For toddler car sickness on a winding road, plan around three things: a rested child, a light snack and a view out of the window. Start the curvy stretch at nap time if you can, because a sleeping toddler has closed eyes and a still head. Keep screens and books away, crack a window, and stop at the first signs: going pale, yawning or turning restless. Let your child out to walk around, then lie back with eyes closed for a few minutes. Ask your pediatrician before giving any motion sickness medicine.
The mountain pass and the coast road are usually the best scenery of the trip, and the part where a toddler turns queasy. This plan is for that stretch.
Why winding roads make toddlers queasy
HealthyChildren, the AAP’s site for parents, explains that motion sickness happens when the brain gets conflicting signals from the inner ears, the eyes and the body. Its example is a child “sitting so low in the backseat of a car that she cannot see outside. Her inner ear senses the motion, but her eyes and joints do not.”
On a winding road, every bend moves the inner ear while the eyes stay on the seat back or a toy.
Age matters too. The CDC’s Yellow Book, its travel-health reference for clinicians, says children under two do not usually get motion sickness and that susceptibility rises after that, peaking between about 7 and 12. A baby who rode the road happily last year can be sick on it at two and a half.
The early signs in a child who can’t say “I feel sick”
A toddler rarely announces nausea. HealthyChildren says a young child shows it “by becoming pale and restless, yawning, and crying”, then loses interest in food, and may then vomit.
The one I watch for is the quiet. A chatty toddler who goes silent and pale on a curvy road is telling you something, and this is the moment to stop, before the crying starts.
Time the winding stretch around the nap
Don’t drive the curves on a skipped nap. The CDC’s Yellow Book lists being sleep-deprived as something that makes motion sickness worse. Keeping a toddler awake all morning so they’ll “crash in the car” gives you an overtired child fighting sleep through the bends.
Put the bends inside the nap. Both the NHS and HealthyChildren recommend closing the eyes when symptoms start. A sleeping toddler does that automatically, with their head resting still. So work backwards from the map:
- Find where the winding section starts and how long it lasts.
- Leave so that you reach it about when the nap normally begins. If the nap is at 12:30 and the pass starts 40 minutes from the hotel, leave around 11:45.
- Do lunch before you leave, not on the pass.
- If the curvy part is longer than the nap, do the worse half asleep and plan a stop for the wake-up.
If the car naps on the way out take over the rest of the vacation, my guide to breaking the stroller and car seat nap loop covers the way back. A toddler can finish a nap in the car seat while you’re driving. For a baby under one, move them to a firm, flat sleep surface once you arrive.
Know when the nap starts
Betteroo works out your toddler's nap time from their age and wake-up, so you know when to be on the road.
Take the free sleep quiz →
Before you set off
- A small snack, not a big meal. HealthyChildren suggests a snack before the trip if your child hasn’t eaten for three hours, because hunger seems to add to the symptoms. The NHS says to avoid heavy meals shortly before or during travel. Crackers and water beat a milkshake.
- A view out. If the seat can sit a little more upright or higher within the limits in its manual, your child sees more of the outside. Take down window shades on the curvy stretch.
- Keep the seat rear-facing if it still fits. Car sickness isn’t a reason to turn a seat around early. HealthyChildren’s car seat guidance notes that most convertible seats let children ride rear-facing for two years or more. A rear-facing toddler can still look out of the side and back windows.
- A kit within the front passenger’s reach: a change of clothes for the child and a spare top for you, wipes, water, a towel, and a sealable bag. Twist-seal PukeBag emesis bags are easier to hold for a small child than a grocery bag, and a zip Bumkins wet bag keeps the soiled clothes away from everything else.
On the road
- No screens, no books. The NHS says not to read, watch films or use electronic devices. HealthyChildren says to have your child look at things outside the car.
- Distract with sound. Both sources suggest talking, music and singing. Spotting games work too, and Betteroo has a list of car games that need no screen or props.
- Fresh air. The NHS suggests opening a car window.
- Plan the stops. HealthyChildren says frequent short stops on a long drive are worth it. On a mountain road, check the map for pull-outs before you start, because you can’t stop on a blind bend.
If your toddler is about to be sick
Pull over as soon as it’s safe. HealthyChildren’s advice is to let your child get out and walk around. If that doesn’t work, take them out of the car seat and have them lie on their back for a few minutes with eyes closed. A cool cloth on the forehead also tends to help.
If they are sick anyway, change them and offer small sips of water before you go on. Car seat covers and harnesses have their own washing rules, so check the manual before you scrub or soak anything. For the rest of the car, Betteroo’s walkthrough for getting the smell out of upholstery is thorough.
Medicine, ginger and wristbands
Medicine: ask your pediatrician first, and ask before the trip. HealthyChildren says some motion sickness medicines are sold without a prescription, but to check with your pediatrician before using them, and that side effects include drowsiness, dry mouth and nose, and blurred vision. The CDC’s Yellow Book says to try the non-drug steps first and to use these medicines in children with caution. Doses depend on age and weight, so I won’t give any here.
Ginger: the NHS motion sickness page lists it as something to try. The CDC describes the evidence for ginger as weak and contradictory. Ask your pediatrician before giving a toddler a ginger product.
Acupressure bands: the NHS says they don’t work for everyone. The CDC says lab trials found them no more effective than placebo.
When it isn’t car sickness
HealthyChildren says to tell your pediatrician if your child has these symptoms when they aren’t in motion, especially with a headache, trouble hearing, seeing, walking or talking, or staring off into space. If your toddler has a fever, or is still vomiting hours after the drive has ended, call your pediatrician: that isn’t how car sickness usually behaves.
Choosing the route
Sometimes you can skip most of the curves. On Maui, I suggest the half-portion Road to Hana. My road trip with kids guide covers planning the rest of the day, and the road trip sleep reset covers the nights after it.
FAQ: toddler car sickness
At what age does car sickness start?
The CDC’s Yellow Book says children under two don’t usually get motion sickness. Susceptibility rises after that and peaks between about 7 and 12.
Does sleeping in the car prevent car sickness?
It often helps, because a sleeping child’s eyes are closed and their head is still, which is what the NHS and HealthyChildren advise when symptoms start. It isn’t guaranteed, so pack the kit anyway.
Should I feed my toddler before a winding drive?
Yes, lightly. HealthyChildren suggests a snack if it has been three hours since they ate. The NHS says to avoid heavy meals before and during travel.
