Travel Tip: Ziplock Bags + Tablets = Happy {Quiet} Kids!

We don't have a DVD player in our van, and watching video is a last resort for us to quiet our kids.  However, since one Grandma is 2.5 hours east, and the other Oma is 2 hours west, and our kids never sleep in the van, videos provide a respite for all of us from time to time.

Actually, we purchased our iPad for the precise purpose of distracting our oldest on trips when he was 1.5 years old.  I have an iPhone with a data plan, so I create a wifi hotspot, connect to it with the iPad, and turn on Netflix. Cue silence.

Except, I can't trust H-man to hold the iPad without accidentally closing Netflix. I saw a post that someone shared on Facebook a few weeks ago that showed someone who had brought a baggie on the plane, put the phone in the baggie, and hung the baggie from the seat in front. It inspired me. You might even say that it pinspired me.

So, on a trip to Oma's place a few weeks ago, I put it to the test - and it worked great! I thought that the sound might be muffled a bit, but that wasn't a problem at all.

Take the device. Put it in your clear plastic bag (making sure that the printed brand name is not covering the screen). Remove the headrest from seat in front of the seat that will be watching. Poke the prongs of the headrest through the top of the bag, then reattach the headrest to the seat.  You should still be able to use the touchscreen function through the plastic of the bag.

Got a long drive to the in-laws for Christmas celebrations coming up? Don't forget to pack a few large Ziplock bags!