Toddler on flight

[CosmicLove]

We have 3 and a half hour flight to Spain next month and I'm looking for tips to keep our 18mo busy! Anything that made your plane journey easier with a toddler?

Also does anyone know if we're allowed to take snacks through security with us? I remember last year they were fine with baby food and milk, but they might be funny if she's older now. Would also love to hear any plane friendly snack ideas!

Thank you xx

Snacks that aren’t liquid or are under 100ml are fine- Ella’s do smoothie and yoghurt ones that don’t need a fridge and are 90ml. Otherwise just whatever she liked. Stuff like puffs, raisins etc that take a long time to eat are good. Take a sippy cup through empty then refill after security. Tire them out in the airport, if there’s a play area find it. And not something I’d ever allow at home at that age, but then I would never ask for 3.5 hours of sitting still, but cocomelon on a ipad with toddler headphones always got mine through long flights.

I agree with PP - food is fine through security so we took a variety of her favourite snacks, and loaded my tablet with her favourite shows, you can get headphones for toddlers which limit the sound level so they're safe. Sticker books were a hit at that age too - we got one from amazon that was airport/flying related - and you can buy busyboards as well, which gives them lots of things to fiddle with.

Agree with all the above. Also I bought a bag from a company called Keep Em Quiet, full of brand new toys for her to play with on the flight. It went down an absolute storm. It was quite expensive but worth it for me. I think if you had the time and effort you could create one yourself by going to cheap shops ans charity shops and buying tat (as essentially that's what the bag contained- but it had been curated to contain lots of things she'd find interesting and different to each other and didn't cause too much mess on the plane).

We flew to Spain when our son was 18 months old. I had a whole bag of tricks ready but actually he just watched the I pad with headphones on, slept and had snacks!

In terms of milk, I took an empty bottle and bought a small carton to fill it with once we were through security.

Most pointless thing I bought was one of those cushions with zips and locks and ties etc. He couldn't have been less interested.

It will be so easy with two of you. I did 8 hours on my own that was tough!

Thanks everyone! Great ideas. I'll get busy board, snacks and sticker books for sure. I've seen those Keep Em Quiet bags so will maybe see if I have time to create something similar myself. I think Cocomelon on the iPad will go down a storm - she loves it atm! Thanks again xx

One more thing- for take off and landing make sure she has something to suck. If she has a dummy that’s ideal, suspend any usual rules you might have about it being only for sleep. Otherwise something like a smoothie or yoghurt pouch or carton of juice (buy post security to get round the liquids rule) works. Probably just not plain water as she’s unlikely to have more than a sip or 2 unless she happens to be thirsty.

Food is fine. Take way more than you need. As is water in a child’s cup. Get them their own seat! Our toddler mostly liked to look out the window and played with his seatbelt. Stickers, aquadraw type books. Wear them out before the flight, depending on which airport you’re flying from: get them in the soft play to use up some energy! (Heathrow has soft play, game changer). iPad yes! Pouches to suck also a yes.

Books, lots, we read pretty much the whole 10 hour flight at that age, sometimes I got lucky and a nearby passenger would be smiling and making eye contact then offer a lap to one of them taking over reading duties. I was generally alone with my 2 (expats)

I used to go to a charity shop and get a load of bits out of the 10p bucket type thing - little figures, animals, puzzles etc. Have a stash and bring them out one by one as DC gets bored. Plus books.

Also notebook and pencil could be good - to explain what you're doing, draw the aeroplane, that you're going to a beach and what you might see there, different kinds of food in Spain etc. Might not keep all kids entertained but my DD loved that sort of thing. Made her feel a bit important to have a notebook diary, even if it was only a picture of an ice cream and a bed in there :)

As long as she has headphones or watches it on silent! 😅

At 18 months snacks were the best way to keep my son entertained on planes. He also enjoyed looking at the cards in the pocket of the seat. We didn't bring much else for the plane but had lots of little toys (stacking animals, lacing cheese, blocks) for the apartment.

Get toddler headphones so the volume is limited!

Yes we have toddler headphones for her 👍 it's getting her to keep them on that's the challenge! More good ideas thanks. Will write myself a list to keep me right! Xx

I'm not actually suggesting it but...

Haha love it!