Give me your tricks/tips for flying with a toddler...

[two-foxes]

Great tips! My DH and I plan to take DD who till be 2 in Sept down to Disney for her 2nd birthday. We plan to leave 2 days before her birthday. We are taking her car seat (Britax MA) and she will have her own seat. We plan to have myself board when our seats are up for boarding and I will take the carry on bags and car seat and get the seat installed and everything ready and then DH will board with DD at the very last moment with the stroller which we plan to gate check (Maclarent Quest).

Some things I plan to do is install the car seat rear facing like she is in the car so she is comfortable. (I have heard about some flight attentends fighting this but the seat is certified by the FAA to be used in a plane as it would be in a car and if she meets the rear facing requirements in a car then she does in a plane.) We also plan to get her a portable DVD player with her fav movie and a new movie, coloring books, her sippy cup (will buy apple juice after sercurity), snacks, her flash cards and books that she loves, as well as a few other things that she will get into by that age that she isn't now. Oh and her favorite stuffed animal and blanket so that she has her lovey with her.

When DS was still rear facing, we didn't get any flack from the attendants about rear facing, it was the snotty passengers in front of DS seat who was mad...they can't recline their seat, so be ready for that. But you deal with the LO kicking the back of the seat when Front facing, so, it may be a no win situation(we just take DSs shoes off now). Also, we have flown with our Britax a few times and then decided to buy an inexpensive Cosco Scenera at Target (on sale for $40) for travel. (The safety reviews aren't horrible, either...not a Britax though) It is light and ohhhhh so easy to travel with. Your back or DHs back may thank you after lugging it through the airport!

 

[ashlansmom]

OK, I didn't have time to read all the posts, but hopefully something I have for you is helpful.

We flew with our daughter last year when she was about 17 months and I did the following:

The pediatrician recommended bringing a paci or bottle/sippy for her to use during take off and landing, the sucking motion helps the ears to keep popping/clearing. She had NO ISSUES with her ears which was great! I really prepped her before we went about flying on the airplane and explained to her how neat it would be and how it takes off really fast and how it lands. When we were on the airplane I talked her through take off and landing making it sound really exciting... it worked, she loved it and was not scared at all. Not sure if that will help at 12 months... but she wasn't THAT much older... if you don't seem scared and sound excited, I think they go from your attitude.

You ARE flying to Orlando... not a better flight to have kids on, of every age... you will not be the only one with a baby and that makes it way less stressful for you! We flew to Hilton Head once and there were no other crying babies except ours and it was awful. I was so relieved flying to Orlando, SOOO many young ones, everyone was in the same boat!

I did bring her milk in sippy's through the security. You just have to declare it. I believe I also brought yogurt for her and some food. As long as you declare it at security as for your toddler, they seem fine with it. I would have it prepacked in the bottles or sippy's though. I had an ice pack with mine in the soft cooler and they were ok with that as well. Just FYI, on the way home I was able to buy whole milk in the airport at the coffee shop, I asked them if I could buy a cup of their whole milk and they didn't think twice about it. I must not have been the first!

Of course water you can just get at the gate. Bring lots of snacks, when in doubt... feed them! Better to have too many snacks than too few. Our daughter has food allergies so it was imperative to bring things we knew she could eat.

My advice on entertainment is books, coloring books -(those color wonder books with the markers are great because they only show up on the book), stickers and paper to stick them on, smallish toys that don't make noise that your child likes. 2 hours won't be that long for your little one with 4 adults to see - bring the child's lovey's or blanket. Wear layers on him/her so that you can add or take away with the temps... I think airplanes are cold! Might want to buy a few new things, books or little toys so there is something new that the child hasn't seen before- sometimes the novelty of something new can't be beat in distraction! Good luck and don't worry, I swear if I have to fly again with a little one, Orlando it is!

 

[Syrreal]

We've flown several times with DS at diff ages.
I can't agree more with the people who are suggesting bringing the car seat on board. Before he was about 18 months old, we had only taken him on 2 flights then, we held him and then were able to bring his carseat onto a flight that wasn't full. What an ease that was! After that we vowed to buy him a seat. He already knew from riding in the car that he wasn't getting out of his seat. It made the flight so much more enjoyable!

We also bring snacks and games/toys but most of the time he just wants to play with mom or dad.

I haven't taken milk through security since he was on formula. Whether or not you end up being able to get it through depends so much on the current mood of some random TSA person that I don't feel like dealing with it. I'm too busy trying to get our shoes off, through, and on again. I just take sippies and then buy a bottle of milk at one of the stands.

ETA- we take our Britax on the plane, yeah, it's big but he's used to it. I just have a roller bag for it so that it's easy to get through the airport.

 

[PatricenPete]

My tip? LOLLIPOPS!!!!! We have flown with our kids since DS was 7 months and I always bring lollipops. They are perfect for sucking and since my kids don't normally get lollipops, they are a great treat. Sometimes they go through 6 or 7 in a 2-3 hour flight, but in the end, I don't care as long as they keep them quiet and happy!!!!!!!!

Our older kids are now 4 and 2 and will be almost 5 and 3 when we next fly so we bring them movies, games, snacks, juices. Be careful with certain sippy cups - the normal spill proof sippy cups are anything but spillproof once you get them on a plane. Something about the pressure makes them leak everywhere. Now we just bring empty take and toss cups and have the flight attendants give us juice once we are in the air.

We are flying in September and out youngest DS will be 7 months. Wish us luck - 3 kids under age 5!!!!!