Tell me how to survive flight with toddler

[Dalesgirl16]

We have to go to Cyprus later this year for close family wedding when my very boisterous daughter will be 23 months. It's 4.5 hr flight and we have never flown since she was born. Please can I have any tips on how to best amuse her. I can't see her sitting down for the whole flight.

I always carry sachets of calpol and infant ibuprofen. So many times I've been on a flight where one of my children has complained of severe earache on take off/ landing .
Then iPad / chocolate buttons/ stickers/ tangerines/ babybels/ flapjacks. Babywipes! I also try and locate any play areas in airports (surprisingly more of these than you'd think, often tucked away so ask even if it's just a little corner with cartoons on etc)
Burn all their energy out before the flight so they'll sleep on the plane!
For older kids I buy scratchcards (the £1 type) before we go and loads of those little graze box snacks.

I will buy some toddler headphones. Can anyone recommend any or are they all the same? Mine hates anything on her head but as she's never watched a programme on the iPad, I will show her it with headphones and she will have to understand that's the only way to hear Peppa!

lill72 I was quoting a previous poster and responding to her. I also take mine on planes regularly.

We’ve flown a few times with my toddler - mainly short haul, but one trip to Australia.

Every child is different, but this is what works with her.

1)Try to fly when they are likely to want to sleep (but preferably not overnight). Generally she has been great on early afternoon or evening flights as she has slept. You also don’t have the high risk situation of them not sleeping on a night flight, but everyone else wanting to sleep.

(When we went to Australia, night flight to Singapore was great - she slept through. The next leg was awful - it was also a night flight, but she’d slept for most of the first flight and the 7 hour layover, so was ready to play, but for everyone else it was midnight until 8am).

2. Have access to many many snacks, just in case (but don’t let them know!

3. definitely have spare clothes for all of you in hand luggage - if they vomit, they are likely to catch you too.

4. I really recommend something like this - www.amazon.co.uk/Kids-Headphones-Adjustable-Headband-Children-Kids-Bunny/dp/B01GBEVLD8/ref=sr_1_18?keywords=headphone+headband&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1528231844&sr=8-18. My daughter hated wearing hats and headbands and masks at playgroup etc, but is fine with this. Download loads of CBeebies onto the iPad, plug in and she can be quiet for ages
   (I think a flight is reasonable grounds for a bit of slummy parenting).

5. I tried having lots of small toys to break out partway through our long haul flights. Not worth it for us. Also, pencils/crayons were annoying, as she kept dropping them, and it is a real hassle to try and retrieve things fallen between airplane seats. Stickers are good, unless you have a child who wants to stick them everywhere.

6. Sime people do you sedative antihistamines, but I just want to add another warning about paradoxical hyperactivity. If you are considering doing this, do not make the first time on the plane, just in case! (We’ve never tried this, so no personal experience).

7. Try to find the children’s play area at the airport or transit. Get some energy burnt off before the flight.

Lastly, good luck!

Dalesgirl - the link in my post above is to the headphones my daughter uses.

Yikes, what terrible typing!

That should be “some people do use”!

Often flew alone with two DC's under the age of 4.
I provided treats and headphones as others have suggested to keep them busy.

However what made the flight much easier was that I made a rule....children are not allowed out of their seats or to take their seatbelt off whilst flying. I think because we had always done that, they just always did. Clear expectation, no fuss.

Not sure which airport you are flying from, but let them get as much exercise as possible in airport. There is a play area at Gatwick.
Changes of clothes, for you as well as child.
Download from Netflix onto tablet
Favourite snacks
Window seat
Small toy cars always popular
I tend to sit near the back, seats are less popular so more room to stretch out.
Often other kids so they can “ sort of” play together. ( bring enough toy cars to share with other kids)

Make any snacks you take complicated and slow to eat -- lots of little biccies not one big. Put them in little bags and try to hold the bag for them to minimise spills. Avoid night flights!!!!! And try not to fly with a newly walking child .... I had to take my eldest on a 14.5 hour flight two weeks after he'd learned to walk and I can assure you neither he nor I sat down for a single darn second of it....

Don't worry, it's only 4.5 hours and your DP is responsible for half of that!

I started traveling longhaul on my own when DS was 11 months. Never booked a place for him until I had to.

Things that worked for me:
-Carry a change of clothes in your hand luggage for him and you.

• carry a polarvide blanket from IKEA ( they are light, warm, and most importantly, when folded they are thick enough to make do as a little mattress for them to have a nap while you wait at the airport.

In terms of surviving the flight without loosing it:

• Don’t dream of comforting her with sweets, she will be crawling the walls and it is a small space. Savoury biscuits, sandwiches, are ok.
• Avoid sugary drinks as well for the same reason.
• if you are taking small toys for the flight, ensure they don’t have wheels or can roll out of view. You don’t want to spend the flight checking where Thomas has gone.

I would do it because it's a wedding etc and will be nice when you are there (if your kids can handle hot weather - mine can't) but we just did a three hour flight with our three kids and the older two (5 and 7) moaned and were bored but the two and a half year old was an utter pita, including refusing to sit down and be strapped in for landing. I was embarrassed by the screaming and the looks but did not know what to do. Eventually he came onto my lap and the cabin crew turned a blind eye. It was not fun.

I have never flown with my daughter but all my family want to go to Florida in just over a year's time. My daughter will be nearly 4 anyone flown 9 hours with a child about this age? Any advice as she doesn't sit still at all and is always on the go.

I do not have children, and I am a frequent flyer. I just wanted to add that if your children are upset or crying or misbehaving, as long as you are trying to placate them, please try and ignore any mean looks or comments. Children have to fly too, its just necessary. I get that its unpleasant for other travellers but there are such things as earplugs, headphones, etc. For me if the parents are trying, I don't mind and often feel sorry for them more than anything. And anyone who tuts and rolls their eyes and makes nasty comments is a bit of a dick.

I would at to Chesty’s post, try to control the behaviour but don’t shout at them EVER. Some fucking parents do and that is far FAR more annoying and upsetting than having a misbehaving tantruming child around.

Hey OP,
We took DS who was 21 months at the time & DSD 6 to New York in February for our wedding and the whole experience started off as a nightmare. DH was randomly selected for a security check which left me with the hand luggage, the pushchair & two kids trying to make my way into the plane by myself whilst 6 months pregnant! We made the mistake of not booking a seat for DS as didn’t think you could so DS had to be strapped on to DH knee for take off and he was NOT happy about that and wasn’t shy about letting the WHOLE plane know. HOWEVER, after 15 solid minutes of screaming he tired himself out and slept. They gave us a bouncy rocker chair thing that could be strapped to a fold down table so he slept in that for a couple of hours. I was dreading him waking up but although he didn’t sit still the whole way there (9 hours!!!) ...it wasn’t actually THAT bad. It was a lot of knee hopping from me to DH to sitting next to his sister, but he didn’t paddy or cry at all. The people behind even how Good he was. By the time we landed we’d forgot all about the first nightmare half hour and have said we’d definitely fly long haul with the kids again. I think if you just parent as you would normally I.e not let them run riot, tell them off as normal, play as normal etc kids are much better than we expect them to be!

We flew recently (and will be again next week). My kids are a little older (3 and 4) but I made 'surprise' packs. So They has their own backpacks that I filled with 'surprises' like colouring books, pens, sticker books, a couple of little toys, some sweets/snacks and a drink (bought in airport). It was exciting for them to open it up and see what was inside and that kept them entertained for the majority of the flight. The rest was kindle time.

I did a 4 hour flight on my own with my DS who was 12 months at the time.

Worst.flight.of.my.life!