We've been travelling with kids since Small Sun's adoption was finalized at 7 months old. I am pretty sure his first trip to Holland was around one year old, but we flew to California and then took a road trip long before that.
It seems that many families are daunted when it comes to flying with kids for the first time. Being in a dual-national marriage, travelling with kids has always been a given, and we've learned how to do it well over time.
Our kids are now 3, 5, and 7* and I am feeling very comfortable with travelling together at this point. My only concern for tomorrow is that Finch is sick with a fever and headcold, but we're armed with panadol, the thermometer, and lots of things to make him comfortable, so it is the best we can do!
Success in flying with kids comes down to TWO things - snacks, and activities. I try to have plenty of both. Here are some tips, and a peak at our preparations the night before a big trip.
I try to keep things mostly healthy, but add in some special things as well. Individual packets are bad on the environment, but more likely to make it through security. I have rarely had trouble bringing packaged food and even drinks through security when travelling long distances with children. The U.S. is more strict than anywhere else I've been.
The lollies are for takeoff and landing, and meltdown emergencies. All is fair up in the air!
I am so glad my kids are finally big enough to listen to chapter books! We're reading The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, as well as Jip and Janneke. UNO, Snap, and some matching games are good, as well as a little car building kit and modeling clay (that might not make it through security, we'll see). Playdoh, bluetak, plasticine, and clay are all great for long trips!
Books have to be lightweight, and time consuming. I've packed a variety of activity books, finding books (spot things, and Where's Waldo are great), small info-rich books (about cars, insects, etc), and a felt picture book.
When travelling, ziploc baggies are your best friend! I fill sandwich sized bags with a variety of toys and I control when they come out. Here I have two bags of lego, vehicles, and ocean animals. Successful travelling is all about staying ahead of the meltdown or boredom which can quickly lead to a meltdown with tired, disoriented kids.
I've also brought dinosaurs as my kids have been watching The Land Before Time and acting it out every day. Lastly, jump ropes. The big kids have been jumping at school and it is a great way to burn off some energy in the airport without running all over the place.
Each child's bag also has pajamas, and spare socks and undies. We carry their toothbrushes.
For our kids, the most exciting thing is PRESENTS! I started the tradition of going to the dollar store and buying a bunch of little odds and ends. Little notebooks, pencils, plastic animals or toys, basically things that you won't mind them losing on the plane. Again, staying ahead of the meltdown, any time I can see trouble brewing I whip out PRESENTS! The kids all get the same thing, and the wrapping just takes up more time. Stickers, gum, yoyos, whatever! They've already been asking me "do we get plane presents mom?" They love it.
We try to communicate clearly ahead of time, which plane rides will be awake rides, and which will be sleep rides. Tomorrow we will have a nine hour flight (awake! games! food!), a 6ish hour layover (dinner, pjs, sleeping on the airport floor with their special cuddlies), and then a 13 hour flight (sleep). Knowing when they can play, and when they are expected to sleep helps them actually do that on the plane.
So there you have it. We're packed and ready to go!
My last nugget of wisdom - if your flight is longer than six hours, don't wear mascara, it's never worth it!
*For travelling with babies, my biggest recommendation is to reserve the bassinet seat! It took me years to find out that there are special bassinet seats on the plane. Literally, the most important thing when travelling long distances with a baby! Also for babies, nursing/bottle feeding, or giving a pacifier at take off and landing will do so much to help the pressure on the baby's ear drums as the altitude changes.
In my opinion, the months when your child wants to crawl everywhere or start walking and exploring, and can't yet understand that they have to stay in the seat is the hardest. That season might be a couple months or a year and you can try to avoid travelling during that time if you child is really challenging to keep in one place!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for this post! My husband and I are taking two toddlers to Europe this year and we're bewildered by how to prepare. These tips will surely come in handy. Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!
Posted by: Keturah | 25 June 2012 at 12:48 AM