Every parent knows the scene. You are two hours into a six hour drive to Boise, the minivan is finally quiet, and you glance in the rearview mirror to see your five year old's head hanging at an angle that cannot possibly be comfortable. She sleeps anyway, because kids can sleep anywhere, but she wakes up cranky with a sore neck and the next hour is a negotiation about snacks and screens. I have done this drive more times than I can count, and the BCOZZY Kids Travel Pillow is the thing that changed it for us.
I will be honest: I did not expect a pillow to make much difference. Ivy had a collection of stuffed animals she used as pillows, and none of them kept her head from flopping forward. Then another mom from Caleb's football team told me about the BCOZZY pillow, and I bought one before our next long drive to Boise. It wraps around the neck with chin support in front, so her head stays put instead of rolling. Here are the ten reasons it has earned a permanent spot in our 2018 Honda Odyssey.
The pillow that keeps her head from flopping forward
The BCOZZY Kids Travel Pillow wraps around the neck with chin support in front, so a sleeping child's head stays upright instead of rolling forward. It is made for ages 3 to 7 and it has been Ivy's go-to on every drive since we got it.
Amazon Check Today's Price on Amazon →It stops the head flop that wakes kids up
The biggest reason kids wake up cranky on long drives is that their head falls forward and jerks them awake. The BCOZZY pillow has chin support in front, so when Ivy falls asleep her head rests against the pillow instead of hanging toward her chest. She stays asleep through the rough patches of road, and a kid who sleeps through the drive is a kid who does not wake up crying. On our last trip to Boise, she slept for almost three hours straight through the stretch past Ritzville, and she woke up asking if we were there yet instead of complaining about her neck.
It works in a car seat, not just on a plane
Most travel pillows are designed for airplane seats and slide around in a car seat. The BCOZZY wraps around the neck and stays put, which matters because Ivy still rides in a car seat in the back of our Odyssey. She wears it on the drive to Boise, on the way to Lake Coeur d'Alene, and on the shorter trips to Caleb's football games. I tried a U-shaped pillow first and it slid down onto her shoulders within ten minutes, which is why the wrap-around design won me over.
It keeps her head from rolling to the side
Without a pillow, Ivy's head would roll to the side and rest against the car seat window at an awkward angle. The wrap-around design gives her support on both sides, so her head stays centered. She wakes up without the sore neck that used to make the first hour of a trip miserable. Before we had the BCOZZY pillow, she would wake up with a red mark on her cheek from pressing against the seat belt strap, and that has not happened once since we started using it.
It makes the Orlando flight actually restful
On our flight to Orlando, Ivy wore the BCOZZY pillow and slept for about two hours of the flight with her chin resting on the front support and her head tipped toward the window. No flopping, no waking up startled, no crying. For a five year old who has never been great at sleeping in public places, that was a small win. The pillow folds up small enough to fit in the seat pocket when she is awake, which meant I did not have to hold it for the rest of the flight.
It is soft enough that she forgets she is wearing it
Ivy is particular about anything touching her neck. The BCOZZY pillow is soft and lightweight, and after the first few minutes she stops noticing it. That matters because a pillow that bothers a kid will end up on the floor of the minivan by mile ten. Ours has stayed around her neck for entire drives, including the full six hours to Boise, and she has never once asked to take it off.
It helps her sleep sitting up, which is how kids sleep in cars
Kids do not recline in a car seat the way adults do in a front seat. They sleep sitting up, and that is exactly when a head flops forward. The BCOZZY pillow supports the chin from the front, so Ivy can sleep sitting up without her head dropping. It is the difference between a nap that restores her and a nap that leaves her groggy. On the way home from Lake Coeur d'Alene last summer, she slept for an hour and a half sitting up and woke up ready to help unload the car.
It cuts down on the post-nap crankiness
When Ivy wakes up with a sore neck, the next hour is rough for everyone. She is uncomfortable, she does not know why, and she takes it out on her brother. With the BCOZZY pillow, she wakes up rested and in a better mood. That alone has made the drive to Boise more peaceful for all four of us. Dave noticed it before I did, and he is the one who asked me to order a second one for the car.
It is easy to clean after snacks and spills
Kids and car snacks go together, and so do crumbs and sticky fingers. The BCOZZY pillow has survived juice spills and cracker crumbs on more than one trip. Being able to wipe it down and have it ready for the next drive matters when you are packing for a weekend at the lake or a football game day. After Ivy spilled apple juice on it during a drive to a Seahawks game, I wiped it clean at the tailgate and it was ready for the ride home.
It is small enough to live in the minivan
The BCOZZY pillow is not a bulky thing that takes up half the back seat. It lives in the pocket behind my seat in our Odyssey, ready for any trip. Whether we are driving two hours to a football game or six hours to see my parents, it is already there. That is the kind of gear I actually use, because I do not have to remember to pack it. It has been in that pocket for about a year now, and I have never once had to go back inside the house to grab it.
It makes the whole family calmer on the road
A sleeping kid is a peaceful kid, and a peaceful kid makes for a peaceful minivan. When Ivy sleeps well on the drive, Dave and I can actually talk, Caleb can listen to his music, and we all arrive at my parents' house in Boise ready to enjoy the visit instead of recovering from the drive. That is worth more than any pillow feature. We have made that drive four times this year, and every single one has been calmer than the ones before we had the BCOZZY pillow.
What I'd Skip
I would skip the BCOZZY pillow if your child is older than about seven. Caleb is eleven and he is too old for it, so he uses a regular neck pillow on long drives. I would also skip it if your child will not tolerate anything around their neck. Some kids just will not wear it, and no pillow helps if it ends up on the floor. And if you only drive short distances, you probably do not need it. For families like ours, who regularly drive six hours to see grandparents, it earns its spot.
When Ivy sleeps well on the drive, we all arrive in Boise ready to enjoy the visit instead of recovering from the drive.
Give your kid a better nap on the next road trip
The BCOZZY Kids Travel Pillow is made for ages 3 to 7, wraps around the neck with chin support, and has been Ivy's go-to on every drive for the past year. If you have a little one who flops forward in the car, this is the pillow that fixes it.
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