5 Essential Car Accessories for Moms With Toddlers

Traveling with a toddler can be quite an adventure! Why not make it an easy and fun trip for both of you with these must-have car accessories.

Are you a mom with a toddler and find you're due for a re-evaluation of your car accessories?

I'm a mom to a rambunctious little boy and spunky little girl. They are twins and almost two years old.

While the first year raising them was a complete blur, the following year proved to be challenging as well.

This was especially true when we all took to the road for our daily errands or for a weekend outing. Clutter, spills and whining used to be the norm before I discovered these useful vehicle accessories that not only helped keep my car clean, but also kept my children happy.

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If you have a toddler, these five essential car accessories will come in handy on your travels.

 

1. Toddler Travel Backpack

How many times have you traveled and forgotten your diaper bag or a spare set of clothes or accessories? While it's prudent to think you won't leave home without your diaper bag, more often than not, you end up with a toddler who spilled their juice or lost a mitten, without any course of action.

Instead of being ill equipped, the easiest thing to do is to have a car accessory bag, namely a travel backpack. In my travel backpack I store extra snacks, toys, change of clothes, blankets and any other clothing accessories such as hats and gloves.

2. Car Seat Covers

One of the best investments I made for my vehicle was to purchase car seat covers. In addition to protecting your vehicle from spills and stains, they come in many different materials, from elegant to rugged, and can quickly change your interior from drab to fab.

Think you want a leather car seat cover or a sheepskin cover? If you have children, I'd opt for one with an easily cleanable material like leather. Children have a knack for bringing in rocks, crumbs and sticks into your car. If you want a clean car, think about protecting your seats.

3. Busy Bags

What are busy bags? Busy bags are short and easy activities that fit nicely into Ziploc bags or any little pouch you have lying around.

Spend a few minutes on Pinterest or online, and in no time you'll find hours of activities for your toddler. What's great about having busy bags handy is that they are portable. At a restaurant? Give your toddler a few busy bags while they are waiting for their food.

In my SUV, I stash 10 busy bags for my children to play with while I drive around town running errands. When we go on long trips, I find new activities last longer, so I make sure to save any new busy bags for those car outings.

4. Car Floor Mats

Another essential car accessory is a car floor mat. I have personalized car mats, each with my child's name on it. Both of them like the individuality of having their own car mat. Having floor mats helps contain any dirt your children might track in from outside.

As a mom, nothing is better than having a clean car after a road trip with your toddler.

5. Travel Potty Seat

My children aren't potty trained yet, but I'm planning on introducing the potty very soon. One thing I never thought about was having a travel potty seat. It was not until another mother told me how much of a lifesaver a travel potty could be.

A travel potty chair is easy to fold, light weight and proves to be handy on short car rides around town or on longer road trips.

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If all you need is a toddler potty seat, it's compact and doesn't take up much room in your trunk. The seat fits on any standard toilet and proves to be an important car accessory when traveling.

Traveling with your toddler isn’t always enjoyable. With these five car accessories, you turn a whirlwind of a travel trip into an enjoyable journey.

As a mother, what car accessories can't you live without?

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