Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Surviving a 10 hour flight…

19 replies

Boymum1005 · 09/05/2023 11:29

…with 20mo and 3yo boys. Flying with TUI from BHX-CUN.

Please share tips, activities, best-buys, planning advice. Anything that might help - I want to hear it!

TIA

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
TinyTeacher · 09/05/2023 15:15

What time of day is the flight? How well do they sleep?

CatOnTheChair · 09/05/2023 15:28

Food, screens, and toddler headphones with a set of universal jack adapters, and pray one works.
DS1 never sleeps on planes. If you have a more amenable child, encourage sleep. Otherwise just go for it.

Cup with lid/straw for both. And decant all drinks into it. DO NOT LET A CHILD LOOSE WITH AN UNLIDDED CUP ON A PLANE.

Spare clothes, in hand luggage, for everyone (see above!)

FlounderingFruitcake · 09/05/2023 15:43

Ipads, headphones. Each. Even for the youngest. Suspended all your usual screen time rules. Download lots of favourites. Even if he won’t watch it for long 15 minutes of Cocomelon is 15 minutes of peace 😂 No spill sippy cups, take them empty through security. Lots of snacks. More snacks. Dummy for the youngest if he has one and loads of spares. Sticker books. Colouring. Put the 3YOs stuff in a rucksack they can access themselves. Do not be tempted to buy a Trunki. Take enough nappies and wipes for 24 hours then double it- planes can do funny things to their digestion plus you could always be delayed. If the 3YO isn’t reliably dry at night put him in a pull up and sell it however you need it e.g. call them plane pants. A changes of clothes for everyone in your carry on (plus swimsuits on way out) in case luggage is lost, spills or worse except for the youngest- take 3 changes for him. If budget permits and you’re in economy buy the 20MO their own seat. Again presuming you’re in economy do not book a bulkhead or bassinet seat- he won’t fit in a bassinet anyway and you want to be able to lift the arm rest to allow the kids to spread out across you whilst sleeping. And remember it’s on 10 hours of your life. It’s unlikely to be much fun but you’ll get through it and the holiday will be worth it!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

gogohmm · 09/05/2023 16:13

Mine did it 3 x a year at that age, 10 hours as we lived overseas. No iPads then so it was colouring books, magic pens, fiddling toys (I used to save the McDonald's ones) reading books and a ton of patience. I took the car seat on once they had their own seat (I had an faa approved one). The big hit was the little plane on the map on the in flight entertainment system, dd still remembers the towns of Greenland and Canada!

Take food if they are fussy too

gogohmm · 09/05/2023 16:14

Oh and we had bassinet seats when younger (on ba they were fine until dd was 2, mine were tiny though)

backof · 09/05/2023 16:36

Triangle shaped crayons so you don't spend 5 hours retrieving lost ones that roll off the tray table - no felt tips.

Be careful with how much hand luggage you take, you have to lug it around with 3 kids in tow!

Surprise toys that can be brought out when (if!) they begin to get restless, are mashems still around? Kinder eggs are good too.

Let them pick out a magazine at WHSmith after security.

ApocalypseNowt · 09/05/2023 16:37

Take more nappies, wipes & changes of clothes for the little one than you'll think you need.

I remember one flight where a couple of bum explosions before we'd even taken off meant DD2 arrived at our hotel in Rome in a vest & the Last Nappy Grin

user1471523870 · 09/05/2023 17:01

Bring toys as a surprise. Chose them small, something they will like, and take them out as last resorts to gain a little more time when needed!
Sometimes I just make some few toys disappear from home 2-3 weeks before flying so they are more interested in playing with them on the plane. But I often also buy some few new ones, I wrap them up and put in a bag for more of a wow factor/buying time. You will know what they are into, but I tend to go for toys they can play with relatively unsupervised (no slime/play-dough/felt pens/lego etc at that age).
Also, plenty of snacks. I apply the same principle and I try and buy snacks that are new and also to bring some that are normally not allowed (like Smarties, or chocolate buttons, but in very limited quantities as you really don't want a sugar rush!).
As mentioned, bring screens and make sure to have downloaded something they like, plus to have all the right chargers, extra batteries etc. And headphones!

Caterina99 · 09/05/2023 17:09

All the screens!
All the snacks!
Little toys, water wow books, sticker books and anything else similar that can occupy them.
Lots of spare clothes, nappies and wipes.
Spare outfit for you!

Try and keep all the screens and other things strictly for the plane and let them run around as much as possible in the airport

shivawn · 09/05/2023 17:14

Did 9 hours with a very active 17 month old recently and it was fine. I'm sure 2 is much harder though. We bought him his own seat and I was so thankful that we did, it would have been a nightmare if we'd tried it with him on our laps.

Boymum1005 · 09/05/2023 18:28

Thanks for all suggestions so far - taking notes!

Both have flown several times before but no more than 4 hours. It’s a daytime flight, 9am take off. Little one sleeps okay, big one does not 😂

OP posts:
ANewAdventure · 09/05/2023 18:40

Definitely all the screens (spend time making sure you’ve downloaded lots in advance, then switch to airplane mode so you don’t get stuck on updates etc).

Snacks - plane food doesn’t necessarily arrive at the right time for kids.

Lots of little things. I went to the charity shops, picked up random bits - even just a new little car will engage them more than an old one. Suction fidget spinners are great - they stick to windows, tray tables, etc. entertained mine at 18m and 4y for ages. A pack of little post it notes was popular too (easier to clean up than stickers!).

Change of clothes for everyone, including you!

eurochick · 09/05/2023 19:59

Magic painting books are good. As are sticker books. A new small toy or book every couple of hours. Keep Em Quiet bags are good for this.

sewerrat · 09/05/2023 20:03

change of clothes. drinks bottles. loly pops as keeps them quiet! also bring Calpol or night nurse trust me

user1471523870 · 10/05/2023 10:44

Yes for letting them burn some energies before flying! Most airports have a children area, and when they don't I just find a quiet open space and I engage him in made up games of jumping like a frog, racing with mum etc. That really really helps!
And yes for Calpol (and Nurofen). I always bring with me few sachets of both, together with a syringe or two. On a long flight you never know and it might be hours before you can get to a pharmacy.

maranella · 10/05/2023 10:44

I'll pray for you OP (and I'm an atheist) 😂

AussieManque · 10/05/2023 10:51

Board last. Get them to run around as much as possible on the ground and minimise time stuck in n the plane.
Lots of snacks of different kinds. Can get a pill organiser box or fishing tackle organiser box and fill it with little treats to be discovered.
Don't forget favourite stuffed toy that's essential to sleep time (just don't lose it!)
You can rig up a sort of hammock for baby using the plane blanket and the tray table, search on YouTube for how.

SeaToSki · 10/05/2023 11:04

Back up battery bank for devices and wall charge them whenever you can

test run headphones before you go with a no headphones no device hard rule

get a bag of child safe hard boiled sweeties on sticks or something they can suck on that will last at least 10 mins. Unwrap while you taxi and then give them to both dc as the plane accelerates for take off. It really helps their ears pop. Repeat for landing but you might need two as it takes longer. Dont give them too early or they finish them too soon

if you have any liquidy snack or sippy cups that are sealed, open them with extreme caution once in the air as they might explode everywhere from the pressure change

take some sealable plastic bags to use for rubbish/clothes covered in vomit/poo

take lots of wet wipes

if you can, dont let them think they can unbuckle their seat belts. If they think they have to stay buckled unless going to the loo, then you wont have to fight them over playing the watch me unbuckle and crawl around in the footwell game.

exhaust them physically before getting on the plane, find a quiet corner and play run and touch the window and then hop back to me

take a blanket to thrown over them, planes can be cold and it can be useful to block out the light

comfy, easy change clothes and shoes

dont expect to get any rest/sleep yourself. Pack yourself some emergency chocolate snacks!

StackBlocks · 10/05/2023 11:04

Lots of little things. I took reins for the little one and walked them round the plane with my headphones on, everyone thought that was very cute 😂 lots of little snacks. Sticker books, little toys. Wipes can go through hand luggage as are not counted as liquid, bring plenty of nappies, wipes and spare clothes. I brought Trunkie’s for mine, but a rucksack would have been better because it was a lot of juggling in the airport.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page