What should I pack to keep baby occupied on the plane?

[Linnet]

So, we're down to 10 days and counting, actually 9 days and counting as I see it's after midnight, until we go on our dream holiday to Florida that we have saved for years and years to go on.

I've organised everything, I have lists coming out of my ears but...

I have no idea what to pack to keep dd2, who's 16 months old, occupied on the plane.

I need suggestions, please???

It's terrible it's as if I have no more brain space left to think about this and everytime I try my mind goes blank. It's a 9 hour flight and I know that for most of it she's going to be parading about the plane introducing herself to everyone, she's very chatty, and hopefully she will sleep for an hour, two if we're really lucky.

can some well travelled mums please give me ideas?

stuff you don't mind loosing

wrap each one up in cheap wrapping paper

one pressie per hour

A glove puppet worked well for DS when he went to canada for 1st time aged 1 year

It was furry tigger lots of play value, didn't loseb that though still have it

Linnett

Done a lot of travelling with ds2 who is now 20 months went to Dubai when he was 16 months, that was about 9 hours I think. A lot depends on what time you?re travelling and how you?re travelling. All the flights before Dubai had been charter, but Dubai was an evening flight and we were given a ?Sky Crib? which was ?hung? on the front and ds1 could lie down in it.

We take a whole bag full of his favourite books, cars and favourite soft toy. The worse bit is nappy changing time. It?s not too bad actually, other passengers have always been quite helpful

Good luck

And most importantly....bribes

chocolate buttons or raisens whatever work!!!

And lots of fluid

Hi Linnet,
I always find the re-usable stickers very helpful - you can get them in cheap activity/sticker books from WH Smith or Sainsburys, they are like vinyl and peel off easily. We stick them all over plane windows, tray tables etc.

I also do the same as RTKM and wrap up lots of cheap toys from Woollies, just little bits to keep them busy for a while. I agree about puppets - we always take our finger puppets on the plane and usually lose one down a seat somewhere!

Take some bits of food such as bananas, cubes of cheese, plain biscuits. Depending on the airline the food for children can be poor. I usually take a couple of 'lift the flap' books too. Hope this helps and have a lovely holiday.

Hi Linnet,

Agree with the others - definitely wrap up lots of little things, the wrapping keeps them occupied. Stickers are great too and lift-the-flap/touchy-feely/activity books.

Take more clothes & nappies than you think you'll need - things get spilt easily. And extra food.

At that age I found the humming of the engine, combined with a cuddle & a bottle at take-off would send DD to sleep. I've got my fingers crossed for you!

Have a great flight, and enjoy your trip to Florida.
Take a bottle for take-off and landing too.

Take some lollipops or something to suck for the change in air pressure.

Oh, sorry, just checked age!!

Don't know if your DD is food-obsessed like my DD (14mths), but I find that a good hard apple or pear keeps her munching quietly for ages.

Lots of small snacks - friend swore by tiny marmite sandwiches when she took a 1 yr old on her own to NY.

you can try popping her head up over the seats and hoping some friendly person on the other side will think it's cute to keep chatting to them! sometimes that can last all journey (the poor people probably regret it but the child is happy).

we take plasticine. finger puppets.

We get a few new paper books from charity shop which can be tussled and dribbled over and then you can ditch them at the other end, rather than one or two "nice" board toddler books.

We get comics for DS

lots of stories and pictures and games for older ones

And cheap so if they get damaged or lost no problem {we have never lost any though}