Ideas for toys for long haul flight

[OutwardBound2016]

We are taking DD's 4.5 and 1.5 on a 10 hour flight next month. DD1 will be fine with colouring, tablet and stickers but I'm looking for ideas for DD2. Her interests are running and playing with the straps of the buggy! If anyone has any recommendations I would be grateful.

I have done a 12 hour flight with a 18mo and I'm doing one again in a week!

Last experience is that don't bother with any toys. We bought stuff but DD1 didn't want any. We ended up taking turns walking up and down the aisles and also around the toilet cubicles with her. She loved giving in flight magazines and headphones to other passengers. Or smiling at them when they came out of the toilets. No one minded but it could be we were on an Asian flight and they all love children.

For your 4.5yo get a good headphone (from Amazon eg). She can also use the in flight entertainment system in addition to the tablet. Long haul flights usually have charging sockets for the tablet so don't forget the USB charger.

Thanks, she is a complete fidget, DD1 has flown long haul at the same age and been fine with stickers etc. I have brought her a peg board toy which I'm hoping she will like....

Bumping for more ideas as we've just booked Dominican Republic (9 hrs) in Nov when DS will be 18 months - so he's currently 10 months so I have no idea what he'll be into in 8 mo time!

I wouldn't take any toys either. Or hardly any at all. They will watch far more tvs than you imagine. Maybe get her a dog collar if she likes straps.

Things they haven't seen before. Collect bits from charity shops, new books, magazines, stickers.
The attention level is much higher if it's all new to them.

Watching this for ideas as we are travelling to the US in summer with DD who will be a year old. DP panicking so I want to find some ideas that will put his mind at ease!

When Dd was that age I always took the crayola colour wonder packs on flights as they couldn't colour in the backs of the seats or their clothes and hands with them.

I always take some stuff along and they almost never touch it. Too busy watching video on demand, eating and sleeping!

Take things that DON'T ROLL. (Very important).
Things that are all in one piece, that don't come apart.
Bendy toys are good.
Nothing noisy.
Aqua draw books - these are the ones I prefer as they have brushes on the end instead of nibs - the brush still gets scrubbed eventually but it works better and doesn't scratch the pages so much.
Even colouring can be a PITA because pens/pencils/crayons roll

Lots of snacks. But not too much fresh fruit, because you may have to bin it if you haven't eaten it all.

Activity / sticker books currently 4 for £10 on Amazon (struggling to link from phone, sorry).

I just travelled with 3yo and 18mo. 3yo was a joy and easily entertained. 18mo was hard work. Stickers, ipad, drawing and snacks worked for a bit. In the end we did the aisles, walking right to the back toilets. Talking to the air hostesses and other children. Because she napped straight away we had such a long stretch of her wanting to run around and not wanting to sit. Depending on your flight times I'd aim to keep DD playing and eating for a bit. Then nap in the middle of flight then awake and something to eat and play for the last stretch.

Our outbound flight was a night one so she pretty much slept throughout.

The one thing that kept me going was knowing it wouldn't last forever. Most people were nice but I did hear a few comments about whingeing babies from the seat behind. But 18mo is a tough age. And all reasonable people know you're doing your best.

We used to buy the lucky dip bags from woolworths. Full of crap and tat but kept kids amused for ages.