Winter Car Seat Travel

Last week we went to the Jersey shore. This week I’m wearing a sweater and fleece-lined boots while I’m huddled under a blanket, still freezing. It’s definitely been an interesting fall season already, but we’re loving it. We’ve gone on hayrides wearing jackets and picked pumpkins while wearing short-sleeves. We’re always ready for an adventure though and getting out of the house last minute is our kind of fun.

We had been planning a day trip to the beach during fall since we live within an hour of the shore. It’s always better after Labor Day because parking is free, all the beaches you typically have to pay for are free, and it’s not as crowded. When I looked at the weather last week and saw it was supposed to be close to 90 degrees, I knew we had to hop in the car and go.

We packed the sand toys, sunscreen, and towels and headed “down the shore”. That’s Jersey talk for “going to the beach”.   It was the perfect day. The water was cold, but the kids still had fun. We built castles and buried ourselves and just soaked up hours of what was probably the last beautiful, warm weathered day of the rest of the year.

Then bam. Winter came.  Not really, but it is reaching freezing temps at night this week. I was quickly reminded that while car seat safety is always important, it was time to start getting creative to keep our girls safe AND warm in their seats. We have plans to travel to West Virginia soon, and a few other places, so keeping them as safe as possible while traveling during colder months is my biggest task.   

Luckily, Graco’s newest car seat, the Extend2Fit, has an amazing new feature: an extension panel. It’s no secret that we are HUGE proponents of extended rearfacing.  Our Skibbles will be 4 next month and she’s still rearfacing.  While we know that she’s perfectly safe and comfortable sitting this way, I fully believe that this new extension panel with 5″ of extra legroom will help those wondering “Where do they put their legs?!”

Well friends, look no further!

So you got your littles rearfacing, but what other winter tips should you be following for car seat safety?

• Thin layers + blankets instead of thick clothes so kids don’t overheat
• If jacket or clothing has a hood, put it on their head or behind their head, not behind their shoulders to reduce bulking
• No warm or hot liquids in their car seat
• If traveling a long distance, check on children often for overheating even if using blankets
• And most importantly – NO BULKY COATS!

Here’s a video about why you shouldn’t mix bulky coats and car seats this winter:

Key Features of the Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 Car Seat 

• 3-position extension panel that provides 5” of extra legroom
• Simply Safe Adjust^™ Harness – Harness and Headrest adjust together
• 6 position recline
• InRight^™ Latch System – One Seconds Latch Attachment
• Fuss Free Harness
• Rear-facing up to 50lbs
• Be sure to connect with Graco on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest.

Learn more about the car seat HERE.