Kids' Books & Videos For The Traveling Toddler
by Ann Marie Resnick
Familiar characters make road trips easier for toddlers and their parents, says a mother who's been there. Read about her favorite book and video choices.
Traveling with children under 4 can be overwhelming. Whether it is Grandma’s house, or a fancy hotel room, some toddlers need help feeling comfortable and secure. Often times, the hardest part of any vacation is helping your child adjust to new surroundings. I have always turned to some of my children’s favorite characters to find that Madeline, Spot, Clifford or Winnie can often make the going a whole lot easier.
Great Books For The Road
Here are some of my daughter’s favorite storybooks for travel time:
Pooh Goes Visiting (A Winnie-the-Pooh Storybook) by E. Shepard & A. A. Milne. Dutton Books, 1996. Price: $3.95
Clifford Goes to Hollywood by Norman Bridwell. Scholastic, 1990. Price: $7.95

Madeline in London by Ludwig Bemelman. Viking Books, 2000. Price: $7.99
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McClosky. Puffin, 1976. Price: $6.99
My Busy Book and More Busy Book Fun Lillian Vernon. Price: $17.98.
These 8-page, padded, washable cotton books are ideal for teaching baby how to open and close a snap or button, match simple numbers and letters, lace a shoe, and other essential fine motor skills. With their chewable, colorful pages baby can spend several minutes by herself Velcro-ing up a storm!
The Best Travel Activity Book Ever Rand McNally, 1996. Price: $3.95
There are hours of fun in this big book of puzzles, mazes, connect-the-dots and color-by-number activities, which made Publisher's Weekly list of best-selling children's travel books.
Great Videos Before You Hit The Road
Above the age of two, a video can transport your child to a far away place without ever leaving home. Here are some of my favorites to prepare the girls for big journeys:
Shalom Sesame: Kids Sing Israel. Sisu Home Entertainment, Price: $16.95
An all-musical trip through Israel with Sesame Street.
Linnea in Monet’s Garden. First Run Features, Price: $14.99 (DVD also available)
In this animated film taken from the popular children’s book, a little Swedish girl discovers Claude Monet’s paintings in Paris.
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