2 year old in roomette tips & advice

[Honey23!]

My mother and I are taking my daughter, who will be just over 2 years old, on the lakeshore limited & southwest chief in the spring. It will be 3 days, 2 nights. We booked two roomettes directly across from each other for both legs of the trip (we couldn’t all be booked in one since she counts and it was $1000 cheaper than a bedroom). We are thinking of keeping one room’s beds down the entire time for the toddler’s naps. Any other tips about toddlers in sleeper accommodations or on the trains themselves?

 

[Maglev]

You may want to let your toddler use an upper berth during the day, so you can still sit below. This will be easier to do on the Lake Shore Limited, which has more headroom under the upper berth.

 

[Honey23!]

You may want to let your toddler use an upper berth during the day, so you can still sit below. This will be easier to do on the Lake Shore Limited, which has more headroom under the upper berth.

What if we sit in the one roomette and she naps on the berth across the hall?

 

[zephyr17]

Many years ago traveling in a roomette with a 4 year old, I kept the upper down at all times for her.

 

[Honey23!]

Many years ago traveling in a roomette with a 4 year old, I kept the upper down at all times for her

what did she enjoy doing on the train?

 

[flitcraft]

Get a bunch of little toys--dollar stores are a great place to check for this--and dole them out for times when she gets bored or fussy. (We did this for our daughter on long haul flights to the UK when she was little.) Crayons and paper, little tubs of Play-do, mini stuffed animals, etc. Make sure you bring her 'special' lovey--whether it's a blanket or stuffed animal, and if she uses a small blanket for naps, bring that too--and don't bother washing it, since it will have her comforting smell on it! Nowadays, there are online videos that she might enjoy, though be sure to download what you need from home, since there is no Wifi on the trains and cell coverage can be spotty. Snacks work almost as well as toys to amuse and delight.

While meals in the diner can be fun, they also can be a challenge for very little kids to have to wait for food. You might tote some little neat snacks for her to nibble on while waiting for food. And don't discount the play possibilities of stacking little creamers or jelly tubs...

And don't forget to bring plenty of baby wipes for tidying up little hands and faces--yours too! Paper towels are good to deal with messes, and some Clorox wipes are useful for wiping down surfaces in the roomettes--I'm afraid things are not as scrupulously clean on the train as you are likely used to at home! Plastic bags are helpful for containing messes, especially anything stinky, and if well tied off, will be appreciated when discarding said messes in the trash containers in the hallway.

Story time on the train is another--favorite books will add another familiar aspect to the unfamiliar train setting. Thomas the Tank Engine might be fun! Spotting things out the window is both fun and educational, "Hey, look! See the cows? Those cows look hungry, they are eating the grass." And a walk to the lounge and through the coaches is both exercise and something new to do.

 

[caravanman]

I think flitcraft above has pretty well covered this with her sensible suggestions.

It makes sense to allow the child to rest on the lower bunk in one roomette, while you observe from the opposite one, as if you put the youngster in a top bunk, you can't see them when sitting below them.

Treat the roomettes as if you have two tiny rooms only, in your home, and don't overthink it, just imagine what you need for the child to be happy at home, and try to recreate that in the much smaller space of the train.

Good luck, and maybe you can re-visit us after your trip and let us know of what worked best for yourselves?

 

[GariYaMoshi]

What if we sit in the one roomette and she naps on the berth across the hall?

I think that is a great idea. Remember what our kid was like at 2 and there would be no way I would have put him on the top.

 

[Stevenz]

Is there some kind of safety net on the top bunk to keep from rolling out? I’d want one!

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Is there some kind of safety net on the top bunk to keep from rolling out? I’d want one!

There is, just not good enough for a 2 year old. Design to prevent a adult from rolling out, not a toddler.

 

[Willbridge]

In 1977, my wife and I with our two-year old son took a bedroom on the CN from Montreal to Edmonton (3 nights, 2 days). In addition to the suggestions above, we had great results with a child sleeping bag introduced to our son as a special treat several nights before the trip. On the train then, he was sleeping soundly in his sleeping bag with its familiar feel.

He kept a lookout for beavers but concluded that they were hiding -- he did spot lodges. He also watched the Northern Lights for an hour. Going to the dining car was good.

 

[Joe Basciani]

2 is a very curious age... I'm sure it'll be fine, but think of a 2 year old's height perspective. I would consider using something from your bags to keep from digging around under the seats, for example.

 

[DaveW]

I agree with keeping the 2 year-old on the lower bed. If they tried to get down from the upper, it would not end well. You could use the upper for luggage that you would need access to during your trip, giving you more room across the hall.

 

[GariYaMoshi]

We did the family bedroom with our very rambunctious son when he was just a bit older than the kid in OP's question. Gave him plenty of room to run in the room without us worrying about him.

Now almost 30, he dreams of taking another train trip as he remembers it being fun from the couple times we took the Empire Builder.

 

[Stremba]

Also don’t forget - it’s a train, not an airplane. When she gets bored with sitting and playing with toys or watching videos, you can go on walks and explore various cars on the train. Also you can take the opportunity at longer stops (these usually are announced or you SCA can tell you where and when they are) to let her get off the train and run around outside a bit. Just don’t stray off the platform; you won’t want to miss your train’s departure.