1 year old on plane - activities

[Caspianberg]

First plane journey soon with 16 month. He likes to run and climb. I don’t think he’s sat down more than 5 minutes unless strapped in pram since he was 9 months.

So, I need some toy ideas to distract him for 3hrs.

• I have ordered small tegu magnet blocks

• he will sit and look at books
• he eats crayons.

I can’t imagine he will be that interested in stacking cups unless water is involved . Im 99.9% sure he won’t nap

How long is the plane journey?
If you have pre-allocated seats - wait before boarding - then he isn’t getting bored waiting for everyone else to get settled
If he is active - get him running up and down the long airport corridors before - some airports have also soft play spaces you can access beforehand - basically try and get as much of the wiggles out as possible.
Don’t provide all activities at once - spread them out - one thing at a time - I’ve wrapped them up for extra excitement.
Stickers are a great activity - if you can find those cling stickers that can be moved about they’re great for making scenes on the tray table and easier to clear up than normal stickers and you can reuse them on the return flight.
Fiddly snacks like Cheerios in one of those unspillable pots. I alternated with food then activity then food then book
iPad with his favourite shows and games downloaded - if there was anytime to break screen time rules - this is it.
Be prepared that he might not want the kids meal - so pack a sandwich or something you know he will definitely eat.
I’m sure it will be fine. - most people are sympathetic if they see you are trying your best - it’s when parents do nothing that really winds people up.

@scrappydappydoo - thanks. Flight isn’t too long, around 2+ hrs, so that plus the time before takeoff on plane.
We will also have a 4hr drive to the airport so he would have been sitting around already, although considering driving day before. ( nearest airport 90mins but no flights due to Covid)

He’s completely uninterested in tv/ iPad atm which I think is useful usually on plane. Possibly just a year too young yet.

Oh yes he has allergies as well, another thing to worry about. Will def take own food as he won’t be able to eat plane stuff

When we took our then 14 mo on his first plane, he found complete entertainment by crying at full volume for most of the journey, despite everything we tried. So we really shouldn't have bothered with all the toys we took. On the plus side, we did get more room as other passengers moved away .

@Byheckythump - Oh god that’s going to be us! He’s taken to screeching right now which is awful. Cleaned banana off his face earlier, neighbours must have thought I was torturing him the racket he made.

Pay for him to have his own seat. Take as many snacks as you can fit in your bag. Stickers, books, keep trying to find something on the iPad he might like. Drink wine.

I'd reduce your stress on the day by staying in a hotel airport, premier Inn etc which will make your overall journey better.

I flew solo with a 21month old whilst also 7months pregnant. It wasnt actually that bad other than the fact he had to sit on my lap for takeoff /landing and he absolutely did not want to. Best things were snacks, snacks and more snacks, and those galt magic painting cardboard books you can get in supermarkets with dinosaurs or whatever on. He played with it all flight, painting, then painting the back of the seat, me, the window...it's all water so fine.

We did this recently - LOADS of snacks, new lift the flap books, new little toy to play with (neither came out before the plane) and he also enjoyed things on the plane, like the window blinds and the safety card. At one point I had to make a sick bag into a puppet

We have those water draw things, so far he either sucks all the water out, or just unscrews it and pours the water away 🙄

He likes biscuits. Il just take a suitcase full. Hand one out every 3 mins… 40 odd biscuits later we should arrive.

Lollipops
Raisins in the little packets because they take a while
Would he play on an app on your phone?

I don’t think he would have a clue how to play on app yet. He’s only 15 months. He also only has a couple of front teeth so can’t eat raisins yet, would just swallow them whole.

Delay his nap.

Not the best parenting, but download as many cartoons onto iplayer as will fit, and take a mountain of snacks. Hey Duggee was a favourite with mine at that age.

I do aim for nap after lunch daily, but sometimes he doesnt take one even if in cot or pram, so not holding out hope of much napping. Would be handy if he does.

Ok. Il try cartoons. Apart from Hey Dugee, what other shows might hold his attention at this age? I don’t think I can get iplayer here, but I can download on Netflix I think or amazon.

I’ve done loads of flights with mine around that age. Don’t worry you’ll be fine! I don’t take toys. From experience they don’t hold their attention long enough to be worth it and they typically end up on the floor and you’re scrabbling around trying to pick them all up. iPad with toddler headphones (you must get headphones if you’re planning on taking the iPad) and loads of snacks are my go-to. Yes you can download via Netflix or Amazon in advance. The best way to make it easier is to book LO a seat as it’s much more comfortable for everyone, for me that’s non negotiable once they turn 1, but I appreciate that it does cost more. 2 hours is such a short flight, and whilst yes you don’t want him to disturb anyone, if he is noisy it’s not like anyone will be trying to sleep or anything so don’t stress. Happy travels

Make sure you have a drink for him (or can breastfeed) during take off/landing.

Bring at least one spare set of clothes in case the plane makes him sick.

You may be surprised by how little you need to keep him busy. A plastic packet of 3 dinosaurs with air holes in the packet entertained my 1 year old on a flight to Sydney!