It’s no surprise that my family loves to travel. We love all travel from road trips and camping to air travel and staying at luxury resorts. My husband and I have the desire to see the world and to provide the opportunity for our children to see the world with us. If you are or have been a parent of a toddler you know any type of travel can be challenging. And I am not going to exaggerate when I say that we have had our fair share of traveling mishaps, but over the years I have also learned a lot and have compiled a list of ways to travel by air to make it a little easier. To see other travel tips visit my previous blogs here and here!
My family just returned home from a trip across the country and let’s just say that it didn’t start off as planned. The kids were I good spirits and my husband and I had everything packed and we had plenty of time to spare! We had a morning flight and all was well until we arrived at the airport and was checking our bags outside of our terminal. Out of the blue my son burped and a familiar like foul smell filled the air. It would have appeared that he was about to be sick but nothing had actually come out of his mouth yet. So we walked to the security line and then it happened. He only had milk and yogurt for breakfast so fortunately it was only a white liquid like substance but it didn’t take away from the smell. I was starting to get a little scared since we were about to board a plane and fly for over 4 hours. He had no other symptoms and this came as a complete surprise. He was pale and could barely keep his head up or his eyes open. He was looking weak and I was worried.
I was wearing him in his baby carrier at the time so I was able to keep a close eye on him and hold him close. We managed to get through security and to the closest family restroom so we could clean up and change. This takes me to TIP #1: Arrive at the airport with time to spare! This extra time will allow you to change your little one’s diaper or take them to the restroom, grab a bite to eat, buy a bottled water to make a bottle or fill a sippy cup, and more! I’d also like to mention TIP #2: Bring an extra set of clothes for each of your children and yourself! I prepared my diaper bag carry-on with a change of clothes for both of my kids but I failed to bring an extra set for me. It honestly didn’t even occur to me until this happened! I was able to spot clean the baby carrier, jan jacket, pants, and shirt but I couldn’t get the smell or the stain out completely. The baby carrier and the jean jacket went into a plastic bag and in the overhead compartment as soon as we boarded our flight and luckily we had the row to ourselves and my husband said he couldn’t smell anything once we were on the plane. And in case you are wondering how my son was feeling…as soon as we sat down at our gate he was back to normal. His color returned to his face and he was a talking and walking (ahem, running) machine!
Every time we travel I bring a few new toys or games for my kids to play with so TIP #3: Bring a few new and favorite toys and games for our kids to play with on the plane. This can get tricky because you need to pack light and small items that aren’t too messy or noisy. But there are options like: bubbles, crayons and paper, toy cars, a small stuffed animal, books, and more!
I actually went to the dollar section at Target before the trip and bought a paint set for each of my kids specially for the flight. It’s true that paint could get messy but if in a controlled environment it can be a lifesaver! The paint kit was really exciting for both of them and kept them quiet and entertained for over 30 minutes! I held the paints in one place for my son and was on stand-by with wet wipes for a quick and easy clean up!
Something you don’t have to buy or pack are cups from a flight attendant. TIP #4: Get creative and ask the flight attendant for items they can give you to keep your kids busy. They are on so many flights with children, they see it all. They typically have great suggestions on what they have seen works! In our case, our flight attendant gave us about a dozen plastic cups for my son to stack and play with, which he loved for the majority of the flight.
He would make up his own games and even used his toy cars that I packed and would put them in the cups and then take them out over and over. The best part is when you are done with your flight you can put the items in the trash so there is no need to take any extra items with you!
This brings me to TIP #5: Bring a wide variety of snacks for your children. I only pack items that don’t need to be refrigerated on the plane. I typically pack fruit, apple sauce, crackers, pretzels, fruit snacks, raisins, and fig bars! At any given moment when your child is getting restless bring out a new snack for them to eat! I promise it never gets old. I typically limit one snack per hour, but this has never been a problem. I also recommend you bring a small bottle of non-toxic anti-bacterial spray to wash your kids’ hands before each snack.
Napping can sometimes be a challenge on a plane but it isn’t impossible. Some kids are great public sleepers but my children have never slept in a stroller or on a shoulder. They will sometimes briefly sleep in a car seat but wake up as soon as the car stops. They are just light sleepers and are so actively involved with their world that they don’t want to miss a minute! Something that has worked for both of my children is to TIP #6:Bring a baby carrier for them to sleep in while they are on the plane. They aren’t the type of kids to just lay down in the seat or lay on my chest after they hit the walking stage but if they are contained in a baby carrier they have the right amount of bodily pressure and darkness with the cover to snooze for about an hour.
Another tip I have is TIP #7: Get a seat next to a window. If your child is sitting next to a window they will be entertained for a long time, trust me! Whether they are an infant sitting on your lap or an older toddler, they will love the window. The only problem is when you have more than one child and they both want the window seat. Then you may have to put a timer on your phone so they can take turns. This way they can visually see the time if they want to so they know they are getting a fair turn! Having a window seat will also allow you to contain your child in a small space. They can stand up in front of you and with the wall on one side and your legs can act like a barrier on the other side, they will have a little space to stand and stretch their legs or sit and play.I suggest using your non-toxic anti-bacterial spray or wipes to clean the space around them and even put a diaper changing pad or a small blanket to put on the dirty floor first!
A tip that might surprise you coming from me is TIP #8: Bring a tablet with earphones. As much as I limit my kids’ screen time, planes are my exception. Sure I’d prefer active play with my children when we have a floor to sit down to play but when you are stuck in a small space on an airplane with hundreds of other people and no where to go for hours, a tablet may save your sanity! So invest in a tablet that has parenting controls, a time limit, and age appropriate games and shows. And invest in some toddler friendly ear phones so they can watch something without disrupting the people around you! You can find some good ones on Amazon here and here and here!
My final tip has to do with the logistics of the airplane itself. First and foremost, TIP #9: Bring something for your kids ears for take off and landing. Plan to breastfeed or give them a bottle or pacifier if you can around these times. If they are a little older, you can feed them a snack, something chewy, or maybe even gum if they are old enough. Also TIP #10 Prepare them for what to expect once they get on the plane. If you do this too far in advance before the flight it may lead to anxiousness and if they have a temper tantrum or shut down in some way, you may not even get them on the plane very easily. So make it exciting. Get them their special airplane toys and snacks and once you are on the plane give them a tour, let them look out the window, and let them know that planes can be loud and fast during take off and landing.
I hope these tips are helpful! If you have any other ideas, please leave a comment and let me know what works for you!
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