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Birth to 9 Months

• Ensure your newborn's comfort by padding the sides of his car seat with rolled towels to prevent slouching.

• Place a small rolled towel between the crotch strap and your baby to prevent his lower body from sliding too far forward.

• If your infant's head flops forward, tilt the seat backward until it is level by wedging firm padding, such as a rolled towel, under the front of the base of the seat.

9 Months to 24 Months

• Children this age love to climb, and may want desperately to get out of the car seat. If this describes your child, remind yourself that this is only a phase, and in a calm but stern voice insist that he stay in his seat whenever the car is on the road.

• Entertain your toddler by talking or singing with him as you drive. However, never do this to the point that it distracts you from paying attention to your driving.

24 Months to 36 Months

• Make driving a learning experience by talking about the things your child sees out the window, as long as this doesn't distract the driver.

• Encourage your child to buckle his toy animals or dolls into a seat belt and talk about how safe the toy is now that it's buckled up.

Travel Activities

If you make car trips fun, your child is less likely to resist the confinement. Here are some suggestions to help pass the time.

• Talk about the passing sights. Ask your child what she sees out her window. Point out interesting sights. When she begins to learn colors, letters, and numbers, ask her to identify them in signs and billboards. Remember to keep your eyes on the road, however.

• Keep a variety of picture books and small toys in the car within reach of her car seat.

• Keep several cassettes of children's songs or stories in the car. Encourage your child to sing along with her favorite tunes.

• For longer trips, bring along a small box filled with age-appropriate activity materials, such as coloring or activity books, crayons, paper, stickers, paper dolls, pop-beads, a Viewmaster© or an Etch-A-Sketch©. (Do not allow scissors in the car; they could be hazardous in the event of a sudden stop.)

• Stop at least every two hours to break up the trip. This will allow your child a chance to stretch, perhaps eat a snack, and have a diaper change or use the toilet.

• If your child is prone to motion sickness, it may help to give her an appropriate dose of Dramamine® a half hour before getting in the car.

Keeping Preschoolers Happy and Safe on the Road

• Talk about safety as "grown-up" behavior, and praise your child whenever he voluntarily buckles up.

• Encourage your child to accept the seat belts by suggesting make-believe roles, such as astronaut, pilot or racecar driver.

• Explain why the safety seat is important: "If we have to stop suddenly, the straps keep you from bumping your head."

• Show him books and pictures with safety messages.

• Always wear your seat belt, and make sure everyone else in the car buckles up, too.

Traveling Rules

The trip will be more pleasant and comfortable for everyone if you follow these rules consistently, wherever you are.

• Don't allow yelling, hitting, biting or loud noisemaking.

• Don't allow children to touch door handles.

• Never let a child play alone in the car.

• Remind children to be considerate of other people in the car.

Tips for Safe Air Travel with Children

• Ensure that your car seat has received FAA approval. Check that the label on the restraint reads: "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft."

• Check the width of your car seat. While airline seats vary in width, a car seat no wider than 16 inches should fit in most coach seats. Even if the armrests are moved out of the way, a car seat wider than 16 inches is unlikely to fit properly into the frame of the aircraft seat.

• Purchasing an airline ticket (discounted or full fare) is the only way to guarantee that you will be able to use a car seat. Some airlines allow parents to fly with young children on their laps during air travel. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics does not support this practice and recommends that all children should be secured in their own seat during air travel.

• If you purchase a ticket for your child, reserve adjoining seats. A car seat must be placed in a window seat so it will not block the escape path in an emergency. A car seat may not be placed in an exit row.

• If you need to change planes to make a connecting flight, it can be challenging to transport a car seat, a child and luggage through a busy airport. Most airlines will help parents make the connection if they can arrange for assistance in advance.