If you are planning on traveling with toddlers this summer we’ve got 13 secrets you want to know before boarding that plane. You can likely recall a time when you have been on a plane before you had any children in tow; just you ready to enjoy your vacation. And then, you realized there was a crying baby or toddler on your flight… one row over. Back then you could escape behind headphones or a good book, but the parent trying to calm their child was trapped. You might not have sympathized with the parent back then, but now that you are a parent things are much different.
No one wants to be that parent with an out of control toddler on the plane, trapped in a state of perpetual embarrassment 30,000 feet up in the sky. Don’t let it get to you: we have ALL been there! Traveling with kids can be stressful to say the least, keeping them happy as you trek through airports and sit on long flights is no easy feat. Any parent that successfully does so, even once, deserves a medal of honor.
So how can you make your summer travel with toddlers a fun and peaceful experience that doesn’t involve a meltdown high above the clouds? While we can’t guarantee to keep all fits at bay, these tips for traveling with toddlers should help do the trick!
1. Stuff Your Travel Bag With Every Last Thing You Could Ever Need On The Plane
Make a list and check it 100 times before you leave. Start a week early, just jotting down everything you can think of that you might need on the plane for your toddler. This includes toys to keep them entertained, food to keep hungry fits from arising, diapers and washcloths.
Stuff your carry-on with as much food and games as possible to keep your little one happy while you fly. Having yummy snacks and plenty of little activities to keep them busy will help prevent boredom, restlessness and bad behavior. Some great snacks to bring along include string cheese, cut up veggies, mini-sandwiches, or fruit.
When packing games avoid things that have a lot of small pieces, like Polly Pockets or Legos. Otherwise, you will spend the duration of the flight cramming your arms between and beneath the seats in search of them as they fall off of your child’s tray and lap. Coloring books, word and picture search books, tic-tac-toe and small handheld computer games are easier to keep tabs on. Your child is going to want games for the airport and airplane. It’s nice to withhold an extra special toy, even something as simple as a brand new box of crayons, to reengage their attention for a longer period of time on the flight.
Stickers are another great toy to bring because they are incredibly lightweight and can be used to decorate something you already have on hand, like a water bottle you purchased before boarding the plane or an empty soda can or plastic cup provided by the flight attendants.
Many parents swear by wrapping the different toys you bring and presenting them as presents throughout the flight.
How many activities do you really need? For a frame of reference you will need around 10 activities for a 3-hour flight. Plan for your child to tire of each activity after about 15 minutes and be prepared to give them something new to do. Remember, you can spend the first and last 15-or-so minutes of each flight looking out the window together.
Don’t forget to pack a change of clothes for your little one as well! When traveling with kids, there’s always the chance you are going to need a change of clothing too. Oh, you know, like when a whole bottle of orange juice lands on your first shirt.
2. Bring Lollipops For Take Off And Landing
Your toddler might be too young for gum but lollipops can also help reduce pressure in the ears during take off and landing. When your child sucks on the lollipop it helps prevent any pain to their ears due to changes in cabin pressure. You can also encourage them to yawn to help release pressure.
For younger babies that are still on the bottle you should feed them during take off and landing as the sucking motion from drinking helps reduce pressure in their ears. Any other time throughout the plane ride that you feel your own ears filling with pressure give your child a pacifier, milk, or lollipop.
3. Book Nonstop Flights Whenever Possible
Jumping off one plane and running to meet another is no problem when you’re traveling solo but add kids into the mix and it’s best to find a nonstop flight whenever possible. Look for flights that coincide with your child’s normal naptime and you can enjoy snoozed sailing to your destination. Speaking of naps, don’t let your child nap at the airport while waiting for a flight unless you want them to wake up a whirlwind of energy right before you board your plane. Let them get their energy out in the airport and then sleep during the flight.
The only exception to a nonstop flight is if it is an incredibly long flight. In this case stopping halfway through may work better, giving your child a break to run around and get out their energy before going back up in the air. (Reference)
4. Prepare Your Child For The Plane Ride Ahead Of Time
A few days, or even weeks, before you’re scheduled to jet off, start pointing out airplanes and discussing how cool they are with your child. This helps build a positive vibe to the upcoming situation, prompting your toddler to be excited and enthusiastic about the upcoming adventure. Showing them airplanes and talking to them about air travel will also help alleviate some of the jitters they may experience if it is their first time traveling by air.
Other ways to get your child excited about flying is to play pilot at home before you travel. You can improvise with imagination or buy your child real toy plane props to get them acquainted with the machine they are about to experience first-hand.
5. Annoy Your Neighbors And Narrate Everything
Flying is a new experience for kids and they don’t really understand what is going on during a flight. A way to help ease their nerves is to narrate what it is going on step-by-step so that your child can put words to what they are experiencing. This way they will feel calmer about the entire experience because you are telling them what is happening and they know it is normal and nothing to fear. (Reference)
6. Prepare For Security Check-In
A light umbrella stroller is your best bet when going through security because it is easy to fold up and place in the bins for X-ray. Also, make sure to have slip-on shoes for you and your toddler so that it is easy to get in and out of them. Instead of letting the pressures of traveling with a toddler get to you, take your time and make it into a game for your little one—who cares what anyone around you thinks?
7. Think Twice About Early Boarding
Early boarding is offered to anyone with children but you might want to think twice before you get on that plane before anyone else. Sure, you’ll get first choice of the overhead bins but you will also be stuck on the plane for at least an extra half-hour before everyone boards and the flight even begins to prepare for takeoff. Spending this much extra time on the plane just waiting can make the difference between a happy camper and a kid that’s losing their cool shortly after takeoff. It might be best to board at the last second, but you know your child better than anyone.
Also… You might want to think twice about taking a window seat. At first it’s fun because kids love to look out the window but when your child wants to get up more than a couple of times that isle seat will start to look more and more appealing.
8. Be Prepared To Clean Up Messes
In that oversized carry-on stuffed with toys and your toddler’s favorite snack foods, make sure you find space to carry a rag and antibacterial wipes. The one thing toddlers are guaranteed to do is make a mess and you want to have the tools to quickly clean it up and move on. More than a few parents have had a barfing child mid-flight, be prepared to quickly take care of it before you give anyone on the plane a chance to go “ew!”
9. Bring A Screen For Easy Entertainment
An iPad, laptop or old-school DVD player can be your best friend on a longer flight because it gives you a couple of hours to kill by showing a movie. I recommend showing any video during the last couple hours of your flight because kids tend to get antsy after watching an entire movie. On the other hand, some kids fall asleep after a movie. You know your kid best so play to their personality for best results. (Reference)
10. Introduce The Notorious ‘Aeroplane Police’
Long before you arrive at the airport tell your child about a breed of law enforcement known as the ‘aeroplane police.’ Let them know that this special sect of the police department is always on the lookout for badly behaving children in airports and on airplanes. You don’t need to scare your kid to death or even give any details about what they do to badly behaved children. The notion alone will help deter your child from kicking seats, climbing over seats or doing a number of other unexpected things. (Reference)
11. Buy Your Child Their Own Seat
At a certain age your child doesn’t need their own seat but as they get bigger and turn into squirmy toddlers you are likely going to want a place for them to sit. Always check how much an airline charges you for a baby ticket, in some cases it’s free because they are sharing your seat but in other cases it can be as much as 75% of a normal ticket with seat. In this case you are best off to purchase another seat for them so that you are getting more room instead of paying nearly the same amount for nothing.
12. Go Easy on The Fluids
You want to keep your child hydrated but refrain from giving them too many liquids otherwise you’ll be up and down going to the bathroom the whole flight. This isn’t so bad if you’ve got an isle seat but if you’re trapped next to the window it can become a bit of a nuisance to the person beside you.