I could use some suggestions!

[tiggerstail]

We are flying from Seattle, which is something like 6 hours non stop with 19 mo DS. I would LOVE any suggestions what to bring on the plane for him to do. Nothing holds his attention very long, of course, but I have to bring something for him to do. Any suggestions for toys etc that worked for you?

 

[busymomma123]

I would also like to know this one. We are only flying for two hours, but we all really worried how DS19 months will do. The only thing he likes to do is run through the house screaming. Don't think that will work on the plane.

 

[mom_of_2_princesses]

You will have your hands full that's for sure. Maybe try safe dollar store items. Give only 1 at a time, so when they are bored you have another. Lots of snacks. A portable DVD player with favorite kid movies. A music cassette with kid songs. I have seen some really great ideas on this site. Keep looking and asking you will find some good suggestions. Good Luck!

 

[Ariel8676]

You could pick up some itmes from the Dollar store (maybe Disney related)..and wrap them, then you are keeping him entertained in 2 ways..what kid doesn't like getting presents and the paper will take up more time..lol.
Also pipe cleaners( you know the colored ones from a craft store) are always fun..they can bend them and make things and twist them all up.
Maybe bring a portable DVD player..if he watches t.v..maybe he has a favorite movie?
Maybe some paper and stickers and tell him he has to make Mickey a picture...
My girls love donosaurs..we have taken a ziploc bad with their small dinos and played with them on the tray...although the growling and roaring doens't always appeal to everyone else
Good Luck and have a great trip!

 

[3littleHalls]

Have you been asigned a seat yet? When we flew to Hawaii with our just turned 2yr old at the time we were lucky to get the first row of seats behind 1st class. They had the most room. I also highly reccomend a portable DVD player, Color Wonder stuff, stickers, a car seat(my kids always do better in their carseat flying), variety of snacks, fav books, travel magnadoodle, I tie a favorite blanket on the diaperbag so it won't take up inside bag room, and then I have my candy stash which is out of sheer despiration that they need to be bribed , I find handing one M & M mini at a time drags it out. Just don't give too much or you could have a sugar high Don't get too flustered about having an angel on the flight, it is hard for a toddler to go 6hrs without a a tantrum.

 

[KristinU]

Another vote for pipe cleaners! My DS hadn't really played with them until a recent flight. Of course I ended up wearing purple pipe cleaner glasses (DH's were green) but who cares - we had fun! Books with flaps are also always a big hit for my DS. Stickers are good too, so are flash cards. Oh, magnetic things too (we have a Cars book that has magnetic cars that stick to the pages). Lots and lots of snacks are also key for us, like 3LittleHalls said - one at a time is great, I do the trick of holding it in my hand and letting him pry my fingers off of whatever it is. I usually try to pull out stuff in order of excitement level (meaning I don't pull out the DVD player until everything else is exhausted...usually start with plain old crayons).

Good Luck!

 

[WDWorBUST]

Benadryl

Seriously when we have flown with DD at 13 months & 23 months we had several books - she did sleep some (and without benadryl) - and then just other miscellaneous toys. It was somewhat trying but she really did good. I think just be prepared with goodies and you'll be okay. Oh and the flight attendants were great with her. The first trip we all fell asleep and I woke up to find the flight attendant's sweater on DD - they also gave her pretzels in a plastic cup with a lid to use as a shaker. You will be okay

 

[trennr]

Take them to a window... have them look out and down...tell them if they don't behave the Captin will have to toss them out.

 

[Groovee]

We have a 9 hour flight from the UK.

I always pack a special rucksack with lots of new goodies. One year I had dinosaurs for ds another time small cars, books paper and crayons. I shop about and find stuff at cheaper prices and then use it for the bags. Not sure how I will pack for 9 hours but hoping the inflight movies may help the kids along. But for the usual 3 hours flights you find by the time they get settle meals and snacks are coming round.

 

[LuvOrlando]

We used Benedryl when my kids were little (now we use Sudafed) because it reduced the fluid in their ears and helped them stay more comfortable during the flight. Benedryl isn't labeled for kids under 2 so check with your pediatrician before giving it to an 18 month old.

As for keeping little ones busy, the portable DVD players are totally worth the money. We were stuck in 13 hours of traffic coming home from Cape Cod and both of my kids were soooooooooo good. All I had to do was rotate the videos and the kids were just fine. They've come down a lot in price and you can find them as low as $89 on Wal-mart.com.

 

[dzorn]

DVD player is a must for us. I also never let them have any of the toys until we got on the plane. Nothing hold interest like something new. Lift a flap books are great. Also the books that you add cheerios or M & M's to complete the picture.

Denise

 

[aj11099]

at busymomma123. That is SO my ds too. He likes to climb out of the windows of his little play house and pretty much anything else he can. Also running around the house screaming. I am in for such a treat. Originally, I planned our trip from Philly to Orlando with one stop, until I realized that just really wasn't going to be a good idea. Meeting my dh there in MCO. My 7 yo has a gameboy which the 2 yo is just starting to fiddle with. I tried getting him hooked on Disney dvds for the trip so he'll be used to the characters but today it is Blue's Clue's or LazyTown, so I am taping these to bring with for the dvd player...telling you, with these two on, he won't move an inch. But other than that, I am just praying really hard two hours flies by fast! Or I might try the tossing out of the window trick. All else fails, he LOVES to eat. We can play hide the snacks..............

 

[PA Princess]

I am sure the thought of a 6 hour flight with a 19 month old sounds daunting! I have a dd also 19 months, so I know I would probably feel much the same way. Plus, for her there is no way a DVD player would do any good...she just has no interest in TV really of any kind except for the most fleeting of moments (the occasional 30 seconds). She does however enjoy books...the same books over and over and over. I think that is the good and bad part of this age...it is often something simple that will occupy them, but oh my the repetition.

Not certain what your little guy's schedule is like, but it would be hard for me to have dd on a flight for 6 hours that did not in some way involve sleep that would occur during her normal schedule. The white noise of a plane is powerful and has always induced sleep in my babies, so hopefully your fella will nap a nice portion of the flight. Plus, with a 6 hour flight there must be a meal and probably even a snack in his normal schedule. See just with those normal daily events, you already have some time used up

As for seat bound activities, I think simple is key...a small blanket or towel for peek a boo type games (my dd loves these), dampened q tips in a zip lock bag for painting with those pre painted books (this really saved us on a flight when older daughter was 2), a small blow up ball beach ball (Southwest had the whole plane playing with large ones on our last flight to FL), and maybe even a small bottle of bubbles (gently blowing just one or two at a time for the child to catch).

Hope your flight is smooth and pain free for both you and ds!

 

[StephMK]

Aquadoodle is fun, silly putty, the package idea is good - use lots of tape & paper so it'll take that much longer! Fruit snacks were our big bribe on the trip. Kept DS happy & the chewing helped with his ears.

And if the worst happens, just know it's not the first or last time a kid acted up on a plane! It does get you off the flight pretty darn quick though!

 

[100 acre wood]

If you have one, bring a prtable dvd player and some discs....I know tv is not good so the experts say for children...however I doubt that any of the experts have ever flown with a toddler! Good luck!

 

[alloyd1170]

My son loved his dvd player on the plane, plus his Leapster video games (your child might be too young for that). The problem with the dvd player on a long nonstop flight is battery life. If you had a layover, you could charge it up inbetween flights. You could buy an extra battery. I believe some planes now also have seats where you can plug in too. The Disney Sing Along dvds would be a good way to get into the Disney mode too.

My son was one who could fall asleep as soon as we started moving. We ran him around the airport (no stroller-used that for our luggage) and just watching all the activity outside was enough to wear him out. As soon as we started taxi'ing, he was out for a couple hours.

Some other items we brought-small board books, travel size magnadoodle, some small trucks to play on the tray table, snacks and drinks for take off and landings (keep the ears clear). Avoid anything with lots of parts or you will be fishing them off the floor.

Best of luck to you! 6 hrs is a long time in a plane! Do get up and walk around if you can.

alison

 

[katytrott]

I am sure the thought of a 6 hour flight with a 19 month old sounds daunting! I have a dd also 19 months, so I know I would probably feel much the same way. Plus, for her there is no way a DVD player would do any good...she just has no interest in TV really of any kind except for the most fleeting of moments (the occasional 30 seconds). She does however enjoy books...the same books over and over and over. I think that is the good and bad part of this age...it is often something simple that will occupy them, but oh my the repetition.

Not certain what your little guy's schedule is like, but it would be hard for me to have dd on a flight for 6 hours that did not in some way involve sleep that would occur during her normal schedule. The white noise of a plane is powerful and has always induced sleep in my babies, so hopefully your fella will nap a nice portion of the flight. Plus, with a 6 hour flight there must be a meal and probably even a snack in his normal schedule. See just with those normal daily events, you already have some time used up

As for seat bound activities, I think simple is key...a small blanket or towel for peek a boo type games (my dd loves these), dampened q tips in a zip lock bag for painting with those pre painted books (this really saved us on a flight when older daughter was 2), a small blow up ball beach ball (Southwest had the whole plane playing with large ones on our last flight to FL), and maybe even a small bottle of bubbles (gently blowing just one or two at a time for the child to catch).

Hope your flight is smooth and pain free for both you and ds!

Your daughter sounds just like my son.
A couple of questions: Sounds daft, but how/where do toddlers sleep on planes? are they stretched out across the seats or is there anything for them (assuming there is no car seat which there wont be with me).
Second question: I plan to bring plenty of food as entertainment. Does anyone know what food, if any, I can't bring coming from the UK? My son eats alot of fruit you see, so will that be allowed (how about if it all gets eaten before plane lands?). What about dried fruit?

Thanks for your time.

 

[Groovee]

Your daughter sounds just like my son.
A couple of questions: Sounds daft, but how/where do toddlers sleep on planes? are they stretched out across the seats or is there anything for them (assuming there is no car seat which there wont be with me).
Second question: I plan to bring plenty of food as entertainment. Does anyone know what food, if any, I can't bring coming from the UK? My son eats alot of fruit you see, so will that be allowed (how about if it all gets eaten before plane lands?). What about dried fruit?

Thanks for your time.

You can take any food on the plane but you do need to hand all perishible food in to the cabin crew when they ask for it. That usually happens just before you land.

We booked a seat for our 15 month old when we went and took our own car seat and it sat strapped into her seat while she slept. FIL also took her for little walks which kept her amised.

 

[LuvOrlando]

The US Department of Agriculture has a segment for US residents called 'know before you go' and mentions lots of stuff including what we can & can't take back with us from foreign countries. I would venture to guess that what we can't take back visitors probably can't take in either.

Here is the link I found with a general list at the end, I hope it helps.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/clearing_goods/agri_prod_inus.xml

Have a great trip

 

[katytrott]

The US Department of Agriculture has a segment for US residents called 'know before you go' and mentions lots of stuff including what we can & can't take back with us from foreign countries. I would venture to guess that what we can't take back visitors probably can't take in either.

Here is the link I found with a general list at the end, I hope it helps.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/clearing_goods/agri_prod_inus.xml

Have a great trip

Thankyou ever so much. Very useful reading. I will probably be bringing a variety of fruit and veg on to the plane, but I guess I'll hand those in before leaving the plane, as Groovee sugested. The only problem I might have is with the tub of seeds we take everywhere. My son loves these and they are so healthy due to being only flavoured with herbs. I'm not sure if I can by these in America so I want to bring my own in case.