Stuff Parents Need for the Car When You Have a Baby and Toddler (Take It from Me!)

As children grow, most parents take the necessary step of childproofing their homes by adding baby-proof locks to cabinets, covering power outlets, and securing doors. But there’s one area they may overlook: the family car. It might seem unnecessary at first. After all, kids are strapped into their car seats; how much trouble could they really get into? But as the parent of a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old, I can assure you — it’s a healthy amount. 

For starters, there’s the physical aspect to consider, with messy spills and stains risking permanent damage to the car. Then there’s the emotional factor that comes into play when a fallen tablet or too much sun results in full-on tantrums. 

For a car ride that’s as comfortable, clean, and free of tears as possible, I recommend babyproofing the space just as you might any other — with these seven items that will help ensure a smoother ride for all.

The first place to babyproof is the actual space under a car seat. This can preserve the longevity of upholstery by preventing deep indents or stains from spills, and collecting food and dirt that’s fallen and crumbled below. I have the Munchkin Elite Seat Guardian, and I love how the one-piece design installs in a second and stays in place thanks to a headrest fastener. The deep grooves catch crumbs well. and the backseat panel prevents my rear-facing youngest child from staining seat fabric during kicking tantrums. When it’s time to clean it, I simply dump it over the trash, wipe it down, and slide it back in place.

Remember those kicking tantrums I mentioned with my youngest? Well, my older daughter, who faces forward, still experiences them, too. So when we purchased a brand-new car for the first time last summer, the first thing we bought was this seat back protector to attach to the backside of the front seat. It protects the upholstery from dirt, which is necessary in our car where dirt shows up prominently on the black fabric. It also has storage pockets, where I put her toys, water bottle, and snacks within easy reach so she can grab them herself without me having to awkwardly twist around each time. I may still feel her kicks, but I rest easier knowing they’re not placing permanent damage on the car.

One of the biggest sources of difficulty on car rides for us in the past has been related to something that’s wildly out of my control: the sun. I tried sunglasses on my girls, but they never seem to stay on, which only adds to their frustration. What has been far more useful are these sunshades, which have magnets that attach to the frame of the car door to stay in place. While they won’t block out the sun entirely, they definitely help to dampen the effect. I recommend buying a two-pack, as you’ll inevitably need more than one.

Ultimately, some mess will remain — no matter how many protective mats you install. In those cases, you’ll need a handheld vacuum at the ready. Sure, you could use a nozzle attachment on a regular vacuum, but a handheld option like the one we have makes it far easier to clean tight spaces and crevices in the backseat. I like ours because it’s cordless and rechargeable, which makes it easy to use anywhere and can even be kept in the car on long road trips. It pivots in narrow spaces nicely, and I like that it has a flip-up brush, which is ideal for vacuuming on fabric upholstery. 

If you’re a screen-free family who can manage long car rides without tablets, I’m in awe of you. However, I’m not you, and my kids get handed their tablets pretty much as soon as any road trip starts. However, they can be problematic for unexpected reasons — especially with younger kids who haven’t yet mastered touch screens. In those instances, I recommend installing a tablet holder to a headrest instead of simply passing the tablet back for them to hold. That’s because unintentional touching can result in interrupted shows and it’s better to just adhere the tablet to the headrest and let them watch as they would on a TV.  This one with thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon is compatible with iPad, Galaxy, and Fire tablets, while this additional option is designed to rest in between two headrests for kids who may be sharing one tablet.

Darkening passenger windows isn’t the only place to consider in the car. I live somewhere where it’s warm and sunny year-round. When my car is parked, I always put up a sunshade across the dashboard. If I don’t, my car can quickly become overheated — even during the shortest of shopping trips — with hot, sweaty car seats my kids will resist climbing back into again. But you don’t have to live in the desert to benefit from one. In general, they can help keep cars cool and comfortable, prevent exposure to harmful UV rays, and lessen the amount of time it takes to cool down a parked car on sunny days. I have this one, which works really well and folds down compactly into an accompanying storage bag and includes a steering wheel shade. 

Just as you would babyproof a room and keep tabs on children with a baby monitor, it’s equally important to keep an eye on them while driving in the car. I use this backseat mirror for my rear-facing child, which is shatterproof, attaches easily to a headrest, and offers me a clear view of her at all times. This has worked well for me, although I have friends who swear by baby monitors designed specifically for in-car use. This one, for example, places a camera in front of the child’s face with a monitor affixed to the front dashboard for real-time viewing.

This post originally appeared on Cubby. See it there: Stuff Parents Need for the Car When You Have a Baby and Toddler (Take It from Me!)