Entertaining 19 month old in plane

[la79al]

The DVD player will not be going along this trip so I need other ideas of how to entertain DD on the plane. I am really thinking that she will be sleeping most of the trip (courtesy of 2 hours of RUNNING around the airport) but of course I want to be prepared for the worst. I already have a book, one new small toy and some window clings, in addition to snacks and a new sippy cup. Suggestions?

 

[mom-2greatkids]

When DD and DS were little my favorite airplane toy was pipecleaners. I bought a bag of different colored ones and each time we flew they spent at least an hour playing with them. DD in particular loved making pipecleaner creations.

Have a great vacation!

 

[skhermsmeyer]

The older my DS got, the less he slept on the plane. He liked to color (get the washable crayons) and then let DD choose a coloring book. We also used the little cans of playdoh that are sold in party packs at Target or Walmart. I would only take 1 or 2 cans and DS would entertain himself for 30 min. Also, get some stickers and let DD put them in the coloring book.

DS is now 23 months and this still entertains him.

Good luck!

 

[AinsMom]

The little color-form travel packs have been a big hit with my DDs on flights. We have several of them. I also go to the dollar store and stock up on some new coloring books, crayons, stickers and little toys. I probably buy too much, but I worry about them being bored and annoying other passengers. They also have some snacks and a cups for juice.

 

[cmusschoot]

I always bring lunch on the plane (depends on your flight time). Keeps the kids busy and prevents them from eating too much junk inbetween meals.

I also love the window cling ideas...

My kids also like things with lids with suprises inside. I bring the greber plastic baby food containers (the ones with lids) filled with stuff...beaded necklaces, pennies...etc. that entertains them for a while.

Self inking stamps and washable markers.

Have a great trip!

 

[kaismahma]

It may sound kind of weird but Scotch tape. They can stick it to themselves make balls of tape etc. DD kept herself busy with pieces of it for almost a 2 hour flight. (My hair dresser told me this tip years ago and it did work.)

 

[macrosswife]

When I was shopping for some travel "happys" for a friend's daughter, I found some bulky hard plastic vehicles shaped like a butterfly, ladybug, etc.
I read on here somewhere to place shelf liner on the tray table to keep the cars from rolling off.

My DS loved to play with bath toys. Since they're plastic and fairly bulky, they were easy to retrieve if (when!! ) they fell on the ground.

I have also had great luck with buying a notebook and stickers and letting DS pull off the stickers (or me pull off the stickers and hand them to him) to stick them in the notebook.
Michael's store has an aisle now of $1-$3-$5 products, and one of the bins is chipboard "books" on a binder ring. You could also get a cheap $1 photo album to put them in.
I watched for sales on stickers at Michael's and Hobby Lobby, and checked the $1 store, too.
I had grand dreams of putting together an ABC book using a small photo album and creating an index card for each letter with the upper and lower case letter, then adding Disney clip art, environmental print (Target logo, McDonalds logo, etc.), and stickers. It was a great dream!

I also packed separate things for the flight home in our checked baggage.

Hope that helps!!
Have a great trip!
~Kimber

 

[Neesy228]

Along the lines of Scotch tape, but less painful -- the post-it note strips, they call them flags....I buy a package of 4 and take it with us on the plane. MY DD and DS's still get a kick out of pulling them off and sticking them anywhere (favorite places so far include anywhere on my face!). It will entertain them for a while and they're easy to remove and clean up.

Don't forget the all important snack bags! I bring crackers, fruit snacks and usually a couple good sugary treats for reinforcements if things get really bad - like little lollipops or mini candy bars.

 

[macrosswife]

Along the lines of Scotch tape, but less painful -- the post-it note strips, they call them flags....I buy a package of 4 and take it with us on the plane. MY DD and DS's still get a kick out of pulling them off and sticking them anywhere (favorite places so far include anywhere on my face!). It will entertain them for a while and they're easy to remove and clean up.

Oh! Totally forgot about these!!!!
DS loved the "pop-up" ones. The "normal" ones not so much. (Until he got older and could use them to make roads for his Matchbox cars! )

Sounds strange, but he also loved to sit there with a Kleenex box and pull out one tissue after the other. Then he would take the empty box and put other stuff in it. My DH thought it was crazy, but it was the best money I ever spent!! It would keep him occupied for HOURS!!

~Kimber

 

[olivia's mommy]

These are such great ideas! My DD was 18 mths last year and she slept the whole time except maybe 30 minutes (3.5 hour flight). When she was awake, we kept her busy with snacks, colouring, and the inflight tv screens (with each seat). This year, she will definitely sleep less so we are bringing lots of toys, stickers, maybe some playdoh, books, and along the same lines as tape/post it notes, she is big into bandaids...put them on, taking them off, putting them on her doll...they have Disney, Dora, Curious george so we'll be bring a few boxes of those.

Good luck!

 

[2binak]

We bought a Doodle Pad mini at Target and our 18-month old DD loves it!!! We plan to bring that on the plane with us. She also loves to color so we'll bring a few crayons and a coloring book. DD also loves to pull wipes from the container and put them back in so we'll bring one of those small plastic travel containers and let her play with a few wipes.

I'm not sure about Playdoh - it could make quite a mess on a plane. I can't help but think that it will get stuck into the carpet and seat fabric.

 

[KEMdisney]

Last year when traveling with my four nieces, under the age of 3 -we used stickers! Kept them occupied for atleast an hour!! Id put the stickers on their legs and theyd take them off and put them on my arms, etc. They got a kick out of it! Sounds weird but it worked

 

[ccgirl]

I had the grand idea of play doh too. But...the TSA at PVD took it away. Apparently, it looked like "bomb building material". Just wanted to mention that since my DD cried her eyes out when they threw her play doh away right in front of her. You might want to steer clear of that. Not a great way to start the vacation.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

I vote for a mini magna-doodle or have you considered bendaroos? They are wax-covered string that you can make stuff out of. What about a sticker book or two? (Little ones)

Have you hit up any of the local dollar stores to see if there are any little Disney toys you can play with on the flight?

 

[Dusted]

My little guy 18 mo is not yet stickering...although maybe that would be a good time to try...

I have his magna doodle packed. Snacks. Other than that, I'm searching this thread and the stores looking for just the right thing...

He doesn't sit still very well, so I'll be pretty beat up by the time we hit Orlando unless I come up with some winners, Quick!!!

 

[la79al]

I have added a travel magna doodle to the bag. I also got the color wonder marker set with the Disney princess book and added that. DD loves the Nemo one she has now and I figure she can share the princess one with my sister . I added a small container of playdoh but that is a last resort and if they confiscate it, who cares. I am hesitant on the pipe cleaners because I see DD getting scratched with the ends but I am considering wicky sticks (same as bendaroos). I want to wait til closer to our trip to see if DD is still sticking everything in her mouth and see what she is playing with at that point. As of right now, a lollipop and an empty cup with a straw would keep her entertained the whole flight .

 

[nytimez]

This is going to sound insane... but the take-out snack counters in some airports have little trays of edamame (Japanese soybeans) still in the pods. You can usually find these at any counter that has some pre-packages sushi or whatever. I can't tell you how much mileage I got out of popping each one out of the pod for eating at that age. First me doing it for her, then she wanted to do it on her own. No exaggeration, I think I got 60-90 minutes out of it.

 

[monorailsilver]

The DVD player will not be going along this trip so I need other ideas of how to entertain DD on the plane. I am really thinking that she will be sleeping most of the trip (courtesy of 2 hours of RUNNING around the airport) but of course I want to be prepared for the worst. I already have a book, one new small toy and some window clings, in addition to snacks and a new sippy cup. Suggestions?

I am laughing as I read the above.

When my oldest was 15 mo we did a mid day flight for her nap time. She never slept. She fell asleep on ME on the way to the Poly.

I tried it again when my next kid was 22 months. He did not nap on the plane nor did he nap on ME (well maybe the last 10 min). He was not crabby which was surprisingly (he is almost 6 & can sleep from 10 to 6 & be a happy boy).

So when we flew last year our youngest was 2 1/2 & I just picked an early am flight since I knew the naps were not going to happen.

The movies never really entertained my youngest kid flying. It did for my then 4 yo in 2005 & the Jet Blue TV my older 2 loved last year (they were 7 & almost 5). My 3 yo had no interest in it even though Dora was on.

Since my husband has been able to sit back & relax on the flights I am the one working the youngest kid to keep that kid quiet. Lucky me!

I have fed my kids lolllipops (ring pops last a long time). Then I have switched to gummy candy but I break them in half or quarters so they last longer & the kid isn't getting as much candy (but what do I care as long as they are quiet).

I have tried the scratch color books & the magic ink books & they don't work for my kids.

We also looked at magazines & had a snack, a real one, not candy.

I am sooo looking forward to my next flight in 3 years as my kids will be 11, almost 9 & 6. They can listen to their Ipods, watch a movie, read a book, play their nintendos, etc... And I can sit & do nothing to entertain them, well maybe play cards.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

Crayons, Crayons, Crayons! They kept our then-22 month old DD quiet for almost the whole flight. I highly recommend the washables.