Tips for long haul flight with 1yr old

[GirlWithTheMouseyHair]

We're going home (UK) from California for Christmas...10/11hour flight. All the flights we've done til now have been with DS (now4) easily entertaining himself and DD from newborn, so always breastfed and stationary.

Now she's 1, into everything, doesn't sit still, no longer BF....any tips for how to entertain her?? I know all the usual flying tips (drinking on take off and landing, sling to get the to sleep, minimal hand luggage but several changes of clothes!) but not how to deal with a roaming toddler.

Overnight flight (argh) but she's a terrible sleeper at the best of times. She has a couple of books which always entertain her for 5-10mins so will hide them a from a few days before flying. Trouble is she just wants to be walked everywhere all the time!

Oh...and I have to do the return flights sans DH with both DC in feb...

I've flown to Australia on my own twice with two infants. It's not a barrel of laughs but it will be fine.

Don't take more stuff than you can manage. I took a buggy and then I couldn't push a trolley. I don't know what I was thinking!

Say yes to everything. Yes I will read you a story, yes you can have a banana, yes you can watch tv.

If you have an ipad you can get lots of apps that will entertain a 1y old. We've done several Long haul flights with DS (now 20m) and it was a life saver once he grew out of the bf to sleep stage. Also your dd is unfortunately going to be too large for the bassinet, so may be worth not getting a bulkhead seat so the arms can go up and she can stretch out across you and DH to sleep. savoy I am in awe of you travelling long haul with two infants by yourself. I'm having to plan our travel around dh's work as I'm too scared to! Please share how you did it.

Thankfully we have a seat for her (DH work are paying ) so even though I doubt she'll sit in it, it'll give us more room. We do have an iPad, weirdly DS who is normally addicted to it only uses it for 30 mins on flights - app ideas please!!!

I would still book a bulkhead seat, as it would give you the option of putting the 'carseat thing' on the table dd to sleep in. We went to Miami with BA and it was great. Also if you don't want to use it you get extra leg room so dd can sit in front of seat on the floor, stretch her legs, build a camp with the pillows and blankets etc. You can hide things in the pockets on the bulkhead and get her to find them etc. We also found a magnetic fishing game by djeco great and a little magnetic drawing board from the £1 shop massively entertaining. Your DS could also join in with these.

Virgin don't do the carseat thing, only a bassinet which she is too big for - although our flight home next week we actually have that booked but no seat for her

Any other entertainment tips?!

Will be going on a long haul with a 3 and 1 year old in the new year.

Am planning to buy lots of cheap toys (and old favourites) and wrap them up. Then let DCs unwrap one when they get bored.

Lots of snacks!

Favourite shows in the iPad.

We do the unwrapping thing already, but good reminder. Can you pre download shows onto the iPad? Although she never watches anything for longer than about 3mins!

Not in the slightest bit concerned about 4yo DS!

I'm not sure. DH is a bit of a whizz with the computer and has put a few programme on there for DDs.

You might be able to download some games for your DD - Fisher Price do a few free ones. There's an app called Piano School, which our DDs like to bash on. Not sure how long it will keep a one year old entertained for though!

A fake wallet with a couple of cards will probably entertain her for longer if she's anything like my DD!

You can download tv programmes from iTunes and also from bbc iplayer. Under rack programme on iplayer it says 'download' so you can do that at home and watch them on the plane.

There are millions of games that you could play with her. Just have a trawl through the iTunes app. Sesame Street ones are well made and easy for little children.