You’re planning your summer vacation and really want to go overseas but you’re worried about flying with the kids. Nothing is worse than being exhausted on a plane when the kids start acting up, so you need to provide some ways to settle them down, so that you won’t be worn out when you arrive at your destination.
Take Precautions
If you have young children make sure you have some pull ups and spare clothes with you, even if your child is toilet trained. Delays on the runway and long haul flights can lead to accidents and you want to make sure you are both feeling fresh when you arrive, so make sure you also take plenty of wet wipes.
Make the Most of Early Boarding
Parents with small children get to board before the other passengers. Take advantage of this and get your child settled in before the other passengers start crowding on board. This will give you time to seat your child comfortably and give her something to occupy her mind while you get yourself and your carry-on luggage sorted out.
Take Activities
You can’t expect your child to amuse herself during a long flight, so make sure you have plenty of things for her to do in case she doesn’t sleep. Take several books that you can read together. Download the Coloring Book for Me & Mandala to your mobile device. You can learn more about it here. Puzzle books are great fun for older kids. If you are traveling with more than one child, take some games that they can play together, like cards or checkers.
Load Up With Snacks
Odds are that your child won’t want to eat an airplane meal, so make sure you are armed with plenty of snacks and drinks. Think slices of fresh fruit, small cookies, cereal, gummy bears, goldfish, animal crackers, and chocolate raisins.
Take a Treasured Friend
Take along your child’s favorite soft toy. It may be the only fix if your child is starting to have a meltdown. Keep it as a last resort and only bring it out if all else fails. Make sure that it doesn’t get lost in transit. You can also bring a surprise. Wrap up a new toy, kids love opening presents.
Prepare for Air Pressure
Make sure you have enough juice or water for your kids to drink right before takeoff and about 30 minutes before starting descent. This will help keep them hydrated and swallowing also helps to alleviate the discomfort of air pressure changes.
Other Essentials:
- Gallon size Ziploc bags: for garbage and soiled clothes.
- Hand sanitizer: to keep germs at bay.
- A damp washcloth: for messy accidents.
- Medicine: in case your child has an upset tummy during the flight.
Keep these tips in mind when you’re flying with kids, so you won’t be frazzled when you reach your vacation spot. Your journey will be over in no time.
Anthony Murray shares his parenting tips with an online audience, sharing boredom busters for the kids, as well as the adults.
