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

We have a small fleece blanket from a previous long haul flight . It rolls up into its own bag and we keep it for flights . When the DC is playing with small toys or crayons etc the blanket is placed onto the seat so that the edges come up around the DC and all the small bits are safely enclosed. Saves a huge amount of frustration if a vital item is dropped.
Once playtime is over the blanket can be used as it was meant to be or rolled up and used as a pillow.

We fly a lot for work reasons, and our number one strategy is to pick good flight times! Night flights are always a win for us as the little boy will sleep for a large chunk of it which means you only have to keep him entertained for a couple of hours. Snacks are a great distraction when he's too young for toys/movies - Organix carrot sticks are a total win for us.

Kindereggs and other small toys are good!

We take tablets, magazines, snacks and fleeces/hoodies as they often get cold.

Must remember to pack a soft blanket next time to double as a pillow. Good tip!

Dd usually falls asleep but ds will use his pad or read the whole time. Easier now as they are 5 and 8

Unlimited screen time is always a winner!
Preload their favourite films and programmes and make sure you have it fully charged.

Snacks, sticker books and a new surprise toy in their hand luggage.

Babies - if using formula milk, before setting off, place measured amounts of milk power in individual containers (divide the duration of the flight by the amount of powdered milk needed then add a couple more portions for good measure.) Ask the attendant for water half an hour before needed so the water has time to cool. Offer bottle on landing & take off as supping milk can prevent ears hurting. Wear baby in a baby wrap & walk, bop, sooth baby when wakeful. Take individual satchets of calpol if needed.

Toddler - prepare snacks such as carrot sticks, crackers & biscuits. Take disinfectant wipes to clean up cabin seat, table space. Prepare small trinket gifts wrapped up and offer one to the toddler every hour or so. Take individual satchets of calpol, ibruprofen, hard sweet if needed.

Children - Bose flight silent headphones, audiobooks, Switch, Laptop, all charged to the max. Inbetween meals, take them to the attendants for snacks as most long haul flights offer pot noodles, chocolate & icecream etc. Older kids could be given a herbal sleep aid to match the new time zone if appropriate. Change of clothes for landing makes you look better but not necessarily feel better. Baby wipes for a quick wash.

Pokémon Go for transfers and airports!

Screen time when needed (in small doses) and little puzzles

Flown with toddlers so far and have found unlimited screen time (downloaded favourite CBeebies programmes in advance on tablet- she wouldn't find it comfy stretching her neck to see the headrest screen and letting her have her dummy (again a treat to have when not sleeping)
Lots of snacks, nice drink to help ears and lots of different "tat" toys- some wrapped up, which can be bought out in moments when she's getting cross/bored.
I agree with previous posters that bending the rules and making it seem like one enormous treat is the best plan of action!

Two things: 'I Spy on a plane journey' and Uno. (We can play -quietly!- for hours).

Well obviously all children are different but for our family:
Technology is an essential - tablets with new stuff but I don't allow them until we're on the aircraft.
While we're in the airport we get as much movement as possible before boarding - travelator up and then walk back down for another 'go'.
We actually board last when the queue has gone down - less time sat in the seat waiting for takeoff.
When little - Lots of small interesting toys e.g plastic animals or happyland.
We brought those reusable sticker books ( they cling rather than stick) as the stickers also working on the seat trays and windows. Magic colouring books. New storybook. Small of pot of playdoh - we supervise this closely. Kids over the ear headphones for in flight entertainment.
When older - card games like dobble or top trumps, plain pad and pencils several packets of whatever collectible they're into e.g Lego minifigure or Shopkins etc I also tried to get them into a series of books beforehand so I could get them the next one for the trip.
Practical - everyone has their own bag (backpack not trunkie), with all their stuff plus a complete change of clothes in a plastic bag (so messy clothes can be contained), lollipops X 2 for take off and landing, non messy snacks and a cuddly animal of choice.
I think parents have to adjust their flight experience too - just be prepared that you aren't going to be able to watch that whole film or sleep properly. It drives me nuts when we work really hard to look after our kids but some other parents literally stick their ear phones in and ignore their children for the flight length.

We usually book an airport lounge. It's not that much more expensive than getting snacks/meal at the airport and then divide and conquer by each taking dc for a walk/play while the other adults gets to chill. It's a much more relaxed atmosphere and no one feels frazzled/sick of terrible chairs before they even get on the plane.

We take lollies for take off and landing and pack snacks for the flight (tend to buy water once through security/get given bottles in the lounge which we'll top up on the plane if needed). We also let dc choose a magazine (though I've normally packed a couple too).

Like others I make sure there are some new bits in the bag, the works or pound shops are good for this. They are usually played with on the other side too (but I reserve some in the case for the journey back). I would usually include some card games.

Tablet with their own headphones on the flight (and try not to use it at the airport) for films, tv shows and games.

This has got us through several long haul flights. I echo a pp in having realistic expectations. Flying long haul is boring for kids and they may well have a few moments!

For our youngest when we flew to the USA we found these all really helped.
Tablets with dowloaded bits that would keep them entertained. Also head phones for them too. Bits like favourite magazines, and a small activity pack helps also. Made sure we took their neck pillows so they are comfy if they have a little nap too.

We flew long haul last summer and made full use of the in-flight entertainment. It was like the kids had their own tablets for 9 hours (we don't use them at home) which kept them thoroughly occupied. I wish I had backed over ear headphones though to make it more comfortable. Also we brought a pick and mix cup full of sweets that they dipped into as much as they wanted.

Flown twice to Oz with DS, once when just under 2, once when just under 4 and then some short haul flights.

Top tips:-

• I have made a bag to go in DS's trunki so that it doesn't end up all over the place when we open it and we can keep the contents under the seat in front.
• lots of different stuff to do eg. books, colouring, games, iPad/phone/in flight entertainment.
• make sure you order kids food in advance but also take some snacks
• make sure you have an adaptor for the headphones so they can use their own much more comfortable ones
• go to the loo once every two hours to give yourself a bit of a wander (if they're awake)
• make sure you have pjs with you and then clothes to wear at the other end (take off in jeans and warm jumper, change to pjs, wake up to shorts and tshirt)

I have been lucky, DS is really good and happy most of the time!

We've flown loads with the DC over the years , flight ranging from 1-11 hours in length. What works for them:

Travel sickness pills as they both get queasy!
Start acting as if it's the destination time as soon as we board the plane.
Activity books.
Having several activities/ toys and bringing a new thing out ever hour or so to prevent them getting bored.
Lots of walking round the cabin.
Lots of snacks ( mine often get hungry between meal services)
Ipad loaded with films and games.

I let my daughter choose a magazine/comic and something to eat on the plane which along with her iPad keeps her amused

Magnadoodle, crayons, stickers, nice long naps, some new books, a bit of TV downloaded to a tablet and plenty of snacks. My DD is 1, we have done four flights but all Midlands to Inverness. In January we are flying out to the states, I'm already planning in flight activities.

We found the following helpful on flights with our DS;

• Bumper sticker/activity book (pre-prepared using the top quality Mumsnet tip.. removing the background sticker to make it easy for LO's to peel off the stickers themselves.. winner!)
• Lots of snacks - both healthy bits & treats.
• DS chose a couple of new games for tablet which he was only allowed to play once we boarded the plane.
• A comic of his choice, predictably chosen based on the 'free' gift! :)

It worked to make a stressful experience into something less stressful & that's always a good thing!

Also.. we didn't use these - but those mosaic sticker books would be great for a long-haul flight, they look very addictive so hopefully useful for keeping 8+ busy!

Lots of different things as she gets bored easily although a film is sure to keep her quiet - stickers, colouring, variety of little snacks, mini toys and books.

We've just flown over half term. On the way out, ipads and snacks made it a doddle. On the way back, I had forgotten to ensure that their devices were fully charged and they gave up shortly into the flight so that was tricky but we managed with stickers, colouring books and Top Trumps.

Book late afternoon or early evening tickets. Then arrive early and basically tired them out. Walk around the airport as many times as possible. Possibly buy few treats to help keep them awake so they could sleep through most of the plane ride. This works really well with ds1 and he fell asleep most of an eight hour plane ride. We did have the kindle ready just in case he fell asleep on the taxi to the airport or at the airport and then refused to sleep on the plane.

We also fill one hand luggage with toys and colouring books. Just incase they get bored of the kindle and can't sleep. Or it takes them a while to actually fall asleep.

colouring books, crayons, a tablet (with earphones) downloaded with CBBC favourites, packet, packet drinks bought from the airport (for the take off and landing to help the pressurisation) and a quality activity pack from the airline is always a treat.

Supply of small toys, books & colouring pens & paper - little mini things, ideally that they've never seen before - so has a wow factor. Plenty of food & drink but nothing too sugary. Phone or tablet with stuff on it they can watch or play.

I think a bag for your child with new/different things is a good distraction. Book, stickers, colours, small cars, maybe a few pots of play doh.