Flying with a boistrous 2yr old - how to keep him entertained?

[FruitBasedDrinkForALady]

Any sage advice? Flight will be approx 2.5hrs, and there is no way he'll sleep for any of it. He'll be in his own seat for take off/landing, which will be difficult, even with Octonauts on loop on the iPad. He doesn't like sitting still, so we might get a few 10min stretches with a book, but that's about it. I'm going to go out tomorrow and buy some new colouring, sticking, etc bits, but he's not that interested in them. Added to the fun, we'll have a 4am start, so he'll be a massive whinge bag.

We just going to have to suck it up, and apologise to everyone on the plane, aren't we?

Argh, and I've just realised they won't let us turn on the bloody ipad for take off and landing

Sorry I have no advice, but please don't let him kick the seat in front of him. There is nothing worse than having your seat back kicked by a small child, and the last thing you need is an irate passenger to deal with as well as a boisterous toddler.

I flew with easyjet recently and we were allowed to use "hand held devices" (def iPhone, maybe iPad) on in flight mode during take-off and landing.

Maybe take lots of small new toys, all wrapped individually? I've never done it but it could work.

Lots of snacks.

Toddler apps/games on iPhone/iPad

Not the most helpful advice, Bunbaker!

Bunbaker, if I was happy to just let him piss off everyone on the flight, and in particular the row right in front of me, I wouldn't have bothered asking for advice.

Thanks Umbrella, I was thinking about putting together a "goodie bag" but didn't think about wrapping them. It might distract him for a few more minutes if I put on enough sellotape! We're flying Aer Lingus (from Ireland) and they still take the ipads crash planes line. I may have to resort to a million packets of Buttons and deal with the sugar overload when we get to Spain!

go to the charity shop and buy lots of little toys, games, books etc. wrap them in Christmas paper. let him do a lucky dip every 20 or 30 mins depending on how fed up he is. he will open the toy play with it etc and it gives him/you something to aim for. we did this for ours when young and worked a treat. re wrap for the return journey and try to guess what it is before opening. good luck.

Play dough with small cutters, from pound shop. Also stickers and sticker book. They don't let you walk up and down the aisle much really.

Aerlingus were fine with devices in flight safe mode on my last few UK-Ireland flights, and their website says they are fine with them on takeoff/landing - www.aerlingus.com/travelinformation/baggageinformation/cabinbaggage/.

So that might help!

Thanks a million Patricia! I haven't flown with them since last year and my Google search must have thrown up an old page which said they could only be used when seatbelt sign was off. My sister suggested getting him character plasters to stick all over himself, so off to boots later for those!

Take off is quite exciting - you can ham it up a bit too by pointing out every airport feature!!

Stickers and small non-sticky sweets.

Then iPad

Then a snack and a drink.

Trip to the loo and a wander up and down the aisle as long as the trolley isn't half way up. Stop to talk to anyone who looks remotely toddler friendly.

Bit more iPad

Finish off the sweets.

Time to land.

Good luck!

No playdough! It's such a pain if it's stuck all over seat for next passenger!

Crayons, paper pad, small books to read. Tbh just put by window seat is the best as they can see out until up in clouds and can see down on landing so that passes about 15 mins at beginning and end of flight.

iPad in the middle. All flight I have been on recently now allow iPad/ kindles etc on take off and landing

I tried childrens anti histimine on advice... Unfortunately it seemed to have the opposite effect and I had been far too disorganised to determine his reaction before we went on a plane....