Air Travel with Young Children

[UBSHANG]

We will be flying to WDW with our 5 1/2 year old next week. Does anyone who has traveled with young children have any useful advice or suggestions about what to expect while flying, or at the airport. Are there certain activities that helped keep your child busy during the flight or at check-in, and any effective ways that helped reduce the ear discomfort experienced with changes in air pressure. I welcome your experiences. Thanks.

 

[SnowBound]

Wal-Mart sells 'Ear-Planes', (children's and adult sizes) that fit in your ear during the flight. Read all the instructions and don't place them in to tightly. They are wonderful and will reduce discomfort and congestion travelling to and from Orlando, especially if you are coming in from higher altitudes.
Carry a small backpack onboard with you with a variety of inexpensive new toys, games, matchbox cars, etc. whatever your child may find interesting. (The Dollar store is a great place. . .). Pull them out one by one as needed, and your time at the airport and flight will be wonderful.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

We got each of the kids an inexpensive headset then bought the Disney read along books on tapes. They traded off with one another which was great. They also picked their own activity books to do on the way. SWA also gave them an activity book with their own pair of wings. We always pack snacks too but SWA did a good job on filling them up.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

Forgot to add...the EARPLANES are highly recommended! I use them and my DD wears them also. She just slides the earphone a little forward or back and can still hear the story fine. Good luck!

 

[BevS97]

books on tape are a brilliant thing! My 7 year old has been listening to them since she was 4 1/2 - we managed a 7 hour trip with no movie with lots of books on tape.
Sticker books are also good. Other than that, I wouldn't carry too much, I find carting so much junk around gets really draining.
I wouldn't have thought a flight from Chicago (guessing here) would be that long for it to be a problem.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We flew with our 15-mo old and 3 (almost 4) yo at the end of Sept, it was their first time to fly (mine too, lol) and they really surprised me. Neither fussed or cried, 3-yo didn't say anything about his ears bothering him, and i asked him several times, he said "I told you, my ears don't hurt". We flew down at night, and they both slept the entire flight.

Good luck, and enjoy your trip!

Steph

 

[CherCrazy]

Ditto on the EarPlanes! Also helps to keep chewing gum on hand. Or mouth, whatever the case may be ha ha!!

 

[sconstantz]

My DS (7 now) won't wear earplanes. Not at 3, 4, 5, or 6. Just hates them. So, I always buy gum and give him a piece after we get settled in our seat. After we are in the air, I have him spit it out. then he can have another as we are buckling up to land. It is a treat for him, becauase I hate chewing gum. I hate to chew it, and i really hate to hear anyone chew it around me!!!

also, sport bottle top water, the kind with the top that you have to suck on, helps. IF he is having a rough time with the ears, I have him suck on it. then I will force myself to yawn in front of him (don't tell him what you are doing). You know the yawn reflex. even writing it makes me yawn.

And of course his favorite small animals. He loves to flip the food tray down and can play animals on the food tray for hours.

Shelly

 

[GRAYWIFE]

Our daughter (now 6 1/2) has been travelling with us since the age of 2. We have learned a lot of things we do to make things go smoothly and keep her occupied.

at the airport:
(1) after checking in we let our daughter select one item from the gift shop...just the time looking around the shops for that one item helps make the time move along.
(2) we always travel early in the day so we have breakfast at the airport.
(3) while waiting at the airport we give her the cell phone and she calls her grandparents and older sister to tell them we are getting ready to get on the plane. She usually chats for awhile, more time wasted!!
(4) we shove our coats into our luggage as soon as we get into the airport, one less thing to lug through security.
(5) my husband and I also put our watches, jewelry and loose change in a baggie in my purse. We do not put them on until we are waiting to board the plane. We usually get through security very quickly. Also, let one adult go through first, send the child and then the last adult.

on the plane:
(1) backpack gets opened. We do not let her open it until we get on the plane so she has fun looking at her goodies. The backpack includes a snack & drink, mini playdoh containers (we pack 5 of the 10 containers you get in a party pack...the other 5 are packed in her luggage for the return trip), plain paper, 8 pack of crayons, stickers, small deck of cards (Mickey cards, of course).
(2) Tootsie-pops for ear discomfort, we "race" her to see who can finish our lollipops first and it really helps to keep her ears from popping (and ours too!)
(3) we always give her the window seat and me & my husband change seats half way thru the trip (it lets one of us have a little break). She gets to watch the take off and landing and she just loves this.
(4) last Christmas we received the Disney Portable DVD Player that comes with 2 headphones. During a trip with my niece they watched the Lion King together on the trip to Orlando but really liked playing with the playdoh more. We are planning on taking the DVD player again this trip, just in case we get delayed.

Have fun!!!

 

[Nik's Mom]

Our pediatrician recommended giving Benadryl about 1/2 hr before take off to clear up the nose (to help prevent ear pressure).
Also, those portable DVD players or hand held video games are great. If you have a Game Boy SP, they sell mini movies to play on that game system.

 

[StormalongKay]

About two years ago we bought backpacks for our (then)3,4, & 6 year olds from a website called travel tots. They were a great product and we have used them on more airplane trips since. They are geared toward boy or girl, age range 3-5 or 5-8 (I think) and they had really neat stuff in them. Not just your ordinary coloring books but small windup fishing games, puzzles, magic ink games, etc. Well worth the money.

However, I don't know if they are still in business. The website used to be traveltots.com but when I put that in now I get a cruise retailer. Try them on yahoo if you get a chance.

 

[DISLOVE]

We just went to WDW with our 2 year old. The flight from NH to WDW was tough because we couldn't get her to stop kicking the seat in front of her. We did everything we could and it didn't work. We got to the airport super early for the return flight and were able to score the front seats. She couldn't reach the "wall" and if she could have, no one would have minded the kicking! We're going to try for those seats all the time!

 

[Grand Canyon]

We flew to Orlando from Phoenix with our two sons (age 5 and 2) right after 9/11 and expected major problems. Things we took along:
*laptop with several movies the kids enjoyed and headphones
*Puzzle book (only for the waiting time at the airport, not the plane)
*crayons and one coloring book each
*drinks - the sports bottle are best because of top, even if you fill them with something else
*unusual snacks they don't always get or are really fond of(poptarts, gummis, etc)
*gum, suckers
*a few toys (like the Dollar store idea) that they've never played with before
*favorite snuggly pillow or blanket

We also prefer starting the trip at night so the kids can fall asleep during the trip and be peaceful.
We had no problems before or during the flight. It was great.
Good luck.
Michele

 

[tjmw2727]

All the above ideas are great, I will add that my girls loved the stickers and blank sticker books so you can stick and remove. They also give out lots of stickers at WDW so you can add them on the ride home. A new coloring book and small box of crayons esp if there was a puzzle or two worked for a long time. My then 3yo once played with a roll of scotch tape an entire flight.

My girls also like water out of the sports type bottle, helps with the ears and water is the best to help with the dehydration often occuring in flight. I agree with packing a few things and some snacks but try to keep it light. My dd at 5 loved polly pocket and they have some cute travel size stuff of her now.

For a seat kicker try removing the shoes it dosen't stop the kicking but it helps some. If you know you have a kicker and you have 4 or more in the party sit 2 and 2 with a family member in front of a kicker. (Or get the bulkhead if you can!)

One note on playdough - it is very messy and awful to smell IMHO, I get a headache from it. May I suggest the model magic instead lots better than playdough!! It comes in small pastic bags, its easier to work with, it is much less messy and has no odor.

TJ

 

[NotUrsula]

As a parent who has flown innumerable times w/ small children, I second the recommendation to avoid real Playdoh. Real brand-name Playdoh is evil on an aircraft; the smell is strong, and it crumbles easily and leaves little crumbs all over the place. Please have consideration for the next person who will sit in that seat, it might be a business traveler who could ruin an expensive suit if he/she sits on oily Playdoh residue. Please use oil-free alternative brands, such as Crayola model magic.

If you have a kicker, remove his shoes and ask the FA for a pillow (or bundle up a coat or blanket of your own), then put the pillow in the seatback pocket in front of the child; it will blunt the force of any kicks the little rascal manages before you can impress upon him that he cannot do that.

 

[Familyofsix]

Just a couple of things that has made our trips easier with our kids that age on domestic and trans-atlantic flights.

1.Try to get bulkhead seating. That way nobody in front of you and more leg room.

2.Find out if fight will have meal service.If they do request in advance the kids meals. They really make a difference.

3.Portable cd player with favorite music or portable dvd player with headphones.

4.Favorite quiet time activities that you use at home will work everywhere.

5.RELAX!!!! You are on vacation.

 

[mommyrom]

Some suggestions we have had luck with are:

1. LeapPad with earphones works for awhile;
2. Sticker books (reuseable) with LOTS of Disney stickers;
3. Fly early in day so you need to be up before normal awakening time, then maybe kiddos will snooze on plane?;
4. We fly non-stop first thing in a.m. and that seems to work out so we are only on and off plane once;
5. SNACKS! SNACKS! SNACKS!, especially with sport-type bottles of water so older tikes (mine are 6 and 3) have to work to ge tthe drink out at takeoff;
6. Small etch-a-sketch and/or magnadoodles;
7. Ask for extra ice for little ones. When my DD was 2, she enjoyed sucking on small ice cubes and even exploring with them in the cup or on the pulldown tray (Yes, we watched her carefully as she tried to eat them!).

And, last but not least, PATIENCE, PATIENCE and MORE PATIENCE! Afterall, you're on your way to the Happiest PLace on Earth!

Good luck!!!

 

[Deesknee]

sorry if someone else suggested these already, I admit I just glanced at the other posts.

1. peditrician suggested Dimetapp startin 2 days before flight.

2. each child has their own "suitcase" a back pack age appropriate.

3.we always wrap a "surprise" toy (usually something to do with disney) we place this in their personal back packs.

4. make a dry run day at which time we drive into our airport to get the kids familiar with the sights and sounds. This helped emensly(sp?) the first few trips as they were still pretty young. Our local airline has a play area at the Delta departure area (or used to anyway) this helped also.

Most of these ideas I heard from others.
I wish however they had warned me of the simple things like rotating doors. In all the chaos I put my sweet DD through one by herself....I don't know where my mind was. Poor kid got scared out of her wits. DH had 1 boy and the carry ons I had 1 boy and DD. To this day I havent forgiven myself. DD certainly has though, she teases me and laughs about it. I'm sure the security guard thought I was the worse mother on earth. And at the time I felt it. I simply forgot she was only 3 1/2 and that there was an automatic door, I didn't have to use the rotary door.

So, drug the children, pack surprises and avoid rotating doors. LOL

Good luck

 

[LauraAnn630]

Our 2 yr old cried, screamed, kicked and disrupted the whole plane for 2 hours and 10 minutes! We were so shocked! We just kept say , We are so sorry!" We had a bottle, snacks, toys and a blanket. Thank God I bought him his own seat and carseat! Needless to say he didnt like it a bit.
On the way home we gave him sudafed and he feel asleep. Yes! We drugged him. Then we were delayed on the runway. I kept thinking they better take off before the wild child gets up! He slept till we landed.