toy. We also eat snacks and listen to cds or the radio. Here lately I also include some craft supplies (not crayons, markers, glue, scissors, glitter, etc). This time I plan to include a magnetic paper doll set and an old Gameboy color, both things she has never seen before. I will also include some stickers and Color Wonder markers as well as some soft toys that she might enjoy (I am trying to make sure there is nothing that could hurt John if she throws it)! John will get a picture taped to the backseat to look at as well as a few toys hung on his carseat. Once we get where we are going, the toys are immediately put up until the trip back so they are still novel then. But, the real trick (at least with Jessica....we'll see what John thinks about it) is to drive for about 4 hours, stop for a nice long lunch, hop back in the car, and don't stop until we get where we are going. If we stop more than once, Jessica throws a huge fit about getting back in the car and seems to start "melting."