What To Bring In Carry On For Kids

[djandmissb]

This will be our first airplane trip for our 7 yr old and 4 yr old. We're coming from Minnesota so the plane ride will be over 3 hours. I'm planning on letting them each bring a small backpack on the plane with them. My 7 yr old will have his PSP, so I think he'll be fine. What kind of things should I pack to keep my 4 yr old busy?

 

[KayW]

Does your 4 year old have a Leapster? My DD loves her and it keeps her occupied on the trip. Also markers and a blank notebook were a big hit.

 

[ilandrazdsw]

Coloring books & crayons/color pencils (I wouldn't suggest markers unless they are the magic kind with the special paper). A handheld game like his big bro...not a PSP, but they have the small single game pocket ones that aren't so expensive. My DS5 gets a kids magazine, so maybe a Highlights or the like. When push comes to shove we have a portable DVD with Disney movies (earphones). Depending on the time of your flight...snacks. My kids always seem to want something more of different to eat...or sooner than service begins. A few books that he can look at/read or for you to read to him...remember that is 3 hours for you too!!!
Have a Great Trip and Safe flight!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

My kids are bringing their handheld games. psp, ds, and my 4 yr old has the leapster. I'm also going to pack paper, crayons, stickers. We're bringing our laptop so we can watch a dvd. We'll also have snacks... that always entertains and I would like to buy some crayola color wonder products.

 

[michael's mom]

I want to join in this thread because I am heading down with a 5yo princess and her nannie is stuck on what to pack for her and her 3yo cousin for the plane.

 

[gabiesmom]

I purchased a washable coloring book for my 3 yr old dd, but I am not quite sure what to bring for my 1 yr old ds.

 

[zoemurr]

my kids were happy listening to the "Radio Disney" most of the time, but we were disappointed to learn that airtran is no longer giving out earphones for free.

Besides that, Leapster and pen/paper seemed to be plenty... and snacks of course.

You might also want to print out the Disney journal pages that they can work on. My daughter made a wonderful memory book from them when she was 8.

 

[Perditamarie]

I always throw in an empty sippy/sports cup. You can buy a drink after security, but if you bring your own cup you KNOW you will reduce potential spills!

Also, throw in a bathing suit or pjs, depending on when you will arrive so you will have items you need if you are waiting for luggage via Magical Express.

 

[sohappy]

I packed a ton of stuff, but they really only used the leapsters and the snacks. We used headphones for the leapsters because my kids like to play them loud.

We often take 5 hr car trips. We use my ipod (with lots of tv shows downloaded from itunes), leapsters, nintendo DS, and didj. Between those, the kids are GREAT the entire time.

 

[duffy]

We may fly on our trip in Nov. My daughter will be 14, and it will be her second flight. It will be my niece and nephew's first flight ever.

I hope it's sunny, because just being on a plane was so exciting for my older daughters when they were young. Just looking out the window was endlessly fascinating-for them and for me.

 

[MJAJmom]

Snacks, snacks and more snacks!! Also lolipops for takeoff and landings. My DS6 has a PSP and headphones, and that keeps him entertained the whole flight. For my DS3, I had a portable DVD with headphones and he watched movies. DS3 also liked to color so I brought a color book and crayons. Each boy had their own small backpack that they could pack a few toys, mostly action figures, and they played with those too.

 

[emmiesmom]

We've done many of the same things as previous posters (stickers, color wonders, many snacks that take a while to eat raisins, cheerios, DVD, and books)
We also got my DD some new figurines (dinsey princess) for the trip that she played with constantly on the plane and trip!

 

[beaches1098]

This flight kids will be almost 7 and 4. Last flight they were 5 and 2. We pack handhelds like nintendo ds, leapster or vsmile. DVD player with new movie. Activity books they even make small travel ones with a pen built in. With little one I brought a magnetic puzzle that is like a book he loved that. Older son likes books so I bring 2 new ones. Blank paper, deck of card games made for small kids like go fish or old maid so even 3 year old can play. Brain Quest trivia cards for ages 3-7 older son reads to younger. Travel games like fishing which is really small plastic game with2 mini fishing poles and little fish with magnets that you catch as they rotate around. Few snacks and headphones. Dollar store is good to go to before new stuff always occupys them. I have friends that even gift wrap a few things and the kids love it.

 

[Mom2Max]

A small familiar blanket might come in handy for a potential nap!

 

[sueh]

When we went this past July it was my girls 1st plane ride. Ages 8 & 6. They each brought their own backpacks. They had their gameboys, swimsuits, coloring books w/crayons and they each had a travel game. Our flight was just over 2 hours. We flew Airtran and they gave us earphones and my oldest listened to radio disney. My youngest on the other hand wanted to get off the plane 35 minutes into the flight. Oh and lots of snacks.
On our next trip I will get my girls airplanes (ear plugs). My odd wore them on the way home and she didn't have any ear pressure.

 

[El&kris'mom]

DS was 4 when we went last year, we brought a Portable DVD player and headphones with Disney movies, a coloring book and crayons and a few snacks (Twizzlers, crackers and brought a sippy cup to pour Apple Juice I bought in the concouse into).
We also brought his Vsmile handheld but he never touched it.

 

[hannah_03]

I usually have one change of clothing and swimsuit, dvd player and movies, color wonders set, DS and games, and a stuffed animal.

 

[Erin1700]

I go to the dollar store before we leave and buy a few things they have never seen before.
Model Magic is good and doesn't smell like play doh which I assume may annoy other people.

 

[zarvgirl]

The last time I travelled by plane DS(5) DD(3).....remember a change of clothes.
DS was motion sick and very upset thinking he had nothing to change into.....from then on we used children's gravol as a preventive thing....worked like a charm....no more motion sickness
.....we even spent 24hrs. on a bus to go up North!!!!
A change of clothes for you too....you never know.

 

[Kez250]

DVC Members and also originally from the UK so our kids have done more than their fairshare of flights long and short over the years.

Now they are 5 and 7 and they are in charge of packing their own carry ons - obviously i go through and 'suggest'

but there are essentials that they have to make room for :

PSP for 7yo and charger - if you have a flight delay the last thing you need is for the PSP to run out just before you get on the plane - trust me a 6 hr delay in Houston before we flew to Boston was not fun

i'pods/headphones if possible or not flying Jetblue

2 reading books for both of them although they protest at the huge amount of space they take up

A change of clothes for both of them - usual a soccer jersey and shorts as it rolls up to nothing

then generally he takes enough small starwars characters to refilm at least 3 episodes - she takes her toy horses - small coloring books, plain paper - for practicing writing or just doodling

oh and they still take a small cuddly each - as much as for a pillow on the flight as for a comfort