Back seat setup for kids when traveling

[ozbogwam]

Just got back from the Xmas camping trip which involved 8 hours of driving each way.

Have two sons, 6 and 2.5, they are used to long trips so that's fine. We have the DVD player for entertainment at times.

My question is how do people set the area up. Because my god a bomb must have gone of when I wasn't looking. Food and stuff everywhere. Just trying to work out what setups work to keep it a bit neater, places for food and drink, toys, books etc

[JU5T1N]

roof basket...

[markg66]

Ratchet strap 'em down under the tarp in the tray. Mine are now 13 & 15, just turn the music up louder so you can't hear the fighting and hose it out at destination

Sent from my Moto Defy using Tapatalk 2

[evolution]

We use one similar to this that we found in an old auto parts store in Perth.
Brilliant if you ask me. The tray is relitively sturdy and helps to limit the mess a fair bit

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GONE-DRIVING-Back-Seat-Organiser-With-Tray-BOYZ-TOYS-/320949131324?pt=UK_Toys_Games_Outdoor_Toys_ET&hash=item4aba0f183c#ht_3009wt_1397

Cheers
Evo

[fuji]

No eating in the back seat and only water to drink. As far as I am concerned. Take your time when eating and if you have take away eat before you get into the car. Imo

[Mace]

Check out D4D's Prado Build thread, he just fitted some neat "kid organiser" attachments to the rear of his front seats.

We had similar ones years ago, certainly provided spaces for drinks, books, etc, but rubbish control (used chip packets, wrappers, etc) was another matter!

Good luck.

Edit, found it, here it is:

[JCOJ]

We use a MSA back seat organiser which works a treat: http://www.msa4x4.com/Products/Organisers/OriginalSeatOrganiser.asp

We have a rubbish bag that we attach in the middle that all rubbish goes into.  Water only in the car.

We do allow eating in the car, and after Salada Sandwiches and biscuits the crumbs go everywhere, but in one of the storage pockets is a dustpan brush so the boys each give their side a sweep out as we are packing up the camper.  Keeps the car clean, and them out of our way when packing up!

[kylarama]

roof basket...

Homer Simpson was onto something.





The Homer: Features
 
Large beverage holders
 Little ball on top the aerial
 Bowling mascot on the hood
 Horns that play La Cucaracha
Sound-proof bubble for the kids
 Huge motor
 Big Fins

[Jaysea]

We tried the back seat organisers but found the kids (when they were young) were lazy and just dropped things on the floor.  We ended up using one of these boxes in the centre between them. http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/90221592/

Great as they just dropped anything in the box when finished and were happy to just rummage around when they wanted something just like a small toy box.

Alternative is to leave kids at home

[ozbogwam]

I'm thinking the box is probably the better option at this stage.

My youngest decided that tipping a pack of chips over himself was a good idea.

I did suggest the roof box with a couple of breather holes but the missus didn't think so. Thank god for leather seats, easy to clean up

[elle.mac]

For us after a 11000km 5week road trip with 3 kids aged 5 and under (and yes we survived with sanity in tact) we kept a small bag in the front floor for all rubbish - every stop we made we ditched the rubbish into a bin. When setting up for a few days we emptied and dust brushed the kids feet area out.

For books we kept them tucked into the pockets that are on the back of the front seats and also had spare magazines in the front passenger door pockets that we pulled out as sanity savers along the way. Toys was hard as Mr18months thought it was fun to peg things back at us - so we limited it to books for abit but on the journey home we kept a few toys handy and dealt them out as we saw fit - if they fell to their foot area it stayed there until the next stop.

When it came to food i had prepared up a container of food for all of them but had a small bowl for each of them to portion it out so mess didn't instantly happen..

[cruisindub]

We use the seat organizer in our van, great for keeping all the essentials in one place and easy to get to.

Not just for kids, for us two they are great as we have one each on the back of each of out seats and we know where everything is.

The tray type sat organizer looks great for kids.

[GUEY]

I dont think there is anything that really works. 2 kids and 2 dogs in the backseat is world war 4.
No matter what we have tried including the no food rule we end up with sh@t everywhere.
Apart from a full body search looking for anything from lollies to sticks and stones (my son is in the collection stage of development) I just suck it up now and clean when I get home. They will grow up and I will get even at some point.

[Kit_e_kat9]

Back when I was a kid, I think the idea was to load up the car and then put the kids in on top.  Less room to move = less mess.  Worked for my parents and I reckon it would work for you.

Kit_e

[Nomad]

I dont think there is anything that really works. 2 kids and 2 dogs in the backseat is world war 4.
No matter what we have tried including the no food rule we end up with sh@t everywhere.
Apart from a full body search looking for anything from lollies to sticks and stones (my son is in the collection stage of development) I just suck it up now and clean when I get home. They will grow up and I will get even at some point.

Hahahahaha....mine too.....sticks stone nuts leaves what ever they pick up off the ground is valuable to them........the crap that comes out of my car after a weekend away is phenominal.....and if I say no your not bringing that stick (with wasps nest attached in the car) well the tears roll and I am the worst bloke in the world.

[geopaj]

W

We tried the back seat organisers but found the kids (when they were young) were lazy and just dropped things on the floor.  We ended up using one of these boxes in the centre between them. http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/90221592/

Great as they just dropped anything in the box when finished and were happy to just rummage around when they wanted something just like a small toy box.

Alternative is to leave kids at home

  We ended up using one of these boxes in the centre between them. http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/90221592/

Great as they just dropped anything in the box when finished and were happy to just rummage around when they wanted something just like a small toy box.

Alternative is to leave kids at home

We also use a box between the two child seats. I have modified the box though so it is secured by the middle seat belt and a strap to the cargo barrier (I'm paranoid about unsecured objects becoming projectiles in an accident).
Both our kids (2 & 4yrs) have their own MP3 players and digital cameras (plus lots of books, activities , etc in the box) but we chose not to get DVD players etc

[Jaysea]

not good having a missile in the car if you suddenly stop hence the soft material box but agree it is even better to attach it to the seat. Now the only missile I have to deal with is the stray pen thrown by child no. 1 in anger!

[Squalo]

We have two pretty big booster seats for Miss 5 and Mr 6, and our eldest Miss 8 goes in the middle. We fit a cargo barrier for trips (we're always using the third row for the soccer mum stuff, but don't tell her I called it that ) So our options for holding kid stuff are few - back of front seats, or floor.

We just did a run to Cairns and back, nearly 4000km all up including side trips. It has got me thinking about how we could attach something to the barrier that could hold stuff for the kids (securely of course otherwise the purpose of the barrier is defeated). But I am also about to build a roof console, and am starting to think about how I might be able to create some additional kidstuff storage that makes the most of both the cargo barrier and the roof console.

A set of 9" DVD headrests (or a 15" drop-down roof screen) are most definitely a part of the plans... more information as it comes to hand

[ozbogwam]

I do run a storage net above their heads which attached to the grab handles and cargo barrier. Chuck pillows, jackets etc up there do out of the way but easy to get to if needed.

[fuji]

Just bought a DustBuster to take with us in the camper, nearly half price at HN.

[fishfinder]

gaffa tape lips wrists and ankles

[McReidy]

With a 3 yo who lives to draw & watch his DVD player on road trips I need to get my hands on one of those organizers with a tray - perfect solution for what we need!!

[fishfinder]

gaffa tape lips wrists and ankles

woops !!!!    wrong forum 

[Bunyip]

woops !!!!    wrong forum 

ROFL if it works

[dazzler]

My question is how do people set the area up. Because my god a bomb must have gone of when I wasn't looking. Food and stuff everywhere. Just trying to work out what setups work to keep it a bit neater, places for food and drink, toys, books etc

This was developed to try and work out how but no answer yet;

http://public.web.cern.ch/public/en/LHC/LHC-en.html