Tips for solo flight with a 2 year old

[Tigerraar]

In a few weeks I'm doing a solo flight with my 2 year old. She is not used to travel and this will be the first time I've travelled with her by myself. She is generally good and will either be loving the spectacle of it or overwhelmed and wanting to go home! Any tips on helping this go smoothly would be much appreciated! I am a bit anxious about it hence the questions.

We'll be just ourselves at a small outbound airport and we'll be met at the other end at a big airport.

Luggage - are 4 wheeled cases easier to manoeuvre than 2 wheeled cases?

Any entertainment tips?

Bring a few things to occupy them, new colouring book, toys to fiddle with plus snacks in small packs so they get them gradually. I used to fly long haul alone with my 2 and it was absolutely fine BEFORE the days of tablets and phones. Kids often sleep due to the droning sound too. I did bring my car seats on though as they were compatible, alone it makes it easier with 2

I have travelled loads with small kids on my own, and honestly it’s fine!

I take a lot of toys, having something new to do every half an hour is useful. And snacks. I also have an iPad if all else fails.

Give yourself plenty of time to get through the airport - the biggest stress is having to rush.

Will you take a pram? Good to restrain them (!) and there can be a lot of walking.

Regarding luggage… check it in…!

There will be times where you need to go individually through gates at security. We usef to play "Airports" to practice the technique of going through the gate and just stopping and turning aroundwith me being there a few seconds later (and in my case, the 4yo grabbing the 2yos hand asap!). I found the staff were also very proactive at watching to nake sure children did stay. Use Family lanes if you can.

Put all your electrical items in one place so they are easy to grab if you need to take them out. Wear slip in shoes, and no belts etc for ease

When you are through security, get everything you need for the flight into a carrier bag at the top of your case.

Use a backpack rather than a suitcase if yiu can.

Assuming your 2 year old has a seat, book a window and middle, and put her at the window.
It will be fine. As others have said, give yourself enough time to get through the airport.
oh and if you’re giving her a tablet or something to play with PLEASE make sure she has headphones.
how long is the flight?

Check your luggage in. Don’t try and take a suitcase as handluggage as you need hands free to carry child up plane steps if needed.

cabin size pram. Ie stokke yoyo. That can be child’s hand luggage. So you can get them through easily if tired without carrying

Main hand luggage - rucksack.

Clixo magnet toys - lightweight
snacks

Thank you for the replies.

I'm in two minds about the pram. She hates it and she is a good walker so I'm not sure if this is a fight I want to pick. Last thing I want is to be trying to wrangle her, a pram and a suitcase separately. Even just a pram with her in it and a suitcase seems a lot! Definitely checking the luggage in but have to handle it all myself at outbound airport as I'm driving us there.

@OneTimeThingToday I didn't think of being separated, even momentarily, at security. She will hate that 😭 playing airports is a good idea. I'll have to see if there's a Bluey! I'll have a backpack for hand luggage but also checking in a case.

@Thereisatimeandaplace She doesn't have a tablet so she won't be blaring it for all to hear but I acknowledge your concerns! She does have a window seat. It's a short haul flight, just over an hour I think.

Thanks for all the tips. Will get some handy toys and make sure we have plenty of snacks!

Which airport? Some of them involve long walks in a short period of time (such as Easyjet at Gatwick). You wont have time to do it at 2yo pace

easyJet at Luton. Maybe it is a fight I want to pick!

Pram is essential imo unless your taking a toddler sling

Trying to check in suitcase, in Queues, at passport control when they have to wait in line they can’t just run off. And a 2 year old is a nightmare for waiting imo. At least in a pram you can check in case then have just pram to push and can give then a snack in pram or toddler book to look at 5 mins whilst you wait

we landed at standsted when Ds was about 18 months, and had our cabin pram on us as paid to have it as cabin luggage. No one else got prams on landing as they had to collect at luggage carasol. It took us almost 2 hours from landing to get to luggage due to massive queues ( and kids can’t use passport gates so you’re forced to queue). It was bad enough but so glad we had pram as Ds was asleep on arriving so he actually slept the first half of wait

We used to go buy lots of little things to do on the plane (think stocking presents) wrap them up and open one every hour or so. The children helped choose and wrap so lollipop, finger puppets, colouring/stickers, etc. a big scarf/hamam towel is good for hiding under,

Ugh, that sounds awful. Was the queue due to passport control? This is a domestic flight but I take your point.

I'm glad I posted, we'll take the pram.

We have an ergobaby metro+ which we've flown with before but not on easyJet. I've only booked small hand luggage on this flight so does anyone know if I can take a buggy to the gate? Last time we flew with her she was under 2 so it was different.

ETA - and get the buggy back at the airplane steps?

Easyjet allow two items per child. Last time i took the pushchair DD was nearly 4yo (the flight was landing at midnight!)

Yes it was just carnage at passport gates. We were in family queue but that didn’t move much shorter as it’s mainly families who are not using e gates.

you can always take pram to gate. But if you only have small under foot luggage you can’t take cabin pram on board as it needed to go overhead. It depends on Luton if they give pram back at plane exit or luggage carousel on arrival ( never flown there, you might be able to find out online).

Also safer using pram if you arriving alone with car as then they can safely be strapped in at car park and not on loose where loads of cars around

Where you get the pram back depends on the airport.

I had similar worries to you but actually we got on fine. The plane got very warm so I’d take shorts or something. Also, assuming your 2 year old is still in nappies so take plenty of those. Take plenty snacks and I’d try and take some calpol in case they get sore ears or anything. Otherwise I’d just try and embrace it and just take it for what it is. Don’t worry about people around you. If your child ends up crying or fidgity, there’s no one that would rather she wasn’t than you and strangers don’t matter

I would prefer to leave the buggy at the gate rather than have to carry it on as well as carrying the child and my hand luggage. If you don't get it back at the gate, you'll get it back at baggage reclaim, so before you have to also wrangle your suitcase. We tend to use big rucksacks as checked luggage instead of a wheeled suitcase, then we have our hands free to push the buggy.

Also, don't ask me how I know, but I would recommend explaining to her in lots of detail beforehand about how everyone has to put their seatbelts on when the seatbelt sign is turned on. And how she might have to put her teddy in the metal detector.

Hi OP

I have travelled alot with my kids from being very young including lots of long haul I would advise.......

1. Pack her favourite snack in a rucksack along with something to keep her occupied on the flight and whilst in the airport. Ipads are great for travelling just remember no wifi up in the clouds so download her favourite film and/or programmes on Netflix. Colouring books are good but I find them a bit of a nuisance with felt pens/pencils/crayons etc.
2. I would advise you take a light weight travel buggy if possible you can some now that fold so small and compact you can take onboard and store in the overhead lockers on the flight. Check in and security can be stressful so helps to keep them in there secure and safe..... if not them maybe some reigns? I know alot of ppl don't like them but I found them a life changing when mine were this age certainly on holiday.
3. don't over complicate it all assuming your flight is fairly short a film, some snacks and a game or 2 would likely be all you will need to keep her occupied on board. And the airport once checked in etc will be no real difference to taking her to a shopping centre.

Enjoy and have fun

@OneTimeThingToday Oh I thought that it all had to be included in or instead of her normal passenger allowance. That's good to know, thank you.

@Skibididoo oh yes, shorts are a good idea. She's potty trained but I'm basically just going to have to cross my fingers there and hope for the best!! Thank you for your comments.

@BarnacleBeasley I am very much planning that teddy goes at the bottom of my hand luggage and stays there until we arrive. Last thing I want is it getting lost at the airport! Haha, thanks for that, I'll do some seatbelt talks. Great username by the way, 2 year old would approve!

Take the bare minimium.
But, absolute essentials are a water bottle for her, because however good she us with an open cup, a place isn't the place. Needs to be empty through security.
Spare set if clothes for you both (see above, spending the day covered in orange just isn't fun).
More nappies than you think.

Rucksack for hand luggage, one case, pushchair.

I've spent so much time lugging toys, games, stickers, crayons etc round the world thst never got a look in. Snacks were the only thing mine took an interest in.

My sister in law and DB brought Fuzzy Felt and some Sticklebricks in their hand luggage. And a small car or whatever is current favourite portable toy.

Also snacks she will eat and water/drink. And as pp said change of clothes. Wet wipes/anti bac sanitizer.

They’ve done lots of travelling with their son when he was a toddler and a little bit with current toddler.

Honestly for a one hour flight I’d just download some kids programmes on my phone.

After the excitement of take off, landing and a few biscuits - you won’t have that much time left to fill.

wheres bluey book is good at this age. It’s like a search and find easy version of where’s Wally. Mine loved it at 2. Plus its thin paper back type so lightweight

If she’s potty trained I’d take a couple of emergency pull ups. I had to subtly put a pull up on my daughter as we were stuck on the runway for a while.

If she is a serious pram refuser, DD2 came out of the pram at 18 months (consistently screamed the entire journey to make her point, and was good enough on a scooter to use that instead day to day), so she did two (long!) flights as a two-year-old without a pram or toddler carrier.

I put her on my shoulders when we needed to walk far or fast in the airport, but both she and I were used to doing that, including with me wearing a rucksack. It is feasible to still pull a wheeled suitcase that way by putting one arm over both her legs so you have a hand free, but it's not very comfortable for any real distance.

A trunki type thing might also be an option, if the pram is likely to be a major battle.

Thanks so much for all the really helpful tips! We do have reins for her which I will take but my problem with them is it's like muscle memory and I forget I'm not holding a dog's lead. As I've discovered, there are definite differences in how to handle toddler reins versus a dog's lead 😳

@skkyelark the buggy just isn't something we do often, especially in the last 6 months, and she kicks off if she has to go in it. Once she's in she settles down but if I have to take her out we go through the whole thing again. And she'll find certain things more scary in the buggy. Fiercely independent until she isn't!! I wouldn't trust her on my shoulders and we don't have a sling so I think it will have to be the buggy. If only I could use a shopping trolley!! Ha.