Long flights with toddlers

[Claudia1]

What do you do to keep toddlers happy on long flights?

 

[vicnmickey]

But when we use to fly when they were toddlers. I brought along lots of snacks, they always loved cheerios. I also brought little gifts. I would wrap each little thing up and put it in our carry on. I am not sure if you can do this anymore with security. But when they would start getting a little antsy, I would give them the next new thing to open. I never made it thru all the little things I brought, because they were to busy playing with the paper
Then the left over gifts I could give to them when we got to our destination, for being so good hehe. I wish my kids were that simple now Teenagers!!!!
Have a great trip

 

[alloyd1170]

Portable dvd player with headphones! What a life saver. How did my parents travel without one! My 2 yr old will sometimes fall asleep right after takeoff. He doesnt like to be confined to a seat for long either. Snacks, small toys, books, and dvds are what we take.

alison

 

[LoveThatDarnMouse]

My doctor has in the past recommended a small dose of benadryl or a little dose of cold medicine. I've never had to do this but was wondering if anyone else would do this? I feel so guilty about the whole thing but I really don't want him to disrupt the entire flight of passengers.

I know it would work because I've seen his reaction to cold medicine in the past, he goes right off.

 

[TinkBoo&ElliesMum]

Check with your airline about movies on board.

Other then that, snacks, small toys, books, and any special lovey they have (for our DD it's her binky - girl needs a 12 step program)

We recently did a 9+ hour non-stop flight with our kids (7 & 2) I brought along a bunch of new little toys, which kept them busy awhile. DD wanted to "read" anything she could get her hands on, so next time I'll be bringing kids magazines for her.

I've never had to medicate the kids for a flight, as long as they have food and stuff to play around with they're happy. DD also became rather fond of DS' gameboy advance.

 

[Annette_VA]

Originally posted by LoveThatDarnMouse
My doctor has in the past recommended a small dose of benadryl or a little dose of cold medicine.

I'll admit it - I did it!

We went to DLR when 1st DS was 11 months. Flight out (VA to CA!)was horrific. DS cried & was just miserable the whole time. I felt so badly for him and the other passebgers. While we were in CA, another mom clued me in to Benadryl. I called my ped & got the proper dosage. DS slept the whole way home. Even got comments from passengers on what a good baby he'd been. Much better than those nasty looks I got on the flight out!

 

[memymomonica]

Snacks that are fun. String together fruit loops and cheerios to make an edible necklace. A portable cd player or walkman for music and books on tape. Coloring books and Paint With Water books. Then have ziploc bags for the paintings after they are done. You can put them in there until they can dry. In our airport gift shop and some toy stores, they have a magnetic play kits. They have dress up dolls, doll house, animals, etc. Colorforms are also fun. Just don't stress about losing pieces. Viewmasters are cool too. Magna Doodle, take turns drawing a picture and guessing what it is. Practice the alphabet or the child's name. By a Disney magazine or guide book. You can look through it and talk about all the things you are going to do or try. Let your child have their own bag. We bought dd a small duffle bag with wheels. She has always felt "grown-up" having her own bag that is all hers. Have them help pack the bag, but not play with anything in it. Have a few surprises in there too.

We have and never will do the DVD thing. We like to go back to old favorites. My daughter is 6 and just learned that some people have DVD's in their cars. We travel a lot and have never had to resort to that.

Hope some of those help.

 

[debster812]

Crayola makes these really cool markers called Color Wonder. They will only work on Color Wonder paper. A tad expensive, but we only use them while travleing. They will NOT write on tray tables, windows, seats, nothing but their own paper. Very cool stuff.

I will also admit to a small dose of Benadryl for DS, but in his case, all 3 times we have flown with him, he has had an ear infection. So right before boarding, he gets benadryl, and ibuprofin along with his antibiotics.

I have also heard of folks having great luck keeping toddlers occupied with masking tape (make balls of it, put it all over, whatever) and pipe cleaners(oh, excuse me, Chenille Stems as they are called in our PC society these days. they are light, easy to pack, make almost anything with them.

 

[tjmw2727]

Our favorites were "junk" from the dollar store, colored pencils and even paint with water! My youngest loved the paint with water so I would fill the non spill bubble juice containers with water and use slim paint brushes. Honestly it kept her busy for hours on a trip from Logan to Hawaii - esp if you can find the pww at the dollar store. Masking and scotch tape is a wonder for toddlers as are starburst - if your ok with that. Stories and favorite songs in a personal cassette player (or dvd) were also a hit.

We have found that lolly pops or starburst work really well for take off and landing as you have to suck and swallow - imho swallow helps in this case.

I personally don't advocate the use of medicine unless medically necessary. For me (and this is just mho- no judgment) there is so much risk associated with OTC medicine I hesitate to use it when my kids are sick never mind when they are healthy, just because I am flying.

We got a portable DVD player as a gift and we LOVE it. I was one of those won't buy one don't need one but wala - gifts are great. Last trip my dd's shared it and watched dvd's all the way. I read 4 books on the round trip and had more time "for myself" than I have had in the last several years. FTR my girls are 7 and 9 now and the dvd was terrific - for a toddler it may not be the thing.

The only other thing I recommend for a toddler is a seat of their own with an FAA approved carseat. Its familiar and they know they can't get up and roam around.

TJ

 

[Claudia1]

We have a portable DVD player for her (she will be 19 months when we go). She also loves family pictures, so I'm putting together an album of sorts that she can use and abuse. We will be on a plane for about 11 hours, going to Hawaii.

I talked to her pediatrician about the flight and asked the best way to keep her on a good sleep schedule. He urged us to use Bendryl and told us to try it before we go, just to be sure that it didn't give the opposite effect. He suggested it, not me.

I would like to find some connected stacking blocks or some other small toy that she can manipulate without dropping the pieces all over the place. Any ideas? Does anybody have amy suggestions for toys that I could adapt?

Thanks!

 

[KerriL]

I read on another post somewhere about buying those inexpensive window clings. I plan on giving my 2 year old the window seat, pick up some Disney window clings and let her stick them on the window.