Toddlers and Airplanes Help

[monorailsilver]

Don't plan on naps! I did that with our oldest. Our flight was at 1 aka nap time. Nope, she slept at 4 when we landed. Yep!

As far as things to do, they make the water color things, or they did when the pen was filled up with water and you colored on a special paper and a picture appeared then it dried and went away.

Candy, yep! Lollipops kept my kids quiet. Gummy candy too but I would rip the candy into smaller pieces so it would take longer to eat one gummy bear.

I spy books, or even magazines.

 

[bethy]

My 3 have travelled their whole lives and only slept on planes when they were nursing infants. None of them were or are great sleepers though. To add to all the great suggestions:

For us, high volume i.e. lots of new stuff was key. I needed an nearly endless supply of new things to pull out of my bag. Plus I packed a backpack of enticing things for each kid. Basically, they would get fidgety and I'd pull out something new. Also, I wrapped several items as gifts to open so that was exciting and took more time.

I agree with the PP that if you do electronics then you need to find earphones that will work with your child and practice ahead of time. Of course, fellow passengers would probably rather listen to Mickey mouse clubhouse than a screaming child.

I fly with a five pt harness for as long as possible to keep them contained and cushy.

If you take their shoes off it feels cozier to them and more like resting - and it bothers the person in front of them less when they kick the seat. When in a carseat I loosen the seatbelt and angle the seat toward me to lessen the kicking.

I save a third of the inflight new toys and games for the return trip so that it is brand new to them. The return trip can be harder because the excitement is gone and they are sometimes overtired.

I limit sugar as much as possible but do pack a new and exciting candy as a last resort while in flight.

I agree about getting to the airport really early so that you are relaxed and they can move around a bit before boarding.

Finally I make sure I am well hydrated, relaxed, fed etc so I can focus 110% of my attention on them for the entire time. It's like a marathon. And I am a busy mom and that kind of devoted attention is rare and they love it. Mommy actually plays with them!

 

[maxiesmom]

[QUOTE="bethy, post: 54464365, member: 147436"
I agree with the PP that if you do electronics then you need to find earphones that will work with your child and practice ahead of time. Of course, fellow passengers would probably rather listen to Mickey mouse clubhouse than a screaming child.

[/QUOTE]

It shouldn't be a choice between one or the other. Most, if not all, airlines have the policy that anything that makes noise must be used with headphones or with the sound off. Which is why if your child isn't happy wearing headphones, it is best to know that ahead of time when you can plan other things to keep them happy and occupied.

 

[HerbivoreMom]

I've flown quite a few times with my son, who is now 5. First suggestion is bring the car seat.The FAA says:

Did you know that the safest place for your child on an airplane is in a government-approved child safety restraint system (CRS) or device, not on your lap? Your arms aren't capable of holding your child securely, especially during unexpected turbulence.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly urges you to secure your child in a CRS or device for the duration of your flight. It's the smart and right thing to do so that everyone in your family arrives safely at your destination. ​

Second suggestion is to have a bottle/sippy cup or lollipop or gum for take off and landing. Gum probably won't work for 18 months but older children can do gum. My son started with gum at age 3, with lots of talks about responsible gum chewing

Pack a few things to keep your kiddo occupied: coloring books, books to read, a charged tablet with a movie or two downloaded to it, a lovie or stuffed animal.

Preparation: talk about the plane and explain how they are expected to behave. Explain that it's very important - for safety - to stay seated and follow directions.

Set up a reward for good behavior (for long flights have the rewards set up for every hour or so).

For my son at that age, I talked to him the whole time about what we saw out the window, what we were going to do when we got to our destination, just talk about anything. It kept him focused on something other than having to stay in one seat and be patient.

Oh and when they come by with snacks and drinks I buy him something.

 

[bethy]

[QUOTE="bethy, post: 54464365, member: 147436"
I agree with the PP that if you do electronics then you need to find earphones that will work with your child and practice ahead of time. Of course, fellow passengers would probably rather listen to Mickey mouse clubhouse than a screaming child.

It shouldn't be a choice between one or the other. Most, if not all, airlines have the policy that anything that makes noise must be used with headphones or with the sound off. Which is why if your child isn't happy wearing headphones, it is best to know that ahead of time when you can plan other things to keep them happy and occupied.

Oh trust me, I do. We spend an absolute fortune on toys and games and products to help keep our children entertained even without electronics. TBH even if I didn't care about the other passengers hearing a TV show, I would still need a back up plan for if the electronic device didn't work. I have about 5 back up plans for every single possible incident.

I sweat bullets and work my behind off every. single. second. of every 6 hr flight to ensure my children are as quiet as possible. The only alternative would be to not fly with them at all. But this is public transportation.

 

[Disneychica18]

I would bring the car seat if you have purchase a ticket for her. She will probably be a lot happier. Check out this article.
http://csftl.org/leaving-on-a-jet-plane-the-csftl-guide-to-safe-air-travel-with-children/

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Window clings saved our lives on our trip with the 4 and 2 year old.