In Car DVD Players - Worth the Cost?

Hi J.,

I don't know anything about those DVD players, but I just wanted to let you know that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend no TV/video watching until at least 2 years of age. Their little brains are still developing and the quick-moving, 2-D images are not appropriate at such a young age.

I know those long car trips are rough! Maybe there are some postings on here about ways to keep a 7-month-old occupied on long trips?

Good luck!
A.

We also take several long drive to family(2-4hrs) monthly and I just travel at nap time or use audio tapes. We just went to Disney World from Delaware over night and did just fine. I also find that I can talk to the girls(4 1/2, 2 1/2 & 7 months) and play learning games as we travel. I taveled a lot as child and enjoyed talking to my family and watch the view. I know this isn't what you asked but the girls are ahead of their peers and I attribute a lot of it to the car time games.

They are worth every single penny I ever paid for one!

I have a 4 year old nephew and a 9 year old niece that have used them forever... I don't think I could deal with a car ride of more than 30 minutes w/o them. They only issue we've ever had is whose video to watch first! =)

Enjoy!

We got one installed in my car when we bought it a couple of years ago. We take a lot of 3-5 hour trips, so we knew it would come in handy, and it has. While we always have a bag of toys/games/books for my 4 1/2 year old, we do let her watch one long movie or a couple of shorter shows on our trips, especially since we often travel in the evening/night when it is too dark for her to read or play with her stuff.

Once in a great while she asks to watch something when we are just driving locally, but our rule is we only use it on long trips, so she is fine when we say no. So I wouldn't think that would be a problem for a parent who is actually *being* one and can say no to their child.

Having said that, if I could go back and change things, I would have skipped the installed version and just bought a portable one to strap between the seats. For two main reasons: controls and other uses.

My DD was too young to use the remote when we got it, and for some stupid reason the buttons on the console don't function, so the only way to turn it on/off or adust the volume are to use the remote, on a sensor under the screen, on the back of the headreast. NOT easy to get to when you are sitting in the front seat. (The dealer (Volvo) still doesn't have a reason for why the buttons on the console don't work.) I've heard that newer models of cars are putting an extra sensor in the front seat to solve this exact problem, but for us it is a serious PITA.

My sister has one of the portable ones and it has come in really handy to use as a DVD player in the vacation house when we go to the beach together, and of course she can switch it from car to car. This is especially handy when you travel somewhere by plane and then get a rental car where you are going. It can be used on the plane/train, in the new car, and in the hotel room without racking up fees for rentals and in-room movies. Plus, you can control what they are watching.

So, I'd definitely go with the portable. Age-wise, you know your baby best, and I don't think a video or two of Baby E or Sesame Street is a terrible thing at that age. However, I would use it sparingly, and not for long periods. The baby may get a little fussy, but if you are like us and longer trips are mandatory and often, you need her to learn to keep herself occupied in the car - my babies always loved looking out the window - cars/trees and lights whizzing past had a pretty good appeal when they get tired of the toys they can reach. = ) I recommend investing in some bouncy kids music as well as the lullaby stuff for those long trips. BTW, I have a 12 month old and a 4 1/2 year old and we are doing a trip up to PA this weekend - 3 1/2 hours each way.

Good luck!

ABSOULTLY!!!! My daughter recieved one as a Christmas gift when she was 3 - it's a Phillips from Walmart. And now at almost 8 she still loves to have the DVD player, if she wants to watch it. We go by Red Box get her a few movies, and if there is one in the area we are going to, we go by - return the movies and get more for the return trip. Ours is portable so it's also nice to have the A/C plug because when we stay somewhere, a hotel, my parents house, ect. she can watch something else, if she doesn't want to watch what everyone else is watching.

i am not sure what they cost either, since ours was a gift, but i will tell you that the one that goes on the headrest of the seats seems to be a better product. you strap them to the back of the front seats (there are 2 screens that come with it but you can use just one) and then they don't block your vision at all and are less of a hazard to drivers behind you. you just plug it into the cigarette lighter so it's very user friendly. my brother had the built-in drop down screen first and then down graded his car and went to the one we have that straps in and says its much better. we only use it on long trips and only once they start to get fussy, since we don't like to have the tv on alot. even with that limited use i think it has been very worth. you don't get stressed, they are comfortable (we have 2 boys), and when we arrive where we're going we're not tired and frustrated. i'm sorry that i don't have any price advice. hope you get some good tips.

In car DVD players typically have screens that come down from the roof or are on the back of the headrests. As your daughter is still rear-facing, I don't think either of those would really be helpful.

Does your child have a mirror on the backseat where she can see forward? It helped a lot with our daughter. Also, random inexpensive toys from the baby store helped.

When your child is older, you might want to pick up a portable dvd player. They are quite inexpensive.

I don't know how much they cost because ours came with it, but I think it would be worth it if you are often in the car for long rides. The way ours is set up, she had to be in a forward facing car seat (which started in June) before she could watch. Over the summer we took a lot of trips to see family 3 hours away. I would usually try to time her nap for the first part of the drive time, then when she woke up I would pass back something to drink and turn on a Baby Einstein movie. That was usually the difference between a long stop on the road (and she was NEVER happy to get back in the car again) and driving straight through. We also rented movies from the library to mix it up a bit. Sometimes I played the music through the car speakers, and other times I would just let her watch while I listened to my music. It was a big help!

One of the best purchases I EVER made was my portable DVD player!! I have one with a 10 inch screen and it's great for car trips and taking into Grandma's house, etc.
Now they have ones that come with 2 screens for the back of each seat, which I wish I had now that I have 2 kids watching movies.
I would recommend getting one that's portable instead of installed in your car, because I use mine just as much outside my van as inside! Definitely worth splurging and getting a really good one because you'll use it often!

Hi J.,
We have used our laptop on several trips by putting it on top of a cooler right in front of my daughters seat (we have a van.) It's been great--and it's free. The in-car players are probably wonderful and affordable but I'd be afraid that your child may demand to watch a show EVERY time you go places--included the 5 minute trip to Target. I'd say stick with what you're doing and save the bucks!

We have a portable DVD player that we bought from Walmart for $70. It has been wonderful. However, I only use it on rides that last over 4 hours and also limit the number of videos watched (1 dvd for every 2 - 3 hrs.) I would not want a DVD player installed perm. in the car.

Another wonderful distraction in the car are books on CD. You can check them out of the library. My 4yr. old loves them.

Not worth the cost! I have a 4 yr old that has been across country 2 times (VA to CA) in a car plus many (over 100) 8 hour car trips to his grandparents house. At first we were worried about keeping him occupied but we have so much fun talking and playing games that it was never a problem. We borrowed one for a trip and found that he liked it - TOO MUCH! He didn't want to communicate with us unless it was to ask for a different movie. We will NEVER do that again! We want our kids to talk to us and know we want to talk to them not just stick a TV in front of them.
Just my 2 cents.

My Sister in law bought a portable DVD player for my son. We just bought the attachement for it so that it can hook on to the front seats. Unfortunately I don't know what it cost but I looked on line and they have decent ones between $150-$200. Ours is a Sony I believe. It works really well and he loves it. I like it because he gets extremely carsick and when he is occupied and watching a movie he seems to not get so sick as quickly. Good luck

Yes, we take long trips every or month or so. Just last week we drove from VA Beach to the Shenandoah Mountains with our two year old. She was great! I just bring a variety of dvd's that I know she likes. I also try not to play it the entire time. We use the dvd as a last resort when she is getting cranky so it doesn't wear out it's appeal too her.

Of course three of my four children are older than yours, but from my experience: OH YEAH!! Each of our children get their own screen with their own volume control and so forth. They also take along their own portable game systems (PSP and Nintendo DS) as well as their own iPods. Trips have turned from tedious, painful bickering and arguments to "Please put in .... movie"; "Please hit play/pause/play"; giggle, laughter, giggle, laughter, *ouch, that's gotta hurt*, laughter; "Please change the movie." It's so nice- my husband & I can actually enjoy conversation between bathroom stops, until we arrive!

With a child that young you might want to consider Baby Einstien type movies: Calm, quiet, music, gentle -few- transitions of pictures.

At that age, too, it depends on the child. It wouldn't have made a huge difference with one of my kids (at that age); but my current 3 mo old gets interested in my nearly 2 yr old's shows and will watch and listen - especially with music.

Yes, they're great! Don't leave them plugged in when the car is offf, I learned they drain the battery! The Disney one is not a good buy. I am talking about the ones that you strap to the back of the seats. However, seven months is entirely too young, even for tv.

On our long trips we took/take with our daughter (who is now 2 1/2) we bought a portable DVD player and it works like a charm. You can buy a carry case for it that straps over the front seats of the car and it works like a charm. You can get a fairly inexpensive one to use while traveling and don't have to put out tons of bucks for one that is mounted in your car permanently. Plus, with a portable one, you can take it on other outings, too if you need to do so. :-) Good luck.

We purchased a DVD player for the car & it was the best thing we ever did. We bought a cheaper make for $150 , it has 2 seperate screens so both the kids can watch properly. It isn't a permanent fixture in our car and is only used when we are going on vacation and we have a long drive. We always drive for as long as we can without it and when they start to get restless we switch it on. I also borrow DVD's from the library so they have things to watch that they haven't seen before so it helps to keep them entertained for longer.

I would definitely buy one if you drive that often , there is nothing worse than trying to drive with a kid screaming & whining behind you!

We take several trips a year anywhere from 3 - 10 hours long, and I think it's perfectly fine for my kids to watch a movie during this time. It's not like we're at home and can spread out a board game. I rather let them get their TV time in while we're just sitting there anyway.

We have the DVD player installed in our car. A rule I came up with was that we need to be driving one hour or more for the thing to be turned on. That way my kids aren't asking to watch something on the way to the grocery store.

J.,

A friend of mine got one for my son a couple months ago, and I am SO thankful for it. My LO (now just a little shy of 11 months) did not love car rides at all - and this really helped to keep him from screaming and crying (for the most part) while we're in the car... If you think it would keep her settled a little better, I would say it's definitely worth it (I know that I was going to buy one anyways - my friend just beat me to the punch!) The one he got was a Toshiba (and I have no idea what it cost him), but I can tell you that whatever it cost, it was worth it!I play Baby Einstein Baby Wordsworth (the only one he seems to like so far) for him. It's very soothing for both of us I think. :)

Cheers!
T.

Ask your pediatrician whether any seven-month-old should be watching TV in or out of the car. I'll wager the answer is no. She needs to improve her vision, as someone below rightly said, and TV images are fast and confusing for infants. And most TV, even the gentle baby stuff, is overstimulating for infants.

As for when she's older: I know most everyone has said to get a DVD player in the car. I can only share our experience with long drives. Our daughter, now seven, has made many four- to five-hour car trips with us to visit family and we've never had TV in the car. Instead she listens to books on tape or music and sometimes we play car games looking at license plates or playing "I Spy." Now that she's older, she also reads in the car or does sticker pictures or magnetic picture scenes. I know your child is too young for games, but she's too young for a DVD in the car too, I think. Start her out with music, then stories on CD later, and that's what she'll come to associate with long rides.

J.,
My husband and I travel with our 5 children all of the time, we were making a 4 hour trip everyother weekend for a few years, we have portable DVD players and they have been a life saver. My 2 younger ones really enjoy it when I plat baby einstien in the car, I figure if they are going to be wathcing TV they should be learning at the same time! We have 2 different brands and there is really no different between the 2. We bought from Wal-Mart a DVD holder that straps between the 2 front seats so it sits in the middle instead of in front of any othe the kids. When it was mounted to the back of either of the front seats the kids in the 3rd row seat in my van could not see the screen and oh boy did this cause problems! Good luck

Hi J.,

We had one installed in our Honda Oddesy at Best Buy, I'm not sure of the brand but it was about $1600 I think installed and worth every penny! We usually pop in some of the kids favorite videos and they are thrilled!

I would say they are definitely worth it.
J. L

For a 7month old? Kind of young to be so interested in "tv". But yes its worth the cost. I provides tons of entertainment for hours. We had to stop late at night during a 24hr trip to get a new dvd player one time. Its a life saver.

J.:

Hello! At seven months it's not about a movie - it's about vision. She doesn't need a tv, she needs toys that will give her something to look at - even the mirrors where she can look at herself are good.

If you are going to be on long trips, bring different toys with you to change out when you stop for gas or potty breaks for you and your husband. Since you are in your car versus trying to get through security at the airport it shouldn't be a problem to change out toys.

When your daughter is older, the portable DVD players are a good choice. We limit the amount of movies they can watch - we do play games - state license plates, letters, words, etc. even colors - so they can see things outside the car and the TV.

Hope this information helps.

Cheryl

YES, YES, YES!!! We bought one for our son before he turned one and it has been a life saver on long road trips. We can tun that on and just keep movies going and he'll stay happy and quiet for a whole 10 hour trip, just about! Not to mention it is still VERY useful (he is now over 2 and we have another that I'm sure will grow to love it as well). Also, it can come in handy if you have to take them anywhere with you that you need them to be good, and quiet and still (Like a DR. appt. for you or something). Just sit them on the floor with some headphones and a movie and they are little angels! Good luck shopping. (We bought a portable one, not one that stays in the car, like the headrest kind. The portable ones are cheaper and you can find a case that will hold it and attatch to your headrest.) Just FYI.

Definitely!!! My daughter would get cranky and cry and of course when on a long trip and your in the front seat you can really deal w/her to try and distract her. My aunt bought me the portable dvd player for my car and it was the best gift ever. I put in a sesame street dvd (the alphabet) one and not only does she love it bue she now knows her ABC's. I would definitely invest!!

we use IPOD w/ nice screen and download stuff to watch. works for us and cheaper!

Hey J.,

I can relate to what you're saying. I have a portable DVD player that my grandson watches his movies on when we're travelling. It comes with a remote control, a car adapter and an in-house charger. A portable DVD player is a lot less expensive than an in-car DVD player.

In car DVD's are sooo worth it. However you don't aways have to purchase a car that has them installed. Check walmart, they used to have a system that hangs off the back of the seat and has headphone attachments and comes with 2 screens. Worked wonders when we drove with our girls from here to Lincoln, NE a few years back.

I've heard it is better to buy a portable DVD player rather than one that is permanently installed in your car. If the player is permanently in your car, the kids want to watch a DVD any time you get in the car -- even if you are just running to the store or dropping them off at school. With the portable players, if it isn't in the car, they can't watch a DVD. Also, the portable players can be used on airplanes and in hotel rooms, which are a huge help when traveling with kids.

Personally I think she is too young. Our children have taken many a long trip for days in the car and they don't have a DVD player from when they were that young. We provide toys, and ones they can press buttons for music, play music and sing as a family they love to hear us singing etc.... they seem perfectly happy with that and looking out the windows. Our son practices his sign language when he sees things along the road.
We also make it a point to stop every now and then for some fresh air and allow them to move about and see different scenery and eat.
Children get so much TV nowadays we see the car time as an experience to do something else. And when they can talk and hold a conversation it will give them and us more of a chance to enjoy and learn about each other.
This was a choice my husband and I decided on and it works perfectly fine for our family. We do notice though just about everyone else on the road has DVD players and many several going and think it's sad the kids and parents can't invest more time on finding more intellectual stimuli for them.
Each to their own I guess.
Good Luck making a decision for your family.

I think it is worth it, but I would wait until she is older and use it sparingly as a last resort. We have a portable DVD player that we purchased from Wal-Mart several years ago. It came with a remote control, a car adapter and a charger. My family lives 6 hours away, so it's been great. We also take it when we visit my husband's family. We have to fly. What a lifesaver this summer when our flight was continiously delayed. My son and nephew watched portions of videos and played games, so it made the time go faster for them. Other passengers on the plane will probably appreciate your child being distracted as well ;-)

you know. I think DVD players are a godsend and make long trips bearable. We don't have an in car one because i didn't like the idea that if the DVD player got broken i would have to bring the whole car in for service and I thought they jacked the price of the car up too much. we have a portable one that we only bring out for long trips like when we drive 8 hours to see the relatives. Plus they don't expect to watch tv everytime they get in the car

I found the investment worthwhile.! They go for about $100-$200 and I think Walmart or Best Buy usually have the best prices. I think mine is a Phillips, and has been around for a couple of years.

J.-

It is well worth the investment. We take a couple long trips every year and it really helps our kids get through all the driving. The only downside is that they want to watch it even on short drives. We only turn it on when we have to drive for more than 100 miles. Our player came in the minivan we purchased so I don't have a brand to recommend. My sister has the kind that attaches to the headrest. She bought a set of two for about $300. They have a good sized screen on them and come with individual headsets. You will probably have a hard time getting your little one to keep a headset on. My 20 month old won't wear one. We have to run the sound through the car radio when he is watching. Good luck!

Yes, absolutely. They are worth their weight in gold as far as we're concerned :) We drive 3+ hours each way every other weekend to take care of my mother in law & I don't think we'd be able to do it if it wasn't for the DVD players. However, with a 7mo old, she may not have the attention span for a movie to hold her interest for the length of the trip (?) Either way it will be another thing to distract her with and it will be even more useful as she gets older, so I would definitely recommend the investment.

I feel that they absolutley are. We just got one for my daughter who is 17 months old after many many months of unbearable car trips. My daughter hates being in the car (we can't figure out why) and would grow restless in the car after about 30 minutes. We bought different cd's with children's music on it and that would help some but not for long. My daughter also won't sleep for long periods in the car either. She'll usually sleep for about 30 minutes and that is if she falls asleep at all which is rare. I was hesitant at getting the DVD player for her at such a young age but driving on long trips was just becoming worse and worse. She would cry in her seat, throw her toys, cups etc. She loves watching the DVD player and it keeps her entertained for longer in the car and it has saved my sanity and my husband's as well. I can't remember which one we have about it was about $150-$170 and we got it at Target. It just clips to the headrest. It came with a charger for the house and one for the car.

I think if you are getting a new car its worth it (although we are already having trouble with the one in our minivan) - but otherwise - buy a portable one - MUCH cheaper, easier to replace, and more flexible (i.e., they can use it in the house, at a hotel or vacation rental, or in the car). We have an audiovox portable one that we got at Target for less than $100. Before the minivan, we would take than on long car trips and bungee cord it to the headrest. Plus we can use it inside wherever we go.

I don't know if theya re worth the cost, but we don't ahve any. we have vhs and RARLEY use it. Even on a 10 hour car trip this summer we used it once. 7 months is way too early for any type of video thing. All babies I think like colors, tv movement and movies/etc. I would not inves tin it. we would not have vhs except for the fct that it came wiht our van (Our van is used and we were not basing our purchase on video)

yes. portable DVD players run about $100-150, but they are worth it. Even though your daughter is young, it will visually keep her entertained, as well as whoever else is in the car. Listening to a movie even if you can't see it helps the time go more quickly.
M.

YES, they are worth the money. We have a dvd player that was factory installed, but my best friend has a set that she bought at WalMart (I think for around $200). I've done 4 cross country trips in the last 2 years, and it was invaluable to me. I try not to use it everytime we're in the car, just so my sons learn to occupy themselves, without video stimulation. However, it is great on long drives. WalMart has several brands that are pretty cheap (less than $200). You can also check at Target, Best Buy, or Circuit City. Good luck

I recommend the portable DVD players. They are only about $100, you can take them into hotel rooms, and have an extra DVD player at home when you need it (no TV in my daughter's room, but it's nice for her to be bale to watch a movie in her room if I need her to). They are not as durable as you'd hope (we've gone through one and are on our second) but WELL worth the investment for road trip entertainment. PLUS you get them using the earphones, and you can have your adult music on or peace and quiet. It's so worth it!
K. B.

In car DVD is worth it. I received one from my mother as a Christmas gift about 3 years ago and my son and daughter love it. We take long trips up north twice a year (8hrs one way) and since we have the DVD player the trip has been great. I don't have to listen to the kids saying they are bored and tired if sitting in the car. It's worth every penny.

Yes, they are very handy, but you can do it for a whole lot less than $1600. Go to Best Buy or BJs or someplace and get a portable DVD player, and then get a power jack that goes into the car outlet. You should be able to do the whole thing for under $150. She'll have to hold it on her lap but so what? At those prices you can get a separate one for every kid--no more fights about which movie to watch!

If you only have one child, you might want to consider purchasing a portable DVD player rather than having one installed in your car. You can put the player into a special carrier that straps to the back of a seat. These portable players and the cases are relatively inexpensive, and they can go anywhere! They don't necessarily stay in the car.

We have both an in car player and a portable. My older children like to have the option of watching more mature movies so they move to the back of the van with the portable while the younger ones watch the G rated movies from their seats. It works out great.

The nice thing about our in car DVD is that it has wireless headsets. . . but your little on is still to small to use a headset.

There are also some great "car" toys for children your daughter's age. I had a mirror as well as some other toys that attached right to the car seat to keep my little ones stimulated during long rides.
Good luck.

Hi J., We finally gave in and bought an inexpensive DVD player for trips. Our little guy is now 3 and we have used it since he was about 1 1/2. We got it for about $70 - it's a trutech and was purchased at Target or WalMart and we got a case with straps that can attach and hang between seats (we have a small sedan so nowhere to mount an aftermarket player) Our son loves it. It was cheap and functions well and has lasted all this time. We have taken it on flights that didn't have an in flight movie. And we did some REALLY long trips this summer. We have some of his favorite DVDs like TV shows or animated features but often rent or check out from the library. Our strategy is to pull it out en route when all other avenues have been exhausted (songs, games, snacks) we consider the DVDs the big guns in our entertainment arsenal. We have a travel backpack that he only gets on trips. It goes back into hiding when we get home so it stays special. We have a cookie pan with magnetic letters and numbers and several small games he likes. So with all that - trips are really manageable - good luck and have a blast travelling!
S.

PS - he doesn't get to use the DVD player at home either. We hide that when we get home too so that all the cool travel fun stays fresh. He asks about his "tiney Puter" for a couple days when we get home - but I just say it's put away till our next trip and he soon forgets about it.

Hi J.,

I really don't know if it is worth the cost right now to purchase one with your daughter only being 7 months old. I have an 8 month old and she doesn't really find any interest with TV at all. She loves books and pictures.

I would suggest when she is about 1 to purchase one for long road trips. I have 5 children in total and when I pop in a movie, it definitely keeps them quite for at least an hour or so. I don't have any suggestions on what brand to purchase, ours was installed in our SUV when we purchased it.

Best of Luck!

J. Z.
jenniferzaranis.com

I have to add my two cents worth. While I have a DVD player that came as an after-market installation in my used Jeep, I would still consider buying one. I have a son who loves movies and is entertained by that when he is bored with everything else. Having said that, when I was a kid, I loved to read, and still do. Before they had DVD players, I read tons of books when we would travel, which was a lot because we went camping 2 or 3 times each year. Plus travel to family. I didn't see a single mention of using that time as a time to encourage reading, which is what I'm doing with my son now that he is old enough to learn to read. That will be his main entertainment, and then the the DVD player and other toys will be a supplement. Food for thought!

We LOVE ours...we are actually on our third...but at BJs they are cheap! About $100...my daughter is 7 years old and we drive back and forth to MA and OH often!

We never had one, but borrowed one for a drive from MD to FLA when my son was 4 and he hardly watched it. I was more concerned about where to put it so it would not get stolen on vacation. If you do begin with the DVD in the car, you will have to keep it as a constant. My niece and nephew are nearing middle school and still must have a movie on in the car. Okay they lived in Georgia and every drive was long. My son is 6 and still does not watch tv in the car. We stuck with music, talking. He did go for the hand held portable video games when he was 5. I try to stick to the educational and non violent. I went with the DS. Since your child is younger, there is Leapster type things. Especially the books you can use with the pen that reads the words. I used books when my son was younger, little hand held one. And a bucket next to him with some little toys for long rides. Usually stopped at a McDonalds play area for awhile to burn off his energy, then a meal and a nap worked better for us for good habits. I also drove early morning like 5:30am. Or 4:30pm after a long, long day. I like the idea of an IPod someone mentioned, as they have educational downloads, etc and music. I also avoided earphones for a long time as I am not sure about things too loud at an early age. I also have fundamental problems with portable dvd's sitting in front of my sons face should there be a car accident - I can just see serious injuries involved. Is it worth it? If you really want a DVD try Toys r us - they have hand held ones from Disney with a small screen, might be better for a start, financially and otherwise.

YES YES 100 TIMES YES!!! My husband and I purchase a two screen set that you just loop around the seat from Walmart. We made trips at least once a month to visit my family out of state and they were a life saver! We also made a dvd/cd of pictures of the family we were going to visit, and by the time we got there, she was SOOOOO excited to see them!

I'd definitely get it. We live an hour away from everything and it's a great help when you can't count or see the cows anymore and naptime's been exhausted. They have some you can strap to the back of your front car seat that will probably be a lot cheaper than one a manufacturer would install, probably at Best Buy etc, maybe even Walmart, Good luck!

In a word, yes. I have one for each of my older (3&5 yrs) children as we take several road trips to Maine every year. They have earphone's as well but only my oldest uses them. That way we don't hear battling movies. If you use ear phones make sure the sound is not adjusted too loud so that it damages their ears. (some have an adjustment on the earphone or cord so I just adjust that to full volume so that the DVD player is the one I use to manage the sound) They don't watch it nonstop by any means but it takes the edge off of a REALLY long trip. Good luck and take care.

They are absoutley worth it. Ours cost about $120 and came with the attachment for the headrest. I was always very against in car tvs but am now in a position where my almost 3 year old may be in the car for an hour everytime we go out. We have rules that I enforce strictly about when he can watch it. I feel like he needs time to look out the window and explore.

I have two boys both almost grown.
We traveled by car for most of their young life. We did NOT have a dvd player or anything else electronic in the car during the trips.
We had trip bags, we played car games etc.
Our trips were quality time together.
I find that children that have DVD players in the cars rarely interact with the parents or each other.
They always expect to be entertained in the car. I think parents today are losing wonderful opportunities to build relationships and memories with thier children by relying on electronic gadgets to entertain them
N. B
MOther of Two boys, 17 and 21.
We still play car games when we are together. I hope that when my sons have children of thier own they will pass these games on down to them.

I kinda thought the same thing, but then we had a long drive and so I got one for my son, I went to walmart, got a 7inch for ~$80 and then $10 for the case that can strap to the front seat. It works great for long car rides and if we're at a dinner party or some kind of adultish gathering, now that he's 3 we let him where headphones and watch his movies, we helps keep him entertained and not intrusive, but those are the only times he can use it (or really watch tv) so it's a special treat, keeping it exciting for longer. We were just going to us our computer then realized, if they drop it or something happens while you're driving, with this your out 80 bucks, with a good computer you can be out 1000s and if it's a work computer, then you're in even bigger trouble. We definitely found it worth it and we can bring it on flights to help keep him occupied there, where crying would really disturb others. Good luck!

hello

we too take long drives to see family.

how ever my hubby bought me a little portable dvd player before we had our son. so that i would have entertainment on the many plain rides that i take.

this is what we use for our son now to be able to watch dvds while we drive. we have a center unit that holds things between the front seat so we put the dvd player on there and ian can see it from where he sits in the back.

yes it is worth it but i also strongly advise books too.

have a good one.