anyone have any tips for plane travel with toddlers?

[debbiebones]

We'll be leaving on January 24th for our Jan. 25th cruise...travelling from Detroit to Orlando. We've only travelled once by plane with our 4 year old daughter (when she was 1). Now that we have a 4 year old and a fairly spirited almost 3 year old with us, I need all the tips I can get on keeping the things safe, convenient and happy during the flight.

Thanks for anything you can offer!

Deb

 

[we3luvdisney]

Strap them on the wings

Just kidding. When we travel with our DD, my DW buys games, crayons, coloring books, and other activities for the trip. Our DD does not know what she is getting, it's always a surprise. My DW places everything in a knapsack, but does not allow our DD to open it until we are in the air.

 

[SuperDisneyDad]

debbiebones,
Traveling from Detroit to Orlando, you're probably flying Northwest airlines??? If so, you can check-in online 24 hours before your flight, pick your seats, and print your boarding passes. I would HIGHLY suggest doing this . . . HUGE timesaver!! Also, when you do it, try to get the seats in the 1st row of the coach section (right behind 1st class). All Northwest airlines aircraft have a TON of space in the 1st row, so the kids can actually get out of their seats and sit on the floor (we put a blanket down so it's not dirty) and they can color, play with dolls, trucks, etc. It really helps a lot!!
If you're not traveling on Northwest, then I'm not sure about the aircraft configurations, but I assume it's pretty close to the same, except you can't check in online and pick your own seats, so you have to request them at the airport. we3luvdisney had some great ideas. We do these as well. Buy them new things to do and don't let them see them until you're on the flight. It seems to keep their attention longer than their old stuff.

 

[two4ruff]

Snacks.
Fruit snacks, animal crackers, juice boxes, pretzels...whatever they like and that may not be available on the flight (or available when you need it most!)

And if things do get "unhappy" during the flight, take a deep breathe and remember we all have been there!

Have fun!!

 

[kasar]

The last flight we were on we noticed people using their laptop computers to show DVD movies. They used headphones so there was no sound. I know that the Little Mermaid would have gotten us through most flights when my kids were little. There are also portable DVD players on the market if you wanted to spend the money.

Another great way to pass the time is to pack mini marshmallows and toothpicks. The kids can use them to build creations and also have a snack at the same time. This works great while waiting for meals to arrive also! Just toss the whole mess out when you're done!

Hope that helps!

 

[jlmcantwait]

Hey Deb,
Think of me on the 24th and I'll think of you! Every once in a while I can time the flight right and Matt will sleep thru most of it. We connect thru Newark so if he falls asleep on the first flight I know I am in for a rough one on the Newark-Orlando! It is hard because they get so bored with things so quick at this age. Matthew has been coloring with those crayola "magic" magic markers. You can get them at CVS they are in a packet with the markers and paper. I cannot believe how long this kid will color with these! I will bring 10 or so(make it 15) packets with us ! LOL-Laurie
Seya on the Magic! 1/25

 

[DreamsDoComeTrue]

Ditto many of the above replies. The surprise activity and DVD especially. I like to keep their seatbelts on as much as possible.
One novel idea that occupied my kids, were those headphones that are provided on the plane. They got board with changing "radio" stations so the headphones transformed into "secret message" gear instead. They handed the plug end to each other, and whispered messages thru the end. All I heard were giggles.

 

[gnuthca1]

We bring lots of little inexpensive gifts too--we figure we're paying enough for the flight that it's worth the $ to keep everyone happy! I also wrap almost everything with left-over holiday paper...it becomes an activity in itself.

We've had some very long flights with our two. I usually plan waaaay ahead of time and pick up lots of little things at garage sales every summer. Often the local thrift shop or Salvation Army will have whole boxes full of McD toys and figures. And there's always the $ Store for many cheap, *and losable* things.

-New or used small board books and softcovers (esp lift the flap books for toddlers)

-Dover sticker books

-bubble blowing solution (we blow it toward the window or aim it down so they're not floating all over our fellow passengers.)

-My DD loved stickers and we'd stock up on a ton and deocrate scrap paper or the tray (we'd buy the kind that could peel off and clean it up before getting off). DD also would be very happy with crayons and other drawing things.

-DS on the other hand is not much into that and so is more challenging...little containers of playdoh, little cars to roll around on tray, frequent walks!

-Our favorite on a looong flight to Alaska? Tape! Scotch tape for our 1 1/2 year DD had her mesmorized. We'd pull off a bunch and wad it into a ball and she's pull it on and off her fingers and stick it to stuff. Other suprises were post it notes, she'd draw on these w/crayons and then decorate the seat.

-Peel and cling pictures if you have a window.

-Headphones of favorite stories and music if your child will listen.

More random ideas:

-Lots of little favorite snacks to pull out as suprises in the small snack size ziplocks (fishy crackers, cheerios, teddy grahams)

-Dum dum lollipops for ears during take off and landing

A great site with a list of more things is: tp://travelwithkids.about.com/library/bllist.htm

Good luck...it's always an adventure traveling with toddlers!!!

Karen

 

[mcnuss]

...or if they do, are easily retireved. Nothing worse than wedging yourself in the teeny space between the seats to pick up Barbie's shoe!

Travel magna-doodle with the stylus on the string was our saving grace.

Also, I used the barf bags to make puppets. I always imagined the next person in my seat, who perhaps needed them for their intended purpose, feeling better when they saw those happy faces drawn on them!

 

[bemily]

Originally posted by kasar
Another great way to pass the time is to pack mini marshmallows and toothpicks. The kids can use them to build creations and also have a snack at the same time. This works great while waiting for meals to arrive also! Just toss the whole mess out when you're done!

Hope that helps!

Oooh! That marshmallow and toothpick idea is wonderful!!! Perfect for my ever-creating daughter! Thanks for that one!

 

[hydster]

with our very high energy 3 year old along with a 7 and 9 year old and some of the things mentioned were GREAT ideas. Other things we bought were

At Toys R Us we bought Magnetic boards that either had Paper Dolls or Construction Vehicles that they could stick and unstick. For my 3 yr old who is a boy I bought some new little matchbox cars that he could drive around the magnetic board track.

Magna Doodle was GREAT! We played make funny faces on it alot! We took our laptop with DVD movies and my kids watched about 20 min total on them. THey loved listening to the airplane radio.

We took a brand new Rescue Hero guy for him that he loved and he would reel in the hook and then shoot it for hours. We took some new books that I could read to him (HE LOVES Cat in the hat). Crayons and Coloring books, Paint with water and just got a water bottle from the stewardess kept him busy for quite awhile and wasnt too messy.

Also remember to bring something to help with their ears if they are susceptible to ear pain while flying as my 3 kids are. Bring some juice boxes that they can suck the straw while desending and some bubble gum. Cheese and crackers were a good deterent because it took him forever to spread the cheese on each cracker.

Buzz Lightyear was a huge hit as well...and we went to the Dollar store and bought some candy and other toys that he loved and he actually did ALOT better than I ever dreamed he would. Our flight we got a meal (over 4 hours) and that took up some time as well.

I cant think of anything else but I think just the experience will be fun for them and they will probably surprise you! Getting up and walking to the bathroom a few times helped as well. Also one thing we found out was to board LAST instead of first (if you arent carrying on luggage that is) because less time for the kids to have to sit and wait! Our kids hated boarding first just because the process is so long and keeping my 3 yr old occupied that much longer was terrible so we waited for the last and final boarding call instead of jumping on first!

I cant think of anything else but have a good time and like someone else said dont worry too much about it...the plane is so loud that only a few people can hear your children and they have either been there or will probably be there in their lifetime. Ignore the stares and glares and try to enjoy it!

Heidi

 

[Grimsby]

Ummm....a bottle or sippy cup with some juice and a touch of benadryl???


Grimsby

9 Days Until I Ring In the New Year on the Wonder!

 

[pigelet]

I have Pixter for DD6 and DS4. Works like a charm on long car rides and on the plane. Santa is bringing the latest software
Barbie, Dino Draw, Rescue Heros, Cool wheels?, and learning fun 2.
They can learn and keep themselves occupied. DH always sits across the aisle & I always have the two of them. You can not bring thing that will drop, you'll go CRAZY.

 

[AnnMorin]

Get the kids a cheap "walk man" with head phones and a bunch of books on tape. (you can even check them out of the library) Our son loved them when he was young!

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

I was listening to "The Savvy Traveler" (www.savvytraveler.org) on PRI this week, and they suggested bringing along Scotch tape. This provides lots of entertainment for a small toddler.

Here's a link to the story I heard. It has other useful info about traveling with small children:

www.savvytraveler.org/show/ta/2002/20021213b.shtml

 

[debbiebones]

Thanks everyone, for all the great tips! Dave, I love the scotch tape tip....my son has wanted to play with nothing else everytime I've brought it out to wrap Christmas gifts this week : )

Thanks again!

Deb

 

[reveric]

When my ds was 2 and my dd was 3 I found myself traveling from Buffalo to southern California pretty regularly to see my father in law who was terminally ill. Most of the trips I had to take alone with the kids since my dh was staying there with his dad as much as possible.

Here are some things that worked great for us...

Take their car seats on the plane and have them sit in them. Carrying the car seats through airports alone was a HUGE pain but it paid off on the plane. The kids relaxed and fell asleep much easier in their car seats then they did just sitting in the seats. For some reason they would sit strapped into their car seats for hours without getting antsy but if they were just sitting in the seat they wanted to get up and move around and couldn't relax.

Use a glue gun to glue crayons (or markers) to string and tie the strings together. Keeps the crayons from falling all over the floor and rolling away.

Get one of those paint with water books. Take a ziploc bag full of wet q-tips. My kids spent hours painting in those books with wet q-tips.

Sticker books. Ditto on the post-it notes and scotch tape...miracle workers. Cool looking bandaids have the same magical hold on my children as well. They will spend hours putting band aids on all parts of their bodies and mine.

Hope this helps!

 

[nuke]

We fly frequently with my son who is now 5. He has been on a plane at least 3 times a year since he was born.

We highly recommend the EarPlanes for the little one's ears. My son asks for them as soon as we get on the plane. He has had no discomfort since we started using them when he was two.

Now he just plays his gameboy but before we used snacks and little toys. A travel magnadoodle works great because the pen is attached to the screen with a string so it doesn't fall on the floor.

 

[Daynab]

My children are also prone to ear inferctions and ear pain. Our pediatician recommened some dimetapp cold and allergy. The only side effect was they slept through most of the flight. TOO BAD. Anyway I'm not into drugging your kids as I am a nurse, but if your children suffer from this as mine do, (my husband does as well, only the meds don't really work on him) the pain will make them miserable the whole flight and possibly into your vacation. So take the meds just in case.

 

[disneybets]

No matter how much they protest, make sure they are belted in during take off and landings. If they have a mild cold or a running nose that day, give them a decongestant. The stuffyness can damage their ears. Lots of drinks, to pop ears and to sooth grouchy behavior. Bring favorite toys and lots of diapers if they use them. If you have active kids, they won't be interested in their toys and may have to walk around until you can stand it anymore. Morning flights tend to be better for most kids. Their dispositions are better in the morning. Be patient and remember this to shall pass.