Living in one part of the country and having my entire family live in another part, I have flown home a bunch over the last 10 years. I have quite the gamete of experience too: I have flown solo, with a 2 month old, a six month old, a one year old, 6 months pregnant and with a toddler, with a 2 year old and a 6 month old and with three kids aged 2, 4 and 6. Please keep in mind that ALL of those flights were WITHOUT my husband! Every time I have flown with the peas, it was as a solo parent, my husband usually having to work. Well, this week we are flying across the country again, from Tucson to Boston- this time I am lucky enough to have my husband tagging along! YAY!
Having flown so many times, I have acquired lots of tips and tricks with flying with kids of different ages and today I want to share my top ten!
Top Ten Tuesday: Tips for Flying with Kids!!
1. Dress in comfy warm clothes. Anyone that knows me, knows I am a HUGE fan of dressing comfy in everyday life, but when flying it is of the utmost important to dress not only yourself but your kids as well in comfy and WARM clothes. Planes are small and it’s hard to get comfortable as it is in those little seats, so you don’t want tight jeans making it worse. Most parents will be up and down with their kids during the flight so dress like you are going to workout, which you may be 😉 Also, planes can get cold, especially for kids, so I suggest dressing in layers- leggings or sweats, a thin long sleeved tee and a sweater or sweatshirt for the top and socks. I always dressed my babies in footie pj’s so it was easy to change them and they didn’t kick off their socks. The layers make it easy to add on or take off if the temperature changes on the plane. If you are traveling to a cold place, don’t wear your coats on the plane, they get too bulky, pack them on the very top of your suitcase so you can access them easily when you land.
2. Sit as far back in the plane as you can. Yes, that does mean you will get off the plane last, which is annoying, but I think the benefits outweigh the pit falls. If you sit in the back, you can board first (if your airline doesn’t allow for pre-boarding with families), which gives you a few minutes to get settled and get down the aisle easily. There’s not much worse than trying to squeeze down the aisle with on kid in tow, two behind you and four carry on bags :/ Yes, not fun (been there, done that). Also the back of the plane is naturally noisier, which helps to drown out the noise your kids will make and it’s right by the bathr0oms, which is convenient. That is very beneficial if you are flying with kids by yourself, as most flight attendants will be kind enough to keep an eye on your kids if you have to pee so you don’t have to have three kids on your lap in the micro-bathroom while you try and go potty (also been there, even less fun).
3. Bring a mini blanket and pillow/pillowpet for the kids. My kids don’t nap, unfortunately, but even having a blanket and pillow can make them feel better and cozy, which should help keep them more settled on the plane. If your kids are big enough, have them carry their own backpacks, filled with some of this stuff, which will be less for you to carry.
4. Bring something to help with their ears on the ascent and decent. What this “something” is depends on their ages. Sucking on something or chewing is the best way to combat the “popping” of their ears. I breastfed my babies so when they were really small, I would nurse them on take off and landing, or you could do a bottle. Binkies also do the trick. If they are a bit older, sucking on a lollipop works well- I would suggest a small one, like a dum-dum size, in case they lose interest in it. Gum is also great if your kids are big enough. My kids have suddenly become obsessed with gum so we’ll be bringing some gum, licorice and also lolli’s for our trip. Plus, these special treats are great to be used as bribes later on in the flight, if they get antsy 😉
5. Bring oodles of snacks/food. Gone are the days where you are fed on an airplane, and most airlines don’t even give out a snack, so be prepared to take your own. Bring snacks that are healthy and filling and that won’t get them all wired up. I do bring some treats like I said above, but the rest of my snacks will consist of things like string cheese, cut up fruit, squeezy apple sauces, pre-portioned dry snacks like fishies, graham cracker bites, and natural fruit snacks. Try to avoid things that crumble easily like granola bars or muffins, unless your kids don’t mind sitting in a pile of crumbs for 5 hours. Pre-package everything before you go. Thinks of it how you would pack for a road trip. Here I contradict my usual “green” self and suggest packing things in baggies instead of containers, because you will already be having to carry around enough stuff, it’s nice to be able to just throw away things as you go. Also avoid taking things that have to be kept cool, unless you want to tote around a bunch of ice packs. Bring some juice cups for the kids to avoid spilling and buy a few extra bottles of water once you get through the gate, since you won’t be able to get though security with them. If you have babies, you can bring more milk/formula/breast milk but you will have to declare it in security. I also suggest bringing a large zippy baggie to use as a “trash bag” on the plane for all the wrappers you will accumulate.
6. Bring lots of electronic entertainment. This one is a given. I know we shouldn’t let our kids watch TV all day but, in my opinion, all bets are off when it comes to flying. Bring every device you can, and pack their chargers with you so you can recharge if necessary when you have a layover. If you have a portable charging device, bring that too! I like to buy, borrow and check out from the library a bunch of new movies before we leave to bring with us. Pack them in a mini cd carrier or just in a baggie. My kids are 3, 5, and 7 so they hold their attention better watching many episodes of a show rather than a whole long movie, so we lean towards bringing DVD’s that have lots of shows on one, like Curious George or Thomas the Train. My older daughter will usually watch those too, but I plan on bringing the iPad and some head phones for her so she can play her games and listen to her music if she gets bored. Try to get a few new ones for both the trip there and back.
7. Bring lots of non-electronic entertainment. Inevitably the kids WILL lose interest in the DVD player, unfortunately, so that’s a great time to break out the hands on stuff to play with. This is where is comes in handy to have them carry their own backpack (even when my kids were two, I had them bring a small one- if you had to purchase them a seat, they get a carry on too, so take advantage of it!). I like to bring a few books for each kid, new crayons, a few cheap new coloring books, stickers, pipe cleaners (for bending into funny shapes) and mini white boards. You can also bring flash cards, playing cards, puzzles (as long as the pieces aren’t too small and the finished puzzle isn’t too big!) and a few small toys per kid. Make sure you bring quiet toys, trust me! Things like the Crayola wonder markers are great because they only draw on the paper and are fun to use.
8. Bring a special toy or prize for the kids to have on the plane. This will be a nice little “reward” for them for behaving on the plane. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, anything small will do!
9. Pack everything you think you need and more! Depending on how long your flight is, you are stuck on that plane for hours with no access to your luggage, so be prepared for everything! I like to bring a change of clothes for my littlest (she’s three) and when they were in diapers, I brought PLENTY of those! Other necessities: wipes, disinfecting wipes, mini first aid kit, nail clippers, Tylenol (perhaps for mom and kids!), a few extra baggies for anything that may get wet, creams, lotions (depending how old your kids area), anything for motion sickness (if your kids get motion sickness), chap stick, hair ties, Benadryl (if your kids get allergies), and something for mom and dad to do, if you get a quiet moment (your phone or a book to read). One can never be too prepared for a plane trip with kids!
10. Don’t stress about what other people think. Of course I do my best to keep my kids happy, well fed and entertained on a plane and sometimes that all works, and other times it doesn’t. Take my last trip to Boston for example. The flight there was perfect! Kids were so well behaved, watched their movies, little fighting and were excited. It was shorter since flying west to east is shorter because of the jet stream and we had a direct flight. On the way back…well…that was another story. I was THAT mom on the plane with THAT screaming kid. My daughter, who was one and a half at the time and still napped, was EXHAUSTED. I had to get them up all crazy early to get our returning flight and she would just NOT fall asleep on the plane. She screamed and cried and there was nothing I could do about it. It was mortified wanted to cry myself! Finally she fell asleep after about 2 hours of screaming. I got to the point where I could have cared less about everyone else because there was literally nothing I could do about it. There are always going to be jerks in life and if someone gives you a hard time about your kids being noisy or fussing either ignore it or come up with a smart comeback (I would do the latter). Obviously I don’t abdicate allowing your kids to run up and down the aisles like animals, but if they fuss for a bit, don’t let all the watchful eyes stress you out because your kid will feed off that and get worse. Take some deep breaths, perhaps order some wine from the flight attendant and come up with a creative and fun new game to play with them- like let them draw on your arm with pen. (Use that as a last resort). You will survive it!!
So there are my top ten tips for flying with kids. A few bonus tips: use a baby carrier for little ones, which makes it easier to get checked in through security, or gate check a stroller so it’s waiting right when you get off the plane and remember that airlines can’t charge for you to check in your car seats, so you can do that when you check in your bags. I do recommend investing (or borrowing) some nice car seat bags so your seat doesn’t get all banged up during flight. Bonus for the bags: there’s usually some extra room in there so you can shove some coats or whatever in there and save some space in your luggage!
Have you ever flown with kids before? What are your tips for flying with them? Ever have a terrible flight like I did once?? Share that too so we know we are not alone in that experience!
Michelle, thanks for writing this! We are flying for the first time with our 12.5 month old next week! 5 hour flight…I am TERRIFIED. He is still napping twice a day and doesn’t do well with missed naps. :/ He also does not sleep in our arms/in the ergo at all anymore. I’m just hoping we make it through!
It’s def harder with the ones who nap!! Bring a pillow, blanket and their milk and lots of prayers! I’ve luck in the past with my kids falling asleep and also not :/ but just keep in mind that the flight will end eventually!! Good luck!
#10 is probably the most important!! I’ve only flown with my daughter once (she was 7 months at the time) but it went really well and we worried for nothing (it was only a short flight though so that helped too!). These are all great tips…sounds like you’re a pro!
Thanks! Yes, we have flown lots! Each age has it’s advantages, this time I’m only worried abt my 3 year old haha hopefully she sits!
Found you through Pinterest! Thanks for the tips. We are planning to take a long plane trip next year, and will be traveling with a 3 yr old, 18 month old, and 7 month old! Yes we are crazy! I am trying to read all the tips I can!
I’ve done it all! Just pack more than you think! Lol 🙂 I did it solo so I know you can do it! Best of luck!
Great tips! I haven’t flown with my little one yet but I’m sure it’s coming soon!
Thank you! It can be a challenge but if you are prepared it’s easier 🙂
I’ve had to do many transatlantic flights with my kids – often without my husband – and I agree with all your points! It’s a nightmare carrying everything but it’s definitely all used and needed.I even still pack extra clothes because it’s inevitable a drink gets spilt from the fold down tables.
#wineddown
I can’t imagine doing transatlantic! My husband and I flew to Rome a few years ago and there were some kids on the plane and I thought their parents were so brave! 6 hours is long enough for me 😉 thanks for stopping by!
WOW great tips!!! We travel a lot too and your list is great! I like to go to the dollar store and buy a bunch of new stuff then wrap it up, they kids git a kick out of unwrapping something new on the trip! Thanks so much for sharing this at We Made That Wednesday!
I’ve heard of that wrapping! Sounds like a good idea, I’ll have to try that next time 🙂
Number 10, for sure. When we fly with our four, somebody always craps their pants and somebody else starts screaming “I hate you!”. Ah, family vacation. So relaxing.
Haha! I know it, it’s best to just ignore it all- knowing it will eventually come to an end lol!
Just wanted to say that your list is by far the most realistic and helpful one I have seen. After making the trip from JFK to Singapore a few times with our now 17 month old daughter I find so many of these types of lists state the obvious and stop there. Just a couple things I’ve learned…1) Really think about what you pack and where in your carry-ons, especially for flights with lay-overs. I use my diaper bag with lots of compartments for under the seat and a hiking backpack that goes in the overhead bin. In the diaper bag is everything I know I’ll use for that leg of the trip and in the bookbag is all the just in case and excess for later legs of the trip (Tylenol, Benadryl, excess diapers, a couple different toys). Whenever we get to a layover I restock and trade out some toys to keep her interested. I also use the bag with the compartments under my seat cause the last thing I want is to be digging around.
2) Ask if there is a family line at the security checkpoint in each of the airports. It alleviates some of my stress because everyone there is fighting the same battles. And less dirty looks is always an added bonus!
3) Be prepared for the period of time when you have to turn off the electronic devices. The iPad is probably one of the biggest reasons I’ve had success flying with my daughter but it always has to be put away at some point. To fill that time I’ve always brought along something that is new but I know she’ll love or be entranced with. Last time it was stickers and a magna-doodle. Next time I’m planning on temporary tattoos and a magic ink book.
Like I said before, I think your list is awesome! Just wanted to share a couple things I’ve learned from the 25+ hour trips!
Thanks so much! Flying with kids can be rough, no need to sugar coat it, right? lol! Your tips were great too, thanks for sharing them!
Loving the tips. I did one a few months back for toddlers. I definitely agree with packing more than you need. We had to overnight once because of something that happened to our plane. We had no luggage and I was running out of formula and diapers. Since then I’ve always over packed. I would suggest if you have a baby, leave the stroller and invest in a baby carrier. So much easier going through security as well.
Thank you for your additional suggestions! They were very helpful too, thanks for stopping by!
Very timely post for me, we are off to Spain from London on Sunday with our three year old. She’s been on about a PillowPet for a while, since she saw the adverts on Milkshake Morning TV “but mummy they’re fully washable” she tried to coerce me with! I might buy her one now you’ve mentioned them for plane journeys! Landed on your blog from the Creative Geekery Pin It Party btw
The pillow pets are great because they are part pillow and part stuffy, so it can eliminate a second stuffy to carry! Good luck on your flight!
These are great travel tips–I’ll be pinning this to my travel board! We’re going to Florida next summer so I’m sure these tips will come in handy. Would you mind to link this up to my blog hop? I think this post would be helpful to a lot of my readers. Thanks!!
Thanks so much! I’ll swing on by now! 🙂
Getting ready for Florida and Chicago so I had to come back and read up 🙂 I made my list and an ready to start packing! Thanks for the great tips. Luckily Mike will be with me, but I’m anxious about it, esp during germ season and we are just getting over croup! Break out the anti-bacterial wipes, I will be THAT mamma on the plane! Did I ever tell you about my flight home from FL with Patrick? Mike stayed for a bachelor party and I flew home with Ed and Christina and her family…nightmare!! Patrick was that baby and I was that crying mom. Thanks again for all the tips, I’ll you know how it goes! Love ya xoxox
I’m excited to see how it goes! At least you have a one adult to one child ratio! 😉 Have an awesome time!