Long car journeys and children do not ago together. Anyone who has small children will tell you that keeping them occupied while they are strapped into an uncomfortable car seat is a nigh on impossible task. There are however a few things you can do to make the trip a lot more comforatble for you all.

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• Plan well in advance – make sure you have their favorite toys / games / colouring books
• Stop along the way – If you stop every couple of hours you can have a walk around and keep them occupied
• Travel at night – One of the best ways to keep your kids occupied is to travel at night – They will be asleep so you can get on with your journey and have a little peace and quiet.

When you’ve had a busy day at work, it can be challenging to go home and keep a toddler entertained for a couple of hours before bedtime. If however you have a routine, things can be quite simple.

Routine and children go hand in hand, your child knows what to expect and you can plan your day accordingly. A good routine for when you get home might go something like this.

• Pick up from nursery
• Dinner from slow cooker
• 30 minutes play time
• Story time for 20 minutes
• Bath time
• Bedtime

If you plan in advance, your kids will be tucked up i bed by 7:30 pm, even if you get home at 6:00pm. It can be a slog, but the time off you’ll get will be worth it.

One of the best things you can buy your toddler in spring is a trike. Yes we know trikes cost money, but there are loads of nearly new sales you can go to, or you can simply visit good old ebay and grab yourself a bargain.

The newer trikes can be converted from a simple push-along trike, where your toddler is safely strapped in with a five point harness, to a self-propelled trike when they are a little older. Now you might think that a trike is only appropriate for children who are a few years old, but you can also get them for toddler less then a year old, and they are safe and easy to use. Your toddler will be able to see the world from a different perspective and have fun at the same time.

The only problem with getting a trike for your toddler, is that they will never want to go out in their pram again.

Looking after your toddler can be really hard work, especially when they have just worked out how to stand on their own and can’t be left for a minute without falling over. If you need some ideas what to do with them on your day off, we have a couple of great tips to keep your toddler happy and get you out of the house.

Go to the park
I know it’s perhaps the simplest option, but getting out of the house can keep your little one active and help your stress levels. Playing in the park on the swings or even just pushing them around in the pram can work wonders.

Join a baby/toddler club
If you have a look in your local newspaper you will find loads of clubs you can join with your toddler. Baby sign classes for example is a great way to spend some time with your little one and you might even make some new friends with similar interests.