What to do with a 18 month old on a plane??? HELP!!!

[Twinkie1]

We are off on hols next Sat - 2 hour plane ride with DD who is nearly 6 and well travelled and fine but with DS too his time - we been on hols withhi bu always driven to BILs place in France or on Eurostar but we decided to bite the bullet and go away somewhere lovely and warm - I am just dreading the flight though - DS walked before he was 10 months and doesn't stop for more than 3 minutes I would say.

What am I going to do with him on a plane - we are going to buy a portable DVD player so hopefully we can get him to watch TTTEngine (thats what makes him stay still for 3 minutes!!) but other than investing in some sort of knock out potion I have no idea how to keep him happy!!

Any ideas ladies????

Grin and bear it.
I will be doing it alone with a 21 mth old and a 5 year old in 2 weeks as have done plenty in the past.
It's awful,really awful.

Well thats a great relief than!!!

I'm giving it to you straight kiddo!
(Lotso f good tips inarchives though!)

You'll be fine. I've done lots of flying with mine, some of it on my own & occasionally its had hellish moments, but mostly not too bad. Your ds will love looking out the window at all the aeroplanes and my ds always enjoyed looking at the safety card in the back of the seats.
I always take a bag full of small new activities that they've never seen before. Doesn't have to cost much, go to Asda or a pound shop. A notepad, a few pens, small pots of playdoh, stickers etc etc. Take lots of nibbley things to eat & drink too.
I've never had a portable DVD player & other than a few grim moments, its not been too bad at all.

IME, 18 months has been the worst time to fly!! However, we did it with DS2 at that at and all survived the 8 hour flight to Florida so it's not all doom and gloom :o You'll be fine on a short flight. Ask on check in if the flight is full - they may allocat you an odd arrangement of seats - in our case with just DS1 we got window and aisle seats with the middle one left unallocated - no one got allocated this seat and DS1 got to sit in it free of charge. If it had been allocated, we would just have swapped seats.

Failing that, Medised or Piriton are good!

We've flown with the DSs at all other ages and they've been fine. I think 18 months or so was the peak of Can't Sit Won't Sit.

we flew with my dd1 at around this age, and took loads of sticker books, if that helps?

DD was 16 and 18 months when we flew to the UK last year (2 back to back 12 hours flights )
Tips ... Staying within the rules of health and safety obviously just let them do what they want ... on a two hour flight, by the time you have taken off (that bit is a pain as you have to keep them belted up), had a walk around the plane, had something to eat, had another walk up and down the plane, gone to the loo a couple of times to change his nappy, it will be time for landing ...
I wouldn't bother with toys etc ... maybe a little car to push around the tray and a couple of books.
As Moondog says, just grin and bear it ...

nursery rhyme books, dd loved stories.
Small activities you don't mind losing under seats.
2 hours will fly by.

I'm flying with my two who are 3 and 20 months by myself to the States (8 hour flight). DVD player is a great investment - you can pop in their favourite DVD. DS2 loves baby einstein and will be glued to that for a good hour or so. I always buy a few new books and some sticker books for them.

On the plane there is usually lots of interesting things for them. On long haul flights you get the eye masks, toothbrushes, etc. which they love. Also the headphones are interesting for them...especially at 18 months! Can't figure out where the sound is coming from.

Good luck!!