Nothing can be more fun than a family vacation. And nothing can get you there quicker than a plane. But, the trip can feel a lot longer than it really is if you are traveling by plane with kids and you aren't prepared. Being prepared means packing the right things and having the right ideas to do before and during flight. But, it also starts even before you book the flight.
You want to find the right airline that will be most family friendly and most kid friendly. First of all, if you have a baby, you have a couple options for seating, depending on the airline and how you prefer to travel. If you hold the baby on your lap during the flight, you will not have to purchase an additional seat. Or you have the option of bringing their car seat on the plane. The advantage of this is, if your baby or young child is already used to and enjoys riding in their car seat in the car, this will provide them something familiar. For those toddlers who have a hard time sitting still, if they are already used to sitting and staying in a car seat in a car, having it on the plane may be to your benefit, whereas a plane seat may feel like more freedom and make it harder for them to want to sit still. However, if you do not prefer to use a car seat on the plane, but you will be needing it at your destination, such as in a rental car when you arrive, be sure to find those airlines that will let you check in your car seat as luggage for no additional cost. I always prefer to book airlines that don't charge you extra for luggage anyway.
Another thing to consider when finding the right airline to fly on is to look for those that sometimes offer activity books and crayons to kids, will sometimes give the kids a quick tour of the cockpit before the flight, and are happy to offer additional snacks to kids. Some airlines are simply more kid or family friendly than others. For long flights that serve a full meal, certain airlines even have the policy of serving kids first. Also, look for those airlines that let you check in online the evening before and also offer early seating for families with young children.
Once you've found a suitable airline to meet your need, consider what time of day may be best for you to fly. Some recommend early flights to avoid delays that sometimes happen with flights throughout the day. But, another thing to consider in regards to choosing the timing of your flight is that you may wish to book the flight at a time where your child usually naps or rests. If your children are pretty regular on their sleep schedules, then you can guarantee that they will at least get some rest time on the plane.
But, for those times they are awake, kids have a lot of energy. And you'll want to get that energy out while you have the chance. So, don't use that time that you are waiting in the airport just sitting around. Take the kids to walk around and explore, make up some fun games, get out the energy that you can before they have to sit still on the plane. When you are allowed up in the plane, you may be able to walk up and down the aisle with them a little bit. But, definitely try to get them up and moving before boarding the plane. Also, use the restroom as much as you can before the flight, especially if you have children who are potty training and have a harder time waiting.
You may want to consider prepping your kids ahead of time for the trip. You can always go visit an airport if you've never been or read some book on planes and airports. You can talk to them about what kind of things they'll see and what will happen in the airport and on the flight. Not only will it ease any uncertainties they may have, it may make it more exciting for them if you make it sound exciting.
For the trip through the airport, you may want to plan ahead of time as well. When you have kids, you already have enough to worry about and hold onto, along with anything you are taking on the plane, so make going through security as easy as possible. Wear shoes that can slip off and on easily, for the whole family. Also, a small bag for your loose change, wallet, watch, etc. may be a good idea. It'll save you time in the security line by not having to take all of that off and you can just put it all on or in your pockets after security. Traveling through airports with bags is also much easier if you can put things in backpacks. And if your kids are old enough, they can carry their own with all the stuff that will keep them entertained for the flight.
Now, whether you were able to choose your seats ahead of time or not until you got on the plane, try to give your child a window seat if you can. For some kids, that can be entertaining for hours. It's always fun for kids to see how small the towns, buildings, farms, etc. look from all the way up in the air. And also being able to look out and fly right by the clouds that they normally only get to look up and see is exciting.
Now, let's talk about what you should have with you on the flight for the kids. First, I'll discuss the practical things you should pack. The first thing to remember is the air pressure change and how that affects your ears. For babies and children, that is a new and unpleasant feeling. To keep them content during those times of take-off and landing, there's a couple options. For babies, the best thing is to let them have their bottle during that time or a pacifier, anything that can help take that pressure off. Even for young kids, drinking something at that time may help ease their discomfort. Kids may also enjoy chewing gum during this time. Not only will the chewing help with the pressure in the ears, gum is also probably not something they have often so it will be a nice treat and distraction for them. Speaking of snacks and drinks, you may want to pack some of your own, even though they do give snacks and drinks. Consider special snacks they wouldn't normally have that would be exciting. And for the drinks, consider bringing a cup with a lid to avoid those spills. An extra set of clothes is also a practical idea for babies and young kids. You just never know. Wipes are always essential to have as well. They just can be used for so many purposes.
Now we'll talk about the things you want to pack for entertainment. Some planes show movies or have screens on the back of the seats with games or movies. But, if not, having your own device to put movies on for your kids is definitely a great idea. That could be a portable dvd player or your laptop or whatever device you have that you know has this option. If you have multiple kids though, instead of bringing multiple devices, simply purchase a headphone splitter, so they can both listen at the same time. You will need headphones for whatever electronic devices you are bringing. You don't want to disturb those around you with loud movies or loud games. Some other electronic devices you may want to bring are any game devices or a Tag Reader if you have one. Just make sure you have all the batteries you need or the devices are all properly charged ahead of time.
Maybe your kids have favorite books or movies they love to watch again and again. Or maybe they would be excited with something they've never seen before. Consider going to your local library ahead of time and checking out some new books and movies to make the trip more interesting.
Some kids love to draw and color, so again, the airline may hand out kids activity books and crayons or you may bring your own paper or new coloring books. You can even play plenty of games on paper: hang man, tic tac toe, or get creative and make up some games of your own.
As far as toys, there are a couple neat ideas you can do here. The first option is you can get just a few little dollar store toys before your trip, things they have never seen before and surprise your child with them on the flight, maybe even a new one each hour to keep them interested. Or consider bringing some random things that aren't even considered toys. If your children are young enough, they could be fascinated for hours with things like painters tape, aluminum foil, sticky notes, etc. Maybe even give kids their own disposable cameras to take pictures they can develop later.
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Something else you can do is create a scavenger hunt of sorts. Create a list of things ahead of time that they need to look out for during the flight and see how long it takes before they find everything. Give them a special treat or prize when they've found everything.
With these tips, your current and future flights can be easy. Once you've made it through once, not only you, but the kids will know how much fun flying can be.
