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Original poster

Tips for flying with toddlers

32 replies

ViaRia01 · 08/04/2025 08:24

We have a short flight coming up soon, my husband, me and two children aged 3 and 2.

Im sure this has been done lots of times on here but I’m just wondering if anyone would share their best airport/ airplane tips and advice.

On a train journey for the same length of time they are usually more than happy to just be on a train and watch everything outside the window. What could we bring on the plane to help keep the children entertained if needed - maybe a couple of books, toys, puzzles. I have bought a pack of mini magnatiles but I don’t really want anything else that could get dropped/ spread out/ lost/ messy. So no jigsaw puzzles etc.

Colouring crayons/ small colouring book, maybe?

Any suggestions about that and/ or general airport / flight advice, would be much appreciated - thank you

OP posts:
MiddleAgedDread · 08/04/2025 08:27

You drop all rules about screen time!
stories, colouring and sticker books.
mini etchasketch
don’t do the pre boarding for people with young children, you’ll have to keep them in a confined space for longer! I’d aim to be one of the last to board.
talk to them in advance and explain that they’ll need to keep their seatbelts like in the car.

KezzaMucklowe · 08/04/2025 08:30

How longs the flight?

We used to take duplo books which were good. Little colouring books, quiet toys and a tablet as they go older.
Complete agree about not boarding early.

fairgame84 · 08/04/2025 08:32

DD is 2.5 and I'm taking snacks, downloading her favourite programs onto my phone, maybe a small colouring pack and her doll.
We fly every year and the first year she slept, last year she slept one way and watched Mr tumble and ate snacks the way back.
I also pack calpol in the carry on in case her ears hurt. They haven't so far but this is the first time without a dummy.

I'm a bit stumped about if she needs a wee on the plane. I'm taking the carry potty but I don't think she will use it so I'll put her in a pull up as well just in case.

fairgame84 · 08/04/2025 08:34

Oh yes I second what @MiddleAgedDread said about seat belts. I kept it on constantly last year, don't let them think getting up and walking around is an option!

Antsinmypantsneedtodance · 08/04/2025 08:41

Screen time as a back up if nothing else.
Reusuable sticker books are good as the stickers also stick on and off the tray/window easily. We have a lot of the galt ones.
Those digitial drawing pads are great. Cheap too and great for resturant entertainment as well as planes.
The mini packs of magnetic tiles are good. But they are eaily dropped and little so hard to find. One of ours is somewhere on a virgin atlantic plane, never to be seen again.
Snacks snacks and more snacks. Plan your meals to keep to similar timings as usual to avoid hangry outbursts. Even it it means taking a lunchbox on board.
A bottle or cup they're used to for drinks. You can fill with water after secruity.
A hoody or cardigan in case they get cold.
Spare clothes.
Pull ups even if theyre potty trained are useful as its typical they need a wee mid take off or landing.
Don't take too much on board is my other tip. Walking through airports and secruity is stressful enough with kids. So the less you have to carry the better.

Also i'd disagree with the boarding first thing. I used to be of the thought of don't spend longer on the plane than you need to. However changed that now. Its so much easier to get on and settled without everyone else around and you don't have to push past loads of people sat down or trying to cram things in the overhead lockers. If you have the choice. Board first!

Antsinmypantsneedtodance · 08/04/2025 08:43

fairgame84 · 08/04/2025 08:32

DD is 2.5 and I'm taking snacks, downloading her favourite programs onto my phone, maybe a small colouring pack and her doll.
We fly every year and the first year she slept, last year she slept one way and watched Mr tumble and ate snacks the way back.
I also pack calpol in the carry on in case her ears hurt. They haven't so far but this is the first time without a dummy.

I'm a bit stumped about if she needs a wee on the plane. I'm taking the carry potty but I don't think she will use it so I'll put her in a pull up as well just in case.

I had the same dilemma a few years ago. We didn't take the carry potty. They're huge and a pain to carry around. Best thing we did was get her using a toilet rather than a potty. Makes travel so much easier.

BeyondMyWits · 08/04/2025 08:43

Ours just did their usual stuff... sat and chattered away about anything and everything... bit of colouring, stickers were very useful. Snacks were a good way to break things up - teeny tiny snacks every 20/30 minutes.
We expected it to go smoothly, our daughters were quite biddable and used to public transport, so it was just a big bus in the sky, they behaved nicely because that's what we expected on the bus/coach/train/boat.

At slightly older ages (3+4) we had to divide them as they liked to wind each other up, so me +1, DH +1 behind.

Pack a fresh top for everyone in your carry on and a flannel/wipes. And don't have blackcurrant squash... (BIG mistake! Looked like there had been a massacre 🤣)

ChristmasFairyLiquid · 08/04/2025 08:46

All of the above - colouring, sticker books, iPads, snacks etc.

We also used to buy a little ‘plane present’ for half way through the journey - something small like a Polly Pocket, new crinkly book or whatever age appropriate thing - wrap it up as the unwrapping takes a couple of mins up too 🤣 and then it’s a new thing that creates a diversion for another half hour or so.

fairgame84 · 08/04/2025 08:53

She uses the toilet at home but refuses to go in any public toilet, she will hold it for hours which isn't healthy. There's a really nice kid friendly toilet in a shopping centre with cbeebies on the tv, a play area etc and she wouldn't even go in there 😩

Original poster
ViaRia01 · 08/04/2025 09:22

Thank you. Some good tips and ideas here and will have a think about what to bring on board.

The flight is only around an hour.

I’m not particularly concerned about them on the plane, I think I’m just excited for our holiday and I like getting organised and being well prepared.

I knew when I bought the mini magnatiles that they could be a bit risky for a plane but I think if they go down well, it could keep them engaged for a while, plus I wanted some anyway for when we visit family, go to cafes etc.

calpol is a good idea. Good to have things just in case, even if you don’t need it. You can even get those mini sachets as well so that’s super easy to bring.

We decided not to go for a super early flight as we thought best not to overwhelm everyone with a very early start or a night’s stay at the airport. Just wake up at home, get ready and have breakfast as normal, and then head out to the airport.

OP posts:
Doseofreality · 08/04/2025 09:26

Walk them round and round the airport so when they get on the plane they are easy to drop and nap.

Original poster
ViaRia01 · 08/04/2025 09:35

@Doseofreality yes, that is an excellent point! I guess the temptation would be to keep the little one in a pushchair on the airport for as long as possible but that might n out be the best strategy if we want him to sit still for the full flight.

OP posts:
Original poster
ViaRia01 · 08/04/2025 09:36

Do we bring/ do they offer a booster seat for toddlers in the flight? I don’t mean for safety necessarily but just for comfort? I also thought it might replicate the car seat a bit more which might make him intuitively know to sit still

OP posts:
fairgame84 · 08/04/2025 09:38

ViaRia01 · 08/04/2025 09:36

Do we bring/ do they offer a booster seat for toddlers in the flight? I don’t mean for safety necessarily but just for comfort? I also thought it might replicate the car seat a bit more which might make him intuitively know to sit still

I've never seen any sort of booster seats on board but I've only ever flown with tui and easyjet. We take our car seat but it goes in the hold.

Radiatorvalves · 08/04/2025 14:31

My kids are now adults but I remember reading Where’s Spot about 20x between Dublin and London. Have fun!!

Antsinmypantsneedtodance · 08/04/2025 17:47

ViaRia01 · 08/04/2025 09:36

Do we bring/ do they offer a booster seat for toddlers in the flight? I don’t mean for safety necessarily but just for comfort? I also thought it might replicate the car seat a bit more which might make him intuitively know to sit still

No they don't pffer this. But you can take your car seat on board if it meets the requirements. Eqch airline will list theirs.

If you're not using a car seat the pther side it may be an unnecessary nuisance for you. Espeically for auch a short flight.

Antsinmypantsneedtodance · 08/04/2025 17:48

fairgame84 · 08/04/2025 08:53

She uses the toilet at home but refuses to go in any public toilet, she will hold it for hours which isn't healthy. There's a really nice kid friendly toilet in a shopping centre with cbeebies on the tv, a play area etc and she wouldn't even go in there 😩

Would she use a toilet toddler seat? Like a fold up one?

paristotokyo · 08/04/2025 17:52

Snacks, alllll the snacks and no limit on the screen time! We usually limit it weekly but anything goes when up in the air. So get toddler friendly headphones that they’ve practised using before hand. Sticker books, activity books, the little LED drawing tablet was popular with my elder one. Little fidget type toys etc. keep some back and hand a new one at regular intervals as they’ll get bored. I agree with boarding last so to have less time confined. Yours sound more chill than mine though if they’re usually happy to look out the window on a train. I’ve got a very long haul coming up and I’m dreading it 😂

FamilyAreEverything · 08/04/2025 18:11

As above:

  • let them run off all their energy in the airport building before you board
  • all the snacks - ones they have to take their time over eating are good like dry cereal or little crackers
  • screen time with headphones - don’t be that parent on the plane
  • change of clothes for you all
Otherwise, don’t fret it. It’s a huge adventure for them, it’s only an hour or so and they’ll love it!
WonderingWanda · 08/04/2025 18:18

The thing that makes little ones cry and get hyper on planes is just how the pressure affects their ears and that can be different for every child and in different planes. I would give calpol 30 mins before departure and take something they can suck encourage them to swallow. Not sure what your thoughts are on sweets for yours as they are quite little but jelly tots work quite well. Or some of those Ella's kitchen melt things. I used to pack lunches for mine as well but often saved those for the coach or taxi transfer at the other end because after the second round of airport they'd get a bit fed up. All the other things you have planned sound great.

FairyBatman · 08/04/2025 18:32

When DS was this age we used to pack his little backpack with a new colouring book or sticker book, a toy like a couple of dinosaurs or a tractor, the most successful plane toy ever was a squishy poo! iPad with headphones and more snacks than you think you need.

Add in some wet wipes, tissues calpol and either a lolly if you allow them or get a drink with a straw at the airport and you’re sorted.

Original poster
ViaRia01 · 08/04/2025 19:03

Sounds great, thank you.

Why the change of clothes for everyone? Even the adults…?

I’ve seen those soft toddler friendly headphones and did think we might get a couple of those - again, would be useful at other times I expect, as well as this upcoming flight.

OP posts:
Original poster
ViaRia01 · 08/04/2025 19:06

From what I can gather, Ryanair won’t accept any compact fold stroller and it will have to go in the hold. I have hold luggage anyway so it’s not really a problem time-wise.

would you bring the big heavy pushchair which is rather bulky and fussy to fold (uppababy vista) or the lightweight compact stroller (silver cross clic)? Lightweight seems sensible but I’m wondering how it will fair against heavy-handed baggage handlers if it’s chucked around everywhere. It’s still quite new and clean and I usually tend to use it more for ‘nice’ outings and clean places.

OP posts:
fairgame84 · 08/04/2025 19:22

ViaRia01 · 08/04/2025 19:06

From what I can gather, Ryanair won’t accept any compact fold stroller and it will have to go in the hold. I have hold luggage anyway so it’s not really a problem time-wise.

would you bring the big heavy pushchair which is rather bulky and fussy to fold (uppababy vista) or the lightweight compact stroller (silver cross clic)? Lightweight seems sensible but I’m wondering how it will fair against heavy-handed baggage handlers if it’s chucked around everywhere. It’s still quite new and clean and I usually tend to use it more for ‘nice’ outings and clean places.

Lightweight. Our joie nitro has survived 4 flights so far and still going strong.

Our big pushchair would have died a death after flight 1.

londongirl12 · 08/04/2025 19:26

Packs of stickers from poundland
a blank pad of paper
pencils in a case with a sharpener
a brand new book
nothing that makes an annoying sound for other passengers!