"Fun-on-the-Run" Car Table Bag {Review and Giveaway}

We have a problem when it comes to car rides. A squirmy, wiggly kid who just can't seem to sit still in the car seat. I know, I'm probably not the only one, right?

I'm not referring to big sister, who has been well-trained on road trips around Europe since she was born and can sit in her car seat for a good six-hour journey. Nowadays, she sits in her booster seat and buckles up without us having to nag at her.

I'm talking about the toddler, who somehow likes to stand up, move around, sit on my lap or just demand to be breastfed during car rides. She would kick up a fuss whenever we put her in the car seat and with all the whining and wailing, it gets literally impossible for the hubby to concentrate on driving.

So you know we went to LEGOLAND Malaysia recently, right? Considering how we were stuck in the causeway jam for over two hours previously, I wasn't particularly looking forward to the car ride. That was, until I saw a glimpse of hope when I received this innovative, unique new product which I might even call a life-saver - the "Fun-on-the-Run" Car Table Bag by Ministry of Tots. 

At first glance, the bag might seem to be nothing special. It comes in only one colour (purple and orange), has a big pocket on the outside and opens up to reveal more pockets and elastic holders on the inside.

The bag comes with an adjustable shoulder strap so that the kids can carry their bags themselves when there is a need to. The bag is slim in design and as long as you don't overload it, it will be not be too heavy. Well, if you look closely, Angel is using the shoulder strap whereas Ariel is using another adjustable clip-on strap which is used to attach to the front seat headrest.

Like this! The bags hang nicely from the headrests and initially the buckle bothered the hubby a little because it was right at the back of his head. Then, we figured out we just had to push the headrest higher so that he can still rest his head comfortably while driving and the little one gets to use her table bag at the back. You might need to adjust the length of the strap to get the required height. For us, we tried on both a booster seat  and a car seat and it is possible to find a comfortable height to suit your child's needs.

So, what makes this table bag so special, you ask? The bag comes with a hard backing and when it opens up, you get a table that is bigger than A4 size! Woohoo! How cool is that?

Now, we are against the idea of letting kids play with electronic devices on the go but I definitely don't mind them doodling and playing if they help to occupy and keep them happy. Especially if we are caught in a jam which might be slow-moving and it takes hours for us to get home.

The great thing about this table bag is that you can personalise the contents according to your child's age and preferences. Of course, this means you can also easily replace the contents when the kids start to get bored. For Angel, who is a little art lover, I keep plenty of colouring pencils, crayons, markers and a drawing pad. There are also puzzles to keep her busy when the ride gets bumpy and it gets hard to draw.



For Ariel, I keep snacks, water bottle and her favourite toys. She likes to play with the kitchen toys so we thought why not let her cook up a storm in the car instead and keep her occupied?

Another of her favourite activity is decorating the birthday cake, then sing the birthday song, make a wish and blow out the 'flames'. She can do this countless times and thanks to the help of the table, she can now do it on her own without my help.

Just so you know, we succeeded in driving to Malaysia without the toddler throwing tantrums of any sort. It was a.... miracle! Really. Which is why I termed the table bag as my lifesaver. In fact, for the first time in a couple of years, I finally got to sit in the front passenger seat while the girls were contented to be on their own at the back. It was definitely a big change, and a huge relief, for me from having to hold onto a squirmy toddler all the time. Phew!

In any case, we will never give up on weekend outings so I'm hoping that the fun on the run will continue for these two, that they will carry on liking their car table bags and that we will have many more pleasant car rides to come our way!

Benefits of the "Fun-on-the-Run" Car Table Bag:

- Lightweight
- Can be customised according to different needs
- Portable
- Doesn't take up too much space
- Quick and easy to use
- Not just for children, parents with young infants can also use it to keep toys within reach or make formula using a table instead of on their laps

Limitations of the "Fun-on-the-Run" Car Table Bag:

- Average quality
- Comes in only one colour combination
- Can only be used in daylight (unless you wish to keep your lights on or increase your child's risk to myopia)

For safety reasons, remember not to put any sharp or dangerous objects in the car table bag. There is also a risk of the contents toppling over should the car come to a sudden brake. As parents, we need to keep an eye out to ensure that our children have a fun time playing while staying safe.

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Now, for those of you who might interested in this creative product, here's a giveaway!

This giveaway is open to all readers residing in Singapore only. Winners can choose to self collect the prizes at Bukit Gombak Community Centre or have the bags delivered via Singpost registered mail costing S$4.90 (winners will have to pay for their own postage).

Those who are interested to purchase the table bag can send Minitry of Tots an email message (ministryoftots@gmail.com) or a private message on Facebook. Quote "Summer" to enjoy a $1 discount off the current price of S$25.

To participate in the giveaway, leave a comment in this post with your name, email address and tell me what you love most about the "Fun-on-the-Run" car table bag. Indicate in the Rafflecopter widget that you have commented and to increase your chances of winning, you can choose to carry out the rest of the options. Best of luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: We received two sets of "Fun-on-the-Run" Table BAgs for review purposes. All opinions are our own.