Travelling With Kids - Sleeping In The Back Whilst Driving..how To Make Them Comfy

[scotia]

Hello,

having just come back from a long trip to france - we are thinking that next year we'll do the trip and leave at night (like my parents used to do with us in the summer hols with the caravan and we used to lower the seats and sleep in the estate!)...

Any practical solutions to this in the modern day? Im assuming its illegal to travel with the bed down in the back and the kids asleep like i used to as a wee one?!

just sit them in their car seats with pillows and a blanket?

What do you all do?

 

[teamfly]

We have done long trips since our two came along, whilst racing in England / staying I North Scotland, and trips to France / Spain / Croatia since.
Got to be strapped in, couldn't imagine an accident if they were sleeping in the bed.
There are some inflatable booster cushions that help with comfort, definitely pillows and blankets, tech, and keep telling them how good it'll be when you get there!

 

[Steve H]

They are your most treasured possessions, don't treat them like boxes of cargo..!!!!

Not only is keeping them safe in belted seats legal, it's absolutely necessary to keep them safe. Your journey time is only shortened by their comfort and keeping their minds occupied. Pillows, blankets and games and yes, plenty of stops for them to let off steam.

There are no shortcuts, I'm afraid. If they're happy, you will be.

 

[t0mb0]

We find that the long inflatable pillow/cushion things that actually run down the seatbelt, attached top and bottom are best. They actually stay in place whilst they are asleep.

 

[scotia]

Ha @Steve H we werent about to do that - i i magine it was illegal when we did it about 30 years ago but...
Our idea was to leave when i get home from work - ie feed them both and the older one can read/play a little then go off to sleep and the little one bottle then bed.
But how best to make the 'bed' comfortable - the oldest doesnt have a seat that can recline (hes 7) the youngest does (2)..

dont worry im not going to travel with them un attached (sorry if my post made out we might - it was late for us)

 

[Strettyp]

Back in the 70's I used to complain to my dad that we had to sit in the seats, and with the seatbelts he'd fitted on (as our car didn't have rear seatbelts as standard) while at least two of our neighbours put the luggage on the back seat and let the kids sleep in the boot of their estate cars with duvets etc

Mind you this was when it was really common to see kids standing up between the two front seats as cars drove around