The Best Portable DVD Players for Families

We first saw the benefit of a portable DVD player two years ago when we took a family holiday to France. We were on the ferry going from Le Harve to Portsmouth, and one family had set up their kids with a portable player in a quiet section of the ferry out from under people's feet. Our children and about a half dozen others spent several hours gathered round the player watching cartoons and videos. We had started the journey home knowing that chances were high both boys would be tired and fussy for a good part of the ferry trip, but watching the DVDs distracted them enough that they were able to remain calm and happy for the majority of the time.

After that, we thought long and hard about purchasing DVD players of our own, but couldn't justify the price. Since then, prices have come down considerably, and the players have become more compact.

Let me tell you, this was the best purchase we made for the whole trip! Knowing our boys, we bought two players, and found them each a set of head phones to wear. We let each boy pick out 12 DVDs they wanted to watch.

It was great being able to talk to my husband as he drove, about things not related to cartoon characters. It was bliss listening to the silence as I watched the countryside slip by. 

No constant chatter, just the occasional outbreak in song as one boy or the other would suddenly start singing along with a theme tune. No constant fighting. No questions about how  much further it would be.

Certainly, we won't be setting up the Portable DVD players for every car trip, but for long journeys they are ideal. I would highly recommend getting one, or more.