Share your tips for keeping your children happy on flights with Qatar Airways - £300 voucher to be won

[JustineBMumsnet]

Taking your children on a plane journey can lead to worries that they will be bored and miserable until you arrive. Qatar Airways have recently launched their new Oryx Kids Club programme, and want to hear your tips for keeping your children happy when you’re on a flight.

Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Ehab Amin, said: “Qatar Airways is delighted to announce the launch of Oryx Kids Club programme and loyalty programme for its youngest travellers, offering them the opportunity to enjoy exceptional benefits while travelling with Qatar Airways. As an airline that is committed to welcoming children and families on board, Qatar Airways is thrilled about this new opportunity to interact with our passengers, from the moment they arrive at the airport.”

Are you an expert in finding plane friendly toys? Maybe you have an ingenious and unique way of preventing boredom on long plane journeys? Do you use family friendly lounges? Perhaps you play I spy from the sky? Do you use films and games from in-flight entertainment systems or do you prefer to download favourites onto your own tablets to keep your children entertained?

Whatever you do to keep your children happy on flights, share this in the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher for a store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard Insight Terms and Conditions apply

Always ensure you have plenty to keep them entertained. A tablet with some of their favourite films or cartoons can keep them occupied for hours.

Let them sit in a window seat so they have a can easily see outside. I find it helps to point things out to them when flying over (there's our house, there's the football stadium etc.).

Also make sure you have some snacks for them. I'm not a fussy eater but even I struggle with some of the airline meals so it's good to have something you know they like handy for them.

I always make sure to download some shows and games onto the iPad - normally I'm not a fan of distraction by gadget, however on a flight it comes in majorly handy. I also pack some healthy snacks for hungry moments!

Feeding baby on take off and descent to help with the change in air pressure

We let our children use a tablet to watch films or games, they can happily watch youtube for hours.
I take plenty of snacks and drinks for them.
They also get to choose something new to take on the plane like a magazine or small toy to entertain them.

a tablet loaded with programmes or films that they like is always a good idea, but we provide headphones too so as not to upset the other passengers. Obviously a 'tablet' can't be used during take off or landing so we also take age appropriate puzzle books to keep them occuied while tablets arent allowed

A cuddly toy. A fully charged tablet with lots of games he likes.
Some treat bought at airport. Colouring in and drawing things. Plenty of water and snacks.

we play family card games while we're waiting in the airport. Any time I've used lounges I have hated the level of angst of being in a shared space with business travellers. I'd rather just find a quiet corner, sit on the floor and play cards (there are never enough seating areas in airports because they're so desparate for you to be buying stuff).
in flight:
e-readers before takeoff
handheld consoles for later during the flight
if we're going long haul just park them in front of the inflight entertainment.

when they were small:
i used to take a bag full of stuff that had been hidden a couple of weeks before so there was something "new" or "different", along with favourite books. and a diazepam for me. there was usually screaming. i stopped flying for a few years after that.

I always take lots of books about holidays and the places that they are visiting so they can read and see what where they are going on holiday...

Colouring books and crayons

Tablet computer with fav films and double socket phone jack for headphones so I can kip in peace.

This is one of the few times I would encourage tablet use. Make sure you have lots of there favourites downloaded, so there is plenty to choose from. Also make sure they have an extra pillow and blanket to keep them comfortable and a few treats to reward them for their good behaviour as they go along. If all else fail, Calpol!

Puzzle books and games are the way forward, anything to keep them occupied. If its a night flight ear muffs and eye masks are brilliant.

We have some brilliant in-flight earplugs for our son whose ears tend to build up with pressure during take off and landing. Since buying them, they have certainly made him a much happier boy when flying.

Loads of snacks and 'people watching' to keep the toddler entertained on the plane

On long haul, the inflight entertainment is great, plenty of choice for all ages and it really does help - means we don't take much of that sort of entertainment ourselves. They do have their tablets with some games on too. Add in the simple ones like colouring in and we're set.

books, colouring and games

Top tips:

1. Carry wet wipes and change of clothes for each child!
2. Make up little party bags - wrap a small toy figure, mini game, sweet, magazine and allow them to open one an hour - it is amazing how well this works!
3. Take cups with lids that you can pour their drinks into - that way anytime someone needs to get up to the toilet, someone wriggles around or if you hit any turbulance the drinks stay in the cups and not all over them, you, the long suffering person sat next to you
4. If they have a tablet then download some tv shows / films but also switch it up with other activities like colouring or reading so they arent spending 8 hours on screen time
5. Prepare them for the flight before hand - explain about the seatbelt and seats etc
6. Grab drinks for them in the airport - most flights have a very limited service now and only bring drinks during meal times but you can get really dehydrated and thirsty on a flight and having some drinks with you saves you having to keep getting up and disturbing the kids when they are settled
7. Dont over indulge them in sugary sweets and drinks in the airport or during the flight - the temptation is strong but the more you give them the more hyper they will be!
8. Bring a fave teddy or blankie for night flight it will make it easier to settle them- if you have a routine at home stick to it as much as possible for the flight as wel

Ipads and snacks!
And a magazine at the airport

A goody bag with lots of small treats, colouring book, mini jigsaw, map of where they are going. Another good idea is to take pictures of places/things they know from home, from strange angles so they have to guess what they are.

Favourite teddy, some snacks and a drink. Travel games and crayons and colouring book/note book.

tablets preloaded with movies, magazines and snacks :)

we usually take the tablet with a film on this, ava loves her food so this usually takes up an hour or so. We do colouring and activities too

Keep them occupied! Tag team to keep them focused and happy :)

I create a flight kit with puzzles, colouring, a soft toy and some sucky sweets.

Fully charged ipads, sweets for their ears and their fav drinks