What do you pack for kids for the plane?

[Native NYer]

I'm starting to gather things for the trip to make my life a little easier and hopefully not forget anything. I'm bringing my two nephews, while their parents get a much needed adults only vacation. They will be 6 and 2 during the trip. What kinds of small toys and games would you recommend to use at the airport while we wait for our flight and during the flight?

TIA

 

[itradehilton]

We bring our laptop, an extra computer battery and their favorite movies. Our friends with small children bring favorite blanket, stuffed animal, and activity books. Things that don't make noise to play with. Also snacks that they like to eat.

 

[Native NYer]

We bring our laptop, an extra computer battery and their favorite movies. Our friends with small children bring favorite blanket, stuffed animal, and activity books. Things that don't make noise to play with. Also snacks that they like to eat.

Thanks Laptop and movies is a great idea. My older nephew has a DS. Maybe I should bring it.

 

[itradehilton]

The DS is great, we get a new game and don't let them play it until we go to the airport. It will occupy them for hours.

 

[Native NYer]

The DS is great, we get a new game and don't let them play it until we go to the airport. It will occupy them for hours.

That's a fantastic idea. My nephew loves getting new games. Now to think of something to occupy the 2 yr old. I wonder if Leapfrog makes anything that we can take along.

 

[woodkins]

Sticker books (they are story books that the kids help illustrate with the stickers), markers/crayons & coloring books/paper, movies, aquadoodle, crayola color wonder activity books.

 

[Native NYer]

Sticker books (they are story books that the kids help illustrate with the stickers), markers/crayons & coloring books/paper, movies, aquadoodle, crayola color wonder activity books.

Thanks for the suggestions

I'm definitely looking for some sticker books. I got each of the boys a magnadoodle.

 

[nicki.momof3]

Our kids always use our portable DVD players with head phone. Al new movie goes great.

 

[Native NYer]

Our kids always use our portable DVD players with head phone. Al new movie goes great.

Maybe one can watch a movie on the laptop and the other on a portable DVD player.

 

[puffkin]

We take as little as possible for DS. I usually pull 2-3 of his favorite cars a few weeks before we leave and make them appear "lost". He is very excited to see them on the plane. We bring our DVD player and movies and some crayons and an activity pad. Thats about it. The less stuff the better IMHO.

 

[foltzy]

We got each of our kids their very own bookbag (Just little ones we found in the baby department right around back to school time). The only things the bags had were things for the plane.

There were coloring books (small ones) and crayons, drawling paper, stickers, books to read, a travel size magna doodle, and pipe cleaners. There were also snacks. We took fruit snacks and fish crackers.

They were really no problem on the plane and it was their and my dh and I first time on a plane.

Should mention my kids are and were 2 and 4 when we went.

 

[Native NYer]

Thanks for the suggestions. I may order small backpacks from Pottery Barn Kids or Lands End with their names for their plane things. They travel with their parents quite frequently and will probably get lots of use out of the bags anyway.

I'm going to look for some coloring books with stickers.

 

[mom2meiko]

Thanks for the suggestions. I may order small backpacks from Pottery Barn Kids or Lands End with their names for their plane things. They travel with their parents quite frequently and will probably get lots of use out of the bags anyway.

I'm going to look for some coloring books with stickers.

you may want to check with the parents before putting their names on anything. a lot of parents (myself included) will only use initials on bags/jackets/etc. if their name is on a bag, etc. it makes it easier for a stranger to use it and appear to know them... so sad that we have to worry about that!

 

[Native NYer]

you may want to check with the parents before putting their names on anything. a lot of parents (myself included) will only use initials on bags/jackets/etc. if their name is on a bag, etc. it makes it easier for a stranger to use it and appear to know them... so sad that we have to worry about that!

Great point. Initials are better.

 

[dismom2]

small games---Target sells travel sized games, coloring books and crayons, blank paper and pencil/pen, those invisible ink activity books (they love those), cool activity books, sticker books, cards (for the younger ones you could play go-fish), legos or a transformer type toy...something they can build or something, paper dolls, those school workbooks or sheets, mazes and puzzles and word searches printed off the internet.... just about anything I think the kids would like. I recommend buying new ones, which will be more exciting. And I mentioned on another thread, if you think your kids might still get antsy, wrap a couple inexpensive 'presents' for them to open. Bring a variety of snacks, too, and a pillow, blanket and stuffed animal.

The other PP said the least amount, the better. I'm the opposite...I bring extra stuff....just in case, and I've never had a problem with my kids on a plane because of it. It's worth me lugging around a little extra stuff, as long as we can fly in peace....which is priceless. Good luck, and have a nice trip.

 

[indimom]

No mess and it's quiet. They stuck it to everything including fabrics and it comes right off. They also enjoyed sticker books. You read the book and put the stickers on the page. Both are inexpensive and "disposable." No one would be upset if they were lost or misplaced on the trip.

 

[Native NYer]

small games---Target sells travel sized games, coloring books and crayons, blank paper and pencil/pen, those invisible ink activity books (they love those), cool activity books, sticker books, cards (for the younger ones you could play go-fish), legos or a transformer type toy...something they can build or something, paper dolls, those school workbooks or sheets, mazes and puzzles and word searches printed off the internet.... just about anything I think the kids would like. I recommend buying new ones, which will be more exciting. And I mentioned on another thread, if you think your kids might still get antsy, wrap a couple inexpensive 'presents' for them to open. Bring a variety of snacks, too, and a pillow, blanket and stuffed animal.

The other PP said the least amount, the better. I'm the opposite...I bring extra stuff....just in case, and I've never had a problem with my kids on a plane because of it. It's worth me lugging around a little extra stuff, as long as we can fly in peace....which is priceless. Good luck, and have a nice trip.

Thanks for the suggestions! Love the idea of wrapping a few presents for them to open. And a pillow and blanket are great ideas also. The plane tends to get a bit chilly with the A/C.

No mess and it's quiet. They stuck it to everything including fabrics and it comes right off. They also enjoyed sticker books. You read the book and put the stickers on the page. Both are inexpensive and "disposable." No one would be upset if they were lost or misplaced on the trip.

Silly Putty would be fun. I think the boys would like that. Thanks!!!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

How long is the flight? Have they flown before?

For my son at those ages, the novelty of the plane, and the thrill of my undivided attention was enough. We packed a few favorite story books, I told him a few stories from my childhood (even more fun when it's an aunt telling naughty stories about one of your own parents), we leafed through the airplane magazine and looked out the window. We might have torn out some of the pages and made paper airplanes.

Maybe my child's weird but since I wasn't one to generally bring things to "entertain him", the few times I did he seemed to intuit that this meant that it was a big deal and go a little wild. My mother would bring toys to a restaurant and he'd drop them, play too loudly, fuss if I put them away so he'd eat. If I didn't bring toys he'd just participate in the conversation, daydream or color if the restaurant happened to bring crayons.

It's still that way and he's 10 -- yesterday we drove 11 hours to see relatives. He was on a sleepover the night before so I packed his "car bag" with 2 books (although 6 of the 11 hours it was too dark to read). He napped, listened to the radio, we played 20 questions and talked about whatever.

I'm not saying this because I think you need to do what I do, just that I don't think that kids "need" to be entertained, and that when you do it can backfire. Maybe check with their parents and see what works for them before assuming toys are the answer.

 

[woodkins]

Some airport security stops will not allow silly putty through the checkpoints, play doh either, the consistency is that of some type of explosives & they will confiscate it. We fly out of NYC where security is often really tight & they have taken both.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

My best suggestion is plenty of snacks. Bring a variety so they can choose what they want. As soon as the drink cart comes, my kids want goldfish crackers or cookies to snack on. It keeps them from getting too hungry and cranky. On our trip in 2006, we had a tight connection in Dallas. We were planning to use the restroom and grab some quick takeout to eat on the flight to Orlando. Our first flight got in a little late and the walk to the next gate was long. We didn't even have time to use the bathroom. By the time we got to the next gate, the plane was already boarding. We were glad we had plenty of snacks with us because they became our lunch!