Longhaul to Singapore and the Australia

[notyummy]

So lots of flights booked. We are very excited! But neither DH nor I....let alone 5 year old DD...have ever flown that far before. Could I please have your top tips for entertaining children of that age for that long?? I obviously have some ideas, but any dos and dont's from seasoned long haulers would be really appreciated!

Bump

(Oh and title should read then Australia... )

Firstly the inflight entertainment is your friend as lots of tv and films (and games) for kids . Also order a kids meal as more snacky and easy to eat.

Stock up on treats/drinks as although you can get stuff off stewards , dont underestimate the power of chocolate buttons.

Little comics/toys from them / sticker books are good (I start stockpiling sometime in advance and have one new comic/cheap poundshop toy per flight).

If you have or can borrow iPad/iPhone/ds that wiill really help (if dc into that).

Make sure they have comfy clothes (and a change) and favourite comforter - treat that like your purse (dh had nightmare when left dsd favourite toy on a flight).

If you are travelling at night that helps as longer can sleep better

Try to stay up if you can when you get there so don't do go to bed early/ wake early thing (some jetlag inevitable). Fresh air/ swimming good as jetlag helped by exercise .

Have you a few hours in Changi airport?
If so, yuo can swim there.
It's possibly the nicest airport in the world.

Longhaul with small kids is grim but with a 5 year old it is tolerable.
Who are you going with?
Emirates have best entertainment.

Going with Quantas as doing a lot of internal flights so the package was much cheaper.

Will be stopping I Singapore for 2 nights on the way out and 3 on the way back.

Thanks for the thoughts so far.

Singapore a zoo a must as has fantastic water park .

The internal flights have fairly limited entertainment or food so best to eat before/take snacks .

I've not been to Singapore for about 8 years but hear that it has changed loads since then. A friend went there on the way back from Japan and said the buildings were crazy - something like a "hotdog" building. I don't know but I wish it was me that was going! :)

Wish we had stopped in Singapore on return journey, 8hrs Sydney-Singapore, 13hrs Singapore-London with British Airways, never again will try Emirates or Singapore Airlines next time.

Wrap up lots of little toys and present one each time you feel it is required!!!

Books are not much good as the lights are often dimmed and its really hard to see the words and speak loud enough!

Don't take anything with little bits, everything falls on the floor and its hard to retrieve anything without braining yourself on the chair in front.

I always take frozen sandwiches. They thaw out slowly so seem "fresh" and are a welcome alternative to all the processed food and snacks you end up getting.

Take a change of clothes for YOU. My kids usually stay clean and spill their dinner on me instead. Oh, and baby wipes.

Also, I take a thermal cup and my own supply of tea bags and coffee sachets, that way I can have a cuppa whenever I feel like it (they will fill up with water in the galley any time) and the lid on the cup means I am not freaking about spilling boiling drink on my family.

Thanks all!