Flight with toddlers

[FlightFright]

We're going on our first family holiday abroad soon. It's a 3.5hr flight with a 3 year old and 18 month old. I'm a bit anxious as it's their first time on a plane so not sure how they'll be. It's an early morning flight so they will either sleep part of the way or be overtired and... Well, we all know what overtired toddlers are like 🤯 I intend to take an ipad, colouring book and snacks for our eldest but worry that our youngest will be really restless as he won't have a seat of his own and will be stuck on our laps.

Can anyone who has flown with a child this age give me an tips or suggestions on how to keep them occupied or more than 5 minutes?

I’d be more worried about their ears, so take a drink or something to chew for take off and landing.

We took our 18 month old on a similar length flight and she was brilliant. Watched some iPad, played with some fidget type toys, ate some snacks, had a little nap and just played with us on our laps and engaged with some Nana and Grandads in the seat behind who were delighted to play boo with her etc. I also found that my anxiety about how other passengers would be was misplaced, everyone was lovely. We had an autistic child in our group who had a difficult flight, and again other passengers were lovely and asked how they could help, and someone even brought his parents a coffee each! Have a nice holiday OP

Screen with headphones for the younger one too. Even if their attention span is quite short it’s still worth it because it’s 15 minutes of peace while they watch Cocomelon then you can do something else with them. Practice with the headphones before you go so they’re happy to wear them. Mine also likes those pop it toys, scribbling with chunky crayons and I would always take a freezer bag of duplo bricks to stack. Plus lots of snacks. If he has a dummy at bedtime then I’d give that for take off/landing to help with ears, or even the whole flight if it keeps him quiet. Lots of snacks. It’ll be fine, it’s only 3 hours!

I flew to Australia with a three year old and 20 month old. No iPads back then! The were both fine, but both had been on a few planes before. First flight was overnight and I assumed they would both sleep but the toddler only slept a little.
I still remember his little face when we landed in Singapore. He looked so excited and said 'have we landed' and I said yes but we have to run and catch another flight (our first flight had been delayed). His face fell... so sweet poor thing.

Living a 7-8 hour flight away, so often had to fly with mine when they were very little.
Be sure to take an easily accessible change of clothes for each, because you can absolutely guarantee that one or other will wet themselves/spill a drink down themselves (or you*) and/or smear food over themselves/you.
*So a spare top for yourself is good, too.

We fly a lot - 13 hours each way. We just got back from doing that trip with our 3yo and our 18mo.

I like to make flying an event for them so they have special clothes which are their "flight clothes" (just some pyjamas that they only wear on the plane), they each get to choose a snack and a magazine at the airport to have on the plane (the 18mo doesn't really appreciate this yet). The magazines always come with stickers and a toy so that's that sorted, although I do normally buy them each a little gift and wrap it up. Some downloaded videos keep the 3yo entertained for ages and the 18mo for short bursts. Practice with headphones beforehand if they're not ok with soundless videos. Extra leg room seats are great with a lap baby but of course you can't be in an exit row.

I flew to Australia with a three year old and 20 month old. No iPads back then!
They presumably would have had entertainment screens on the plane? I don’t know how old yours are but TV/films was always the main source of entertainment on the plane when I was a kid so really it hasn’t changed that much, short haul is just BYO screen now.

Flew a lot when mine were similar ages as we lived abroad.

Spare clothes for everyone. Like 2 or more sets. Yourself included. Pack extra nappies, and then pack a few more!

Ipad definitely, and headphones for older one. Water wow colouring books. Board books with flaps etc for you to read. Little toys (pref not too small!). Chunky stickers or those window cling things.

All the snacks. Nothing too messy like chocolate, but stuff that takes a while to eat.

Dummy/bottle/sippy cup/lollipop - pick as needed for takeoff and landing to help with ears. Beware the air pressure on cups etc as it’ll all squirt out.

take some calpol just in case!

Oh another tip - don't board the plane until last. Minimise waiting time on the plane. It can take 30 mins for everyone to get on, so wait as long as possible. I sent DH on the plane first so he could get the bags in the locker, and the right things into the seat nets like iPad etc. Then I kept DD walking around until the last people were boarding, and was able to just sit down with her rather than faff about with bags etc.

Snacks, screens, a lot of enthusiasm for what you can see out the window/on the plane and yes, always board last! You don’t want a squirming toddler on your lap for longer than absolutely necessary!

Thanks everyone. Hadn't considered a change of clothes for myself so will add that to the list.

I recently flew to Dubai with my then 15 month old. I was absolutely dreading it as she doesn't sit still. Some top tips I was given was give lots of new snacks, lots of different containers. Someone board first in priority boarding to get the area ready, toys and snacks prepared etc then someone else stays and keeps the kids occupied then bring them on last. TV, reusable sticker books and colouring books were great. We had a few walks around.

She slept for 45 mins before we got on the plane and then didn't again for 15 hours, I couldn't believe it but she was absolutely fine. Didn't make a fuss and actually was so delightful when we checked into the hotel they upgraded our room. It deffo wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be!

I also brought some Ella smoothie pouches for take off/landing as I wasn't sure if she'd want a bottle at that time of day. It worked out well!

A sticker book, or a supply of stickers and a plastic document holder to peel and re-stick over and over!

My children are the same age and have flown twice this year. I took them same things for my eldest and for my youngest I took a busy book, a no mess colouring pack, fidget toys and our old fire tablet with some baby friend cartoons downloaded, but to be honest he was really good and fell asleep for most of the 4 hour flight.

I've flown with children this age, longer flights, but not alone - will you have someone else with you? If so, I'd say be prepared to take turns just walking up and down the aisles with your 18 month old while the other person stays with the older child. If not, all three of you may have to do lots of walking/ exploring/ hanging out at the back of the plane. Sticker books and etch-a-sketch (is that what they're called?) both worked well for my kids from a young age, though I wouldn't bother packing much else to entertain them (other than the tablet, of course, though my kids weren't that interested in it at 18 months - better for the older kid). You'll have enough to keep an eye on/ carry. Do bring lots of snacks, as the airline prob won't provide much for a flight this short. Don't expect either child to sleep. Then, if they do, it's a fab bonus. And definitely bring a change of clothes for everyone, including yourself. I speak from bitter experience. But in all honesty it's always been absolutely fine. People have almost universally been lovely, and my kids have been generally incredibly well-behaved - the novelty, I think, it's entertainment in itself just being on a plane. Good luck. It'll be fine, and it'll be worth it!

When mine were younger, we took books, colouring in books & crayons, the little etch a sketch boards. Wrapped them up so they had the excitement of unwrapping as well, kept them quiet 😊

Raisins are good - you can slowly dispense 1 at a time to keep them busy ever so slightly longer. We always had some favorite books and some new ones. They might be too young to be excited by a magazine from the airport shop. Maybe a new, little toy?

Recently flew with a toddler and she was delightful. I was so anxious as was her first flight, was thinking of logistics, what to pack etc etc. but she was so good it made me feel bad for stressing. Our flight was early morning too, she had some breakfast, watched some iPad but slept most of the time. Had one toilet trip for a nappy change and that was it. She was happy to sit in her seat as was a novelty.

I had packed all sorts of activity books and snacks etc which never got used on the plane but guess it just depends on what kind of child you have and luck of their mood on the day!

Snacks snacks snacks snacks time consuming hard to eat snacks.

We used to put dry rice crispies on a plate to keep them occupied.

At 18mths we did a 5 hr flight - cbeebies on dad's phone and a 13hr flight - lots of walking up and down with him and trying to make barriers with our legs to stop him leaving the space in front of our seats where we had toys on the floor.
3.5hrs will be over in no time. You'll barely get the sticker book out.

When I was that age the films were on a big screen that came down at the front of the cabin and everyone craned their head slightly to watch it. On long flight one of the films would be a kids film but usually you just watched whatever had recently finished at the cinema but not yet come out on video.

Die Hard didn't really keep an 18 month old's attention.

I flew to California with 18 month old twins ( day time flight ) ; and did another long haul flight ( 13 hours night time ) when they were two. No iPads or anything then! Honestly I had been worrying about both flights but it was fine . You could take a few very tiny toys for them to unwrap at intervals to keep them busy . Yes the ears popping can be an issue - I just gave them something to suck on ( I can’t remember what ).
However these days with an iPad and films etc 3.5 hours will be easy to keep them amused.
My twins were actually super excited on the flight and were more interested in everything going on and generally the flight attendants have always been very helpful. The only issue we had was that one of the carriers only returned our buggy at the luggage belt - and it is a long walk carrying hand luggage and potentially two tired little ones so check out what your airline will do . Also make sure pack plenty of extra snacks and nappies just in case there are delays . Our twins club had lots of stories of makeshift nappies and hungry toddlers around so no way was I going to make that mistake. Good luck

Talking about one screen entertainment for the whole plane brings me way back. Flew a lot in the 70s , 80s when there were no security restrictions, no luggage limits , free food presented with knives and forks , sweets handed out before take off to help with ears . And for the children? Travel sickness syrup to make them sleep !!😨