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Original poster

4 year old and 3 year old on long haul - do we let them have their own wheeled bags. tips for surviving?

12 replies

doobydo · 13/02/2011 21:22

we are off on a long haul flight overnight with a stop over in the middle of the night in dubai for 2 hours. was thinking i should get the kids their own pull along luggage bags to take on but i dont want to have to pull them myself if they get bored. what advice for travel please?

OP posts:

kahlua4me · 13/02/2011 21:25

We let the kids take their own rucksacks with toys etc. that way I can carry them if need be. We let them fill them, with supervision, so they get a good range of things to occupy them! And I usually put a new comic and a new toy in to surprise them once on the plane.
Seems to work out well.

WhensBedtime · 13/02/2011 21:28

I'd say get them. The kids will absolutely love having their own bags. Makes it easy to keep all their toys/snugglies/other assorted stuff on the journey.

BUT be prepared that after the longhaul flight, when they are shattered, they probably won't want to lug them through the airport and you'll be doing it! Hope the trip goes well.

Horton · 13/02/2011 21:33

Own bags is good, but if you can sort it so the bags are small enough for you to chuck in a foldable holdall/shopping bag that you can keep in your own carry on luggage, it will make your life MUCH easier. By which I mean don't get one of those Trunki things. A small rucksack will be fine.

Also, the very best tip I ever got from anyone about long haul flights was on another forum where someone suggested taking a bag of tiny wrapped pieces of plastic tat/biscuits/sweets/crayons etc. Let them open one every time they get bored but not more often than once an hour or so. Also, a child of under five can often be (happily) silenced for a good half hour by a lolly, IME. And taking them to brush their teeth afterwards will be very exciting. Plane loos are great for tinies. Mine seems to love them, bizarrely.

RachelHRD · 13/02/2011 21:49

We haven't done long haul but bought a Trunki for DS(3)last year for our summer holiday and it was great. He enjoyed pulling it along and sitting on it when he was tired and we were stuck in queues. If you have to carry it for them at any point they have shoulder straps so are fairly easy to carry,

WhensBedtime · 16/02/2011 21:17

Agree with Horton, plane loos are always great for killing a bit of time. They are inexplicably intriguing to children!

kys · 18/02/2011 14:32

my ds is 6 and for the last 4 yrs ive let him take his own little case. I fill it like a xmas stocking, snacks, new little toys, colouring, books etc. He's not allowed to open until we're on the plane. He loves it and it starts the holiday lovely. We've done flights from 4hrs to 12hrs and its been fine.

WeeBitWobbly · 21/02/2011 13:41

Only take the bags if you know they will help carry/pull along.
Otherwise another bag for you to carry and I'm sure your hands will be full anyway.

Definitely recommend booking into one of the airport lounges in Dubai - google this. Not that expensive and you get a clean area with food/ toilets which is all contained so they can have a bit of freedowm without you worrying too much about them. You might even get time to sit down and ahve a cup of tea. (don't have to change money over as its paid in advance)
Other advantage is that if plane is delayed you have somewhere to stay until the start boarding.

PowderMum · 21/02/2011 20:26

When our DD were around that age they had little pull along cases, eldest DD always pulled hers, youngest always refused or made such a mess of it we carried it. As me and DH always took back packs it was never a problem as they were quite light.

As a tip I had the toys and games in bags and would just get one out at a time and then change over when they were bored. Also I always took snacks that they liked as they often refused airplane food.

In fact DD14 still hardly eats on a plane, but now its her choice and she is not a fussy eater, just doesn't like to eat while flying.

Booking into the lounge in Dubai is a great idea.

Backinthebox · 26/02/2011 14:31

Trunkis were the only thing which saved our sanity when a group of us were delayed for 24 hrs in Gatwick last year. Toddler Trunki races occupies the children AND grumbling father too! What's not to like?

Earlybird · 26/02/2011 15:24

Pardon my ignorance - but, what is a trunki?

Stillchuckingit · 26/02/2011 16:28

here!

ChippyMinton · 27/02/2011 16:25

DD has a small backpack with wheels which is easy to manage. And can be kept under her seat, saves all the faffing with overhead lockers, and she can dip into herself.

I add a goody bag of snacks - sweet and savoury cereal bars, fruit flakes, sweeties etc., new book, coloring stuff. Mine are a bit older so they have mp3 players and nintendo ds, but tbh the seat-back tv kept them busy. It is worth taking headphones, as the plane ones tend to be too big or uncomfortable (take some for yourself too). And they loved the toothbrushes, socks and blankets. Take favourite teddy (add a luggage label!) and some groovy pyjamas to change into. And something easy for feet like crocs or sandals.

Lollies are good for ears on take-off/landing.

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