Hello! I need some suggestions... my son and I will be traveling via airplane next week. We purchased his own seat, and he will be sitting in his carseat. I am trying to think of some travel friendly toys for him to bring along. He loves books, so I plan on bringing his favorites. What are some other ideas for air travel?
Also, if anyone has any suggestions on making this a more pleasant trip, I'm all ears. It will just be me with him on our way there.
P.S. Seriously... opting out on the trip is NOT an option (unless we run into an emergency situation).
Thanks so much for the helpful suggestions... stickers and the magna doodle were life savers, and so were the treats! Thanks again everyone!
I think the magna doodle is the best traveling toy! You can draw pictures and have your little boy guess what it is, let him draw, pretend you can't speak and write to the stewardess...Just Joking! Another thing my kids loved was the little figurine toys that are small. They like small things that fit well in their little hands. Fruit snacks and other little munchies are a must too.
Playdoh is great and picks up fairly easily. They have a small playdoh pack with those tiny containers...and don't worry if they mix the colors...who cares, it's entertainment. stick to new toys, never been seen and new books. DVD players are great too if they'll let you bring one aboard.
Let him get out of his carseat and stand a bit in his own space and let him have the window seat so he can have a little more wiggle room. I'd skip the carseat entirely unless you think he'll sleep during the flight...but if the flight isn't the right time of day, you may not get a nap anyway.
Load the plain last and bring your stroller along and give it to the plane attendant. They'll keep it on the plane for you in the cockpit storage area and it'll be waiting for when you unload.
Check out this link for some wonderful suggestions in the "comments" section. Safe travels!!
I flew with my son the first time when he was 17 months, and the second flight he was 18 months and we flew overseas! So, that said, here are my suggestions:
- New small toys that he's never seen before (the dollar section at Target is great for this); pull them out one at a time so each one lasts a while. Keep all toys in a zip loc baggie, so they are easy to find when you need one.
- A magna doodle as others have mentioned; little wind up toys that can "walk" on the tray tables; little cars, little toy cell phones.
- Parents brand of toys sold at Target makes a really cute item called a MyPod that is entertaining and plays cute music. We bought the version with classical music, so it wouldn't bother other passengers. It is around $15 I believe.
- Books with lots of flaps.
- It is important for your son to swallow on the ascent and descent. Individually wrapped snacks worked best for me -- gold fish, mini strawberry newtons, etc. -- as well as pretzel rods. Keep all snacks together in a big zip loc baggie so they are easy to find when you need them.
- My son got bored with his sippy cup, but he loved drinking out of the bottled water that I bought at the airport. That was a lifesaver! I also bought a drinkable yogurt at the airport and put it in a sippy cup with a straw, which worked pretty well too.
- Check as much as you can so that you are only carrying the things you really need -- diapers, toys, snacks, phone and wallet. It will make things much easier.
Good luck!
magna doodle
dvd player
toy cars
snacks(nothing liquid though)bananas and apples work great!
I bring empty sippie cups so when the stuartess bring beverages around I can pour my daughters into her cup or she'll spill with all the bumps and turbulence and she's 6.
When they say if your traveling with small children you can board first that is nice,BUT... that means your stuck sitting longer on the plane. I started boarding last to let my daughter get her wiggles out and not be confined.
Change his diaper at the last minute before they start boarding.
Might want to bring extra set of clothing in the diaper bag. My daugher has been spilled on by other passengers TWICE! Coffee and pop and she was very upset being 6 years old I didn't have a spare outfit with.
Bring a small stroller like a umbrella stroller and you can check it right before you board at the gate so you can use it throughout the airport.
Having his own seat will be a lifesaver!
Don't forget to take a picture of his first airplane ride. Most kids aren't afraid of flying they don't quite get it and have no idea their in a moving flying airplane. My daughter thinks it's all fun and games.
My two young daughters (2 and 4) love to do sticker books, so we bought new ones that they did not see until on the airplane. It kept them occupied for quite a while. You could get some in a theme your son enjoys. I think it's a good idea to get some things your son has never seen/played with before. Since your son likes books you could check out some books from the library that he hasn't read before. Bring some snacks as well.
Speaking as a fellow passenger, do not bring any toys with annoying noises! Have something that will make him swallow during take off to help with air pressure changes and if he is sick with an ear-infection, don't even bother to go. You will both be miserable and so will the rest of the plane!
Our DVD player is my best friend on flights. We aren't a big tv kind of family but I put no limits on watching on the plane. Borrow one if you dont have one. It will make your life so much easier.
