Travel Lap Tray vs. Backseat Organizer

NaplesWifey

Sorry for another travel related post...

Which do you think would be more useful for a 12 hour road trip? I need to order them today so they get here before we go & I can't decide!

A travel lap tray like this? ($20)

 

or a backseat organizer like this? ($10)

KristinKD

I would probably go with the lap tray.

I know, for my girls, if they had something like the organizer displaying all of their things, they'd pull them all out within minutes and then be bored, whereas if I keep them out of sight in a backpack, I can prolong it and dole them out a bit more gradually. Plus the lap tray would make things like coloring easier for them.

In fact, I should probably consider getting a lap tray for our 8-hour road trip next month. We survived last year without it but also had my MIL traveling with us.

Brewtowngrl

We have the travel tray.  One thing that is nice is that we have the kids use it to eat.  When we stop we let them go potty and run around then then get drive thru for the meal or we will be at McD's or something similar for hours.  They are too distracted.  DS can also color or play with his trucks on it. 

Brewtowngrl

We also have the organizer.  It is nice to hold things, but DS can't reach it when buckled in. 

flgator

I've wondered about that travel tray too. 

NaplesWifey

Thanks for the input ladies. I ended up ordering both through Amazon because I get free return shipping. That way I can test them out in the car with the girls to see what works best for us. I'm thinking the tray will be better, but I was trying to save some $! Things get expensive when you have to buy x2.

Dcubed

We have the lap trays you have here and don't use them.  Both get frustrated because the tray tilts down because their legs are at an angle so the tray isn't level.  For my kids it is honestly just big and bulky and with DD's carseat it doesn't fit (her carseat has arm rests on either side so the tray is too wide to fit in it). We just back from a 24 hr road trip one way and they didn't use it once. The kids like the theory of it but when it comes to trying to use them they just would rather 'figure it out' without them.

NaplesWifey

Thanks for the info Dcubed. I figured we'll just try them out before we go, and if they don't work well I will return them. The reviews for it on Amazon were mixed - some seemed to love it & others not so much. It probably depends on the type of carseat you have. Another idea I read online was to get a cheap cookie sheet that has sides on it... might try that!

jerol

We also have the tray- I like it that there is something for them to put stuff on....but they are so much more flimsy.