three4me Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 We're going out of town in a couple weeks and the flight is about 4.5 hours. I've brought my kids on airplanes before but it's been a while, and I'm looking for some suggestions for keeping them happy and occupied. I'm not too worried about the 4.5yo, but not sure about the 2.5yo. We'll obviously pack snacks and coloring things, but what other things kept your kids happy on the airplane at those ages? Part of me wants to think "less is more" but I'd hate to not bring much and then have them going crazy. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Bendaroos! Best thing ever - they stick to the fold- down tray without making a mess. We took them on a flight to Germany and the kids played with them almost the entire way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 A good kids movie can keep them happy for a couple hours - Finding Nemo was a favorite for dd11 when flying. Bring them a blanket too and you might luck out with a nap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetPea Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I used to always pick up "cling placemats" from chick-fil-a to cover the tray table. They then would get new playdough and some new small toy (matchbox car, etc.) Lots of snacks! Fun foods that you don't normally give them. What airline? Some have tv shows inflight which my boys love. Bring your own headsets and many times it's free watching at least tv on Delta is free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 STICKERS and a book to put them in! I had a book DS could take the stickers off of and put in a different place, but honestly? He almost never did. He just took TONS of stickers off their paper (or had me do it. I don't remember when he started being able to do it himself) and put them in the book in random places. You can use pipe cleaners instead of bendaroos. Different kinds of snacks (Small boxes of cereal were PERFECT.) I took a LOT of different things. And some stuff simply was not that useful. The stickers got the most use. Other things I had: plastic animals, books to look at, small cars, magnetic toys, a silk cloth for playing peekaboo with, a stuffed animal for loving on and hopefully falling asleep with! I focused on taking stuff that was easily replaced/I didn't care if it disappeared because in an airplane, stuff that falls to the ground may get lost. I used the zippered bags you buy at school supply time to put different toys in and then pulled out one bag at a time. I know other families have wrapped up toys to take on the plane. Unwrapping the toy takes up time. (though also makes mess) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 duplicate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freckles Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 We flew to Germany from Austin when my girls were 3.5 and 1.5 years old. As well as snacks, "blankies", and their "babies", I packed surprise dollar store toys in my carry on. Every hour or so I would bring out a new toy they had never played with before. It ranged from little plastic toys to a new coloring book or story book. Good luck on your journey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Ordinary things that they do not normally get to play with are great. A few of the ridiculous things that worked for ds2 when we flew to Australia (about an 8hr flight, if I remember correctly) was a stick of lip balm, rolls of sticky tape, band aids with pictures on, and a toothbrush and toothpaste. We also make good use of a small mp3 player (with speaker, not headphones) that he could listen to music on (set maximum volume beforehand). He liked holding it and pressing buttons, the music was an added bonus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I used to go to a cheap toy shop and spend money on lots of very cheap toys (packs of many are cheaper). Then I would wrap each one individually. You need at least nine for that length of flight. Unwrapping takes as long/is as much fun as the toys. My boys didn't in general get many presents, so plane trips were a big celebration. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I second (third?) coloring, snacks, stickers, hot wheels, playdough, bendaroos, and reading reading reading. Blanket (it can get cold on planes), sippy cup with juice (empty through security, buy the juice afterwards). Even if your kid is old enough for a regular cup, the sippies prevent spills due to turbulence or jostling. We call them airplane cups now (DD is 5). Our last trip I packed new My Little Pony ponies for DD and brought them out when she reached her limit and we still had a few hours to go. Saved the day. What I do NOT recommend is any toy that makes noise. You'll drive fellow passengers crazy, if not yourself, and your LO may have to turn it up beyond reasonable levels to hear it over the engines. Plus, electronic items have to be turned off and stowed for take off and landing - that could cause a tantrum just when you don't need one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 We did a 27 hour plane ride with a 2.5 yo this last summer... Twice. What saved us: -her car seat -snacks -an iPad loaded with fun apps and episodes of Blues Clues -Benadryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delaney Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Lollipops are great for a treat and keeping them quiet! I like the present every so often as well. Heck I would go as far as wrapping them to make it take longer to get to them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 If you want to use Benadryl with a little one, I'd check its affect BEFORE the flight. It wires some kids up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 New toys the children have never seen. Pop them out one by one as things get restless. If you have kids who might want to fight over it, get two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAIMOM Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Some of our favorites were the glow sticks from the dollar store. I think they come 6 for a $1. You can make necklaces and crowns with them or wind threm through your shoe laces...I saved these for last as they were always a favorite. Gummie Bears!!!! My kids would sort them according to color and then eat them. One trip my 4 year old pulled on tight and said "look mom boobs" --- ah the memories..lol Ring pops take a while to eat and I only give them as a treat so they were a hit. chap stick is a great one I would put it in my carry on so I could pull out a new item as needed. The kids has a little backpack they had snacks and favorite toys in but when those were no longer keeping their interest I had things I pulled out for them. Lace cards worked well too. Have fun on your trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 We took our 2 year old with us to Paris in May. She was completely happy in her carseat with an iPad and headphones. She played games and watched Sesame Street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
three4me Posted November 29, 2012 Author Share Posted November 29, 2012 Thanks for all the ideas! I knew I could count on all of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poiema Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Instead of Benadryl we used Calm Forte for kids. It's homeopathic. We buy it at Sprouts but I have seen it at Target as well. We brought Color Wonder pens and coloring books to keep them entertained with no mess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Stickers are the best! On our last flight we had sticker books with various scenes. They ate up tons of time, and they took up very little room in the carry on. We used the iPad once he was really starting to get antsy and tired (7.5 hr flight). He had kid size headphones so he could hear without bothering everyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Um. Don't go? :) I'm just kidding, kinda'! We flew with my dd last year. 6 am flight. Detroit to LA. My dd's first comment (very loudly), "What if we crash!? What if we DIE!?" It went downhill from there. She gets motion sick and was absolutely miserable. Her ears hurt like crazy. She was SCREAMING abuot it all. Ugh. I promised her that if she stopped, we'd take her to the American Girl store in LA and get her a doll (her first). We were going to get her one for Christmas anyway. But, I needed something, anything to stop the screaming!!!! It worked. So, bribery. That's all I got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Two of my kids were born in Germany. We lived there a total of 5 years. We lived in Hawaii for 3 years. We are from Oklahoma and Texas. So, lots of long plane rides for us. I mostly agree with the others. My M.O.? Wake them up really early. Feed them a huge breakfast. Give them Dramamine right before getting on the plane (two of mine get motion sick on planes without it-one of those has never been sick in a car or on a boat). Have stuff for them to do when they wake up. Sticker books, coloring book and puzzles that come in a box worked best for us. Tell them about the goodies you got for the plane, but do not let them play with them at all beforehand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Oh yeah, more recently iPads and such have worked wonders. We didn't have those back when my kids were little, LOL.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 Our flights offered TV with many channels to chose from. That was a hit iwth our kids and WELL worth the added cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 iPad. Treats. We used to open one new treat or toy every hour of the flight. Works like magic. Plus, you can threaten that the next treat/toy won't be forthcoming if they're misbehaving. So...I'm going with threats and bribery, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkd Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 I agree with Laura's tips. We also brought a travel magnadoodle. Silly putty and Play Doh are no longer allowed on flights. Chewy foods (fruit leather etc.) help their ears handle the pressure changes. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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