Airplane tips for a one-year-old???

[KingLlama]

Any tips for how to keep our one-year-old entertained/quiet for our two-hour flight to WDW next month? She's a pretty rambunctious little one. Hopefully, we'll be able to coax her into a nap, but if not, what are some things you've found successful?

 

[PrinceandPrincess]

Any tips for how to keep our one-year-old entertained/quiet for our two-hour flight to WDW next month? She's a pretty rambunctious little one. Hopefully, we'll be able to coax her into a nap, but if not, what are some things you've found successful?

this is the best toy ever. I am linking it, I am not sure if its a violation, if it is please remove the link and I am sorry.

http://www.officeplayground.com/Slinky-Pop-Toob-P190.aspx

It looks silly, but both of my kids loved them. Bend it in to a phone, pull it between you, they are amazing. It looks simple, but it will buy you at least 30 minutes of quite each time you pull it out. Other stuff is those beads that pop together, small animal finger puppets are fun too. Small board books are also great. My kids travel alot and both started young. You will find two hours will be over before you know it.

Kim

 

[Coffee Maker]

Wow that's a tough one. Hopefully the nap will work... but if not... maybe bring her favorite book, or stuff toy, or look out the window if you have the window seat. Definately one activity will not be enough, so you have to mix it up, and hopefully you and your daugther will have a stress-free flight.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Food! Bring baggies/little containers of small snacks (cheerios, Kix, goldfish...) Takes some time to eat.

I also got inexpensive packs of stickers (rolls of them in the teachers' dept at the dollar store). bring a notebook to stick them in (or the inflight magazine works too!)

Go with the attitude that at least one parent will likely have to provide entertainment (reading, drawing, ol' standby- making a puppet of the airsick bag....)

 

[Bitsmommy]

Benadryl, I am not endorsing that you drug your child, but I am saying that my son's Pediatrician and the ENT, recommended that we give him some before bed and about 30 minutes before the flight. We had a 9:00 am flight. He stated that usually small children will scream during a flight because their esutation (sp?) tubes aren't formed so that there is easy drainage and the fluid can build up and physically hurts them. The benadryl is supposed to prevent any fluid from being in there, thus, no pain.

We used a portable DVD player-2 hr battery life, books that he has never seen, stickers, food and a small magana doodle.
THINGS WE HAVE LEARNED NOT TO BRING... cars, crayons that aren't triangle or anything else that rolls. We picked a lot of stuff off the floor that first flight.

 

[Bren's Mom]

I would definitely bring a car seat, an infant carrier if your child still fits in it perferably. If you've purchased a seat, fantastic. You'll definitely be able to use it. If you didn't, you'll only be able to use it if there is space available but you'll have a much better chance at a nap that way. (Since most kids are used to their car seats, sleeping in them, and feel secure and comfortable in them.)

And beware of Benadryl. Some kids, including my son, get hyper on it. Right before a plane trip is NOT the time to try it out for the first time.

 

[browniemtb]

Lollipops.........still keeps my kids quite and helps clear the ears as well.

 

[PrinceandPrincess]

Benadryl, I am not endorsing that you drug your child, but I am saying that my son's Pediatrician and the ENT, recommended that we give him some before bed and about 30 minutes before the flight. We had a 9:00 am flight. He stated that usually small children will scream during a flight because their esutation (sp?) tubes aren't formed so that there is easy drainage and the fluid can build up and physically hurts them. The benadryl is supposed to prevent any fluid from being in there, thus, no pain.

We used a portable DVD player-2 hr battery life, books that he has never seen, stickers, food and a small magana doodle.
THINGS WE HAVE LEARNED NOT TO BRING... cars, crayons that aren't triangle or anything else that rolls. We picked a lot of stuff off the floor that first flight.

I would just caution people to talk with their doc before using the benadryl as one of my kids has the opposite reaction to it and it makes him very hyper. This is definately not a lesson I would have wanted to learn on a plane!

Kim

 

[Bitsmommy]

I would just caution people to talk with their doc before using the benadryl as one of my kids has the opposite reaction to it and it makes him very hyper. This is definately not a lesson I would have wanted to learn on a plane!

Kim

Like I said, it was recommended to us by both of my son's doctors. In addition, he had taken it several times prior to us using it for the flight. He wasn't hyper or drugged, but it did prevent in flight pain in his ears.

 

[KateMW]

If you're flying alone, make sure you buy her a seat and use a carseat. I flew with my DD at 9 months without my husband and if I hadn't had a seat for her, I would have lost my mind.

If she take a paci, make sure you give it to her on takeoff and landing. Food works great for kids who actually eat. 1.5 is a hard age for small toys and movies, because they really aren't into tv yet and they don't have the fine motor skills yet for small stickers. I bought my daughter this magnetic paper doll set when we flew to Canada last year and she loved it. These pieces are big enough for a 1.5 year old to work with if you help.

Good Luck. May I suggest YOU take something for anxiety? Can't dope her up, but nobody said anything about mama.

 

[Adrieske]

My plan is to take a Crystal Lite container and cut a slit in the top of it, and give her something to put into it, sort of like a piggy bank. I'm still working on what to put in it. I'm going to try and take play-doh if we can get it through security, a lift the flap book (with tons of flaps), and a bag of plastic animals. She loves lining them up!

 

[dunbarfamily]

With four kids and several trips over the last few years, we've traveled lots with one year olds. We like to bring snacks, and always a carseat for that age group, only because they are used to sitting in the carseat, but if I were to hold them, they'd wiggle all over. Also, be very creative with things around you. Use a board book to "hide" cherrios, the inflight magazine can become a tent for your head, etc. Also, don't be afraid to walk your child back and forth to the potty a few times, even though she/he isn't potty-trained. Its a good distraction. Good luck! You can do it and it will be so much fun on your trip!!

 

[matt and beth]

We wnet with the Benadryl as recommened to us and it totally backfired. He was ready to do cheetah flips up and down the aisle. Never again. Although we have friends who swear by it. I suggest a trial first.

 

[TinkerBrie]

Last year our daughter was 1 and a half. Definitely the car seat...I also picked up a lot of treats that she is not used to having that she would not choke on. Circus peanuts and smarties kept her busy for a long time. So did a dry erase board. I put these things away and pulled them out for the way home. We leave in 2 weeks so I am hoping these thing do the trick again!!!

 

[FoundMyPrince]

I could be wrong - and I'm sure you will all correct me - but I think the last hour of the flight no personal items are able to be out (must be stored away). Is this correct? I thought this was the "new rule" since the 12/25 fiasco. If that is the case, it might change the advice we give on what to do with children on flights.

 

[TinkerBrie]

Not sure, if it is domestic flights, but that would su@k!!!!!

 

[Bitsmommy]

I could be wrong - and I'm sure you will all correct me - but I think the last hour of the flight no personal items are able to be out (must be stored away). Is this correct? I thought this was the "new rule" since the 12/25 fiasco. If that is the case, it might change the advice we give on what to do with children on flights.

That will suck if that is the case!!! Hopefully, it will change before our next filght. Espically since our flight is only 1 hr and 55 min.

 

[maxiesmom]

We used a portable DVD player-2 hr battery life, books that he has never seen, stickers, food and a small magana doodle.
THINGS WE HAVE LEARNED NOT TO BRING... cars, crayons that aren't triangle or anything else that rolls. We picked a lot of stuff off the floor that first flight.

I don't think the DVD player would work for a 1yr old, as according the airlines, you need to use headphones with it.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I could be wrong - and I'm sure you will all correct me - but I think the last hour of the flight no personal items are able to be out (must be stored away). Is this correct? I thought this was the "new rule" since the 12/25 fiasco. If that is the case, it might change the advice we give on what to do with children on flights.

You are wrong. That was a temporary measure which has already been lifted, and even while in effect applied only to INTERNATIONAL flights heading to the USA. I gather this poster is not flying from outside the USA.

I also have a child who gets hyper on Benadryl. Not something to try without doing it at home first.

For ear pain for a one year old, I recommend a sippy cup with a valve that is hard to suck from filled with whatever drink you know your child loves and will "work" for. Buy this drink once you are through security of course.

Personally I preferred NOT to use a carseat when I had toddlers. A car seat puts there feet out far enough they can kick the seat in front of them and then you have to worry about trying to stop that on top of everything else. We found the novelty of sitting in a regular seat belt and the flight itself (watching the beverage cart comming down the aisle, opening and closing the window shade, etc) was a pretty big distraction in and of itself on our kids' first couple of flights as toddlers(both flew about 6-8 roundtrips a year).

I advise against preboarding. This just adds time to sit quiestly. Wait until the very end and board last. Also, while waiting at the gate play active games like ring around the rosie, simon says, head shoulders knees and toes, etc. Anything to get the wiggles out.

Otherwise, better than any specific toy is being "ON" during the flight. Pay full attention to your little one and play lots of fun finger plays, make the air sickenss bag into a puppet, etc.

For specific items to pack:
My kids liked post it notes on flights at that age. They would go through a whole pad in about half an hour by scribbling on a sheet, sticking it to the window or tray tables and then doing the next page.
We also got a lot of mileage out of cheerios and fruit loops in a container with pretzle sticks and licorice stings. The kids would "string" the cereal onto the pretzle and licorice and then eat their creations.
Another good thing (for about a half hour when mine were toddlers) is a roll of masking tape. They were fascinated by the stickyness and messed around for quite a while with the stuff--until it ran out (with Mom playing along and being equally fascinated of course--also watch to be sure they do not tape their hair!).

 

[NHdisneylover]

I thought of one more thing. If you do use the car seat (and maybe even if you do not) and have two adults travelling and are able to prebook your seat assginement consider putting one of you by the baby and the other directly in front of the baby (or, if he is a lap child one of you directly in front of the other). In this way you can not worry about the issue of the child kicking the seat in front as it will be your spous who can probably deal with it. Of course, try for bulkhead seats to make this problem disapear all together and give you more room--but they are rarely available these days without paying extra for better seating in some fashion (don't know if that is an option or not).