So you're going on a trip with your kids. Generally, for those with children too young to entertain themselves for the duration of a flight or too young to be fully entertained by apps on an iPad or a movie, flights that last for more than an hour or 90-minutes can feel daunting. And that feeling is very real.
There are some things you can do, though, to keep little hands busy and to lessen some of the stresses of air travel. I confess upfront that there is not one trick to make the trip a success, just a need for a large back of many tricks.
Traveling with an infant:
While the process may feel overwhelming, a child who does not yet have a will to move makes for a great travel companion. Baby carrier, Sophie the giraffe, bottles, pacifiers, diapers, burp cloths, change of clothes for you and baby, etc. And remember to dress your child for easy diaper changes. Onesies with a lot of snaps tend to be more cumbersome vs. something you can quickly peel on and off!
There are a lot of great tips to be found in the Parents article about How to Fly with Baby.
There are a lot of great tips to be found in the Parents article about How to Fly with Baby.
Traveling with a toddler:
First off, DO NOT go to the airport without a stroller. You may think you don't want to deal with it while going through security or gate checking the item, but trust me, you will regret not having a stroller if your kids are over the age where you can tuck them into a Baby Bjorn, Ergo Carrier or the like. Even if your kid(s) prefer to walk around the airport, you can use the stroller as your mule to carry bags. You never know if a flight will be delayed or if your kid will be better served chilling out in a stroller with a toy or book vs. the sensory overload of an airport.
Now the car seat, I get it if you prefer to rent one on the other end. The only caveat to that would be if you child isn't a good sleeper and you rely on car naps, in which case it might be worth taking your own to ensure some zzzzs if you have a long drive after your flight. As for car seats on planes, only with an infant have I seen someone use a car seat and it requires that you purchase a ticket for your little companion who otherwise flies free if on your lap (most airlines only charge a nominal fee of $50 (if anything) for a child under the age of two who sits in the lap of a ticketed adult). And some airlines will not charge you for checking a car seat, so it's less of a big deal to bring along.
Arm yourself with more treats and snacks than your child would accumulate from trick-or-treating or would consume at a birthday party. I'm not kidding. All parenting bribes or shortcuts are forgiven when it comes to travel, or so I believe.
On a long flight, we play "Trick-or-Treat" whereby a child - if old enough - is given an empty bag and asks us for treats. The excitement over having a treat dropped into a bag is shocking. The game usually lasts until a variety of food is doled out. Items may include mini bags of pretzels, popcorn or Goldfish, a Ring Pop (because they usually last a long time), mini M&Ms, Starburst, raisins, granola bars and cookies. The goodwill this game earns you is worth the pre-planning. And if you have a really long flight and your kid responds well to this game AND you have nice people sitting next to you on your flight, you can recruit their participation by asking if they are willing to play the game. The more the merrier when coupled with a promise that you won't then bother them again for the remainder of the flight. And your child will likely then sit back for a few minutes, rummage through the "loot" and show you everything. Next comes the contemplation of what to eat first. As your gets a sugar high, you have a few moments to breath deeply before phase II of air travel with toddler. Of note, remember to keep a stash of treats for the return flight.
If a child requires entertainment, they must tote their own backpack and all of their stuff goes in said bag. This prevents the back and forth between kids over who has what. Not a fun game in confined space.
The backpack contains two or three favorite items from home like cars my son loves to play with or a favorite book. Then comes the good stuff. I pack a plastic pencil box with a small pad of colored paper, pens (which he never is allowed to write with at home), washable markers and boat loads of stickers. Looking at the stickers and the time it takes for little fingers to unpeel them usually makes the arts and crafts box a hit for both kid and parent. For my daughter who is only one, a small pad of sticky notes that she can put all over the seat in front of her is usually a hit, and easy for us to quickly remove and re-use and clean-up.
Once the sugar high dulls and the stickers are no longer enough to hold my child's attention, that's when I go for gold with brand new small toys that are wrapped. The trend - from snacks that he has to unwrap to toys he must unwrap is that it takes a bit longer to get to the item. The stalling tactic just adds a few extra seconds of peaceful time mid-flight. Some of the toys I have given on flights include packages of legos (small Duplo kits or Lego Juniors), Sqwishland toy tubes (once opened, you can play with the sqwishies as they are or enter a gaming code on the company website and play a Sqwishland game online), a Disney Surprise Egg (the link is to a BuzzFeed video of adults even loving these eggs, so just imagine the excitement of a child unwrapping a chocolate covered plastic egg that has a small toy inside). I've also had a lot of success during the Thomas train loving years with their Thomas Take-n-Play toys. The track worked well for us because it fit perfectly on the tray table on the flight and it came with a train, so it was an all-in-one toy that when folded as designed, fit easily inside one of our carry-ons.
When it comes to books, with the younger traveler, you can't go wrong with lift-the-flap books such as Elmo's Big Lift and Look book or Dear Zoo.
And lastly, there are the back-up essentials. An extra set of clothes for each child. A diaper, even for the potty-trained toddler as you never know how long the line for the bathroom will be when mid-flight. Some children's Pepto because in the same vain as the bathroom line, wouldn't it suck to be mid-flight with a tummy issue suffering toddler? And Band-Aids. Always Band-Aids. Because for some reason, kids love them.
Would love to know what items you won't travel without, so please so share!
Good luck with your next trip and happy and safe travels!
Once the sugar high dulls and the stickers are no longer enough to hold my child's attention, that's when I go for gold with brand new small toys that are wrapped. The trend - from snacks that he has to unwrap to toys he must unwrap is that it takes a bit longer to get to the item. The stalling tactic just adds a few extra seconds of peaceful time mid-flight. Some of the toys I have given on flights include packages of legos (small Duplo kits or Lego Juniors), Sqwishland toy tubes (once opened, you can play with the sqwishies as they are or enter a gaming code on the company website and play a Sqwishland game online), a Disney Surprise Egg (the link is to a BuzzFeed video of adults even loving these eggs, so just imagine the excitement of a child unwrapping a chocolate covered plastic egg that has a small toy inside). I've also had a lot of success during the Thomas train loving years with their Thomas Take-n-Play toys. The track worked well for us because it fit perfectly on the tray table on the flight and it came with a train, so it was an all-in-one toy that when folded as designed, fit easily inside one of our carry-ons.
When it comes to books, with the younger traveler, you can't go wrong with lift-the-flap books such as Elmo's Big Lift and Look book or Dear Zoo.
And lastly, there are the back-up essentials. An extra set of clothes for each child. A diaper, even for the potty-trained toddler as you never know how long the line for the bathroom will be when mid-flight. Some children's Pepto because in the same vain as the bathroom line, wouldn't it suck to be mid-flight with a tummy issue suffering toddler? And Band-Aids. Always Band-Aids. Because for some reason, kids love them.
Would love to know what items you won't travel without, so please so share!
Good luck with your next trip and happy and safe travels!
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