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

When they were small and still new at the potty training thing (dd3 decided she was going to potty train 3 weeks before we flew to the USA) - I used to just put pull ups on over the top of their knickers. So didn't interfere with sensation of knickers but in event of accidents it would not be a disaster.

Used Crayola pens that only worked on crayola paper for colouring!

No sweets until last 30 mins before landing.

Bag full of snacks so covered in event of delays (4 hours on tarmac on that same trip to the USA!).

Full change of clothes for you and them!

Took group 1 car seat on for DC3 so he would sleep comfortably - paid for him to have a seat even though he was under 2!

Now they are older I make them sit in the row behind me - so I can scowl at anyone who kicks my seat!

We fly regularly to see OH'a family in South Africa, and we have blow up cushions which fit between our seat and seat in front- so you can make a bed. With two, you can make a double sized bed.. brilliant. Also, we have healthy snacks- sugar high on a plane- disaster!
We do the same routine if we need to sleep, so we bring pyjamas, cuddle objects, and we have stories and try and make a bedtime 'routine'.. during the day, we allow screen time- the regular walks and exercises around the plane.. plus, we bring along a new sticker book for the journey..

I used to do lots of long haul flights ( 11 hours) with 2 small children. I used to make sure that I had quiet bags, selection of easy play games, threading books, other books and iPads. I also found it was easier to break the time up by letting the children have a walk around a bit. Some snacks, like raisins or rice cakes. As they got older they got their own bags and had their own headphones and music etc. made life easier.

We went premium economy as it was on offer at the time we made our 13 hour flight. The extra space and bigger reclining seats made such a massive difference. This, combined with the fact that we allowed things like unlimited iPad time, we're a real boon. We wrongly assumed that the airline would have provided more meals and some form of child friendly snacks. If we had taken various snacks as others suggested it would have been much better

plenty of snacks, little walks around the plane and letting them use the onboard entertainment usually does the trick.

Also preparing them before hand by explaining the process and length of flight, making sure they've been to the loo before you board etc. so that they remain comfy. Letting them take their shoes off to be comfy too.

Medium to long haul with children (not babies) if you can be flexible on travel dates, check the in flight entertainment in advance, book outbound and return flights in different months, otherwise the return journey may sent you round the twist.

We take felt-tip pens and a colouring book. Also we take an activiy book which has crosswords, dot-to-dot, puzzles etc to keep them entertained.

Loaded up tablets with earphones so they can watch what they want and there is no fighting. I also gear some stuff to their personal preferences. My eldest like to write and do sums so a notebook and oens for him. The youngest likes lift tge flap books so he gets a new one when we fly.

My youngest 2 have been on a few long flights since they were about 12 months and we also did a long drive from Calais to the Alps when my 3 kids were 1, 2 and 10.
Travelling is hard work and I did as much as I could to keep them happy, and our fellow passengers!
They chose magazines at the airport, they had their favourite shows and films on the ipad, they played the games and watched films on the in flight entertainment (last time youngest was 6 and he watched the same film 4 times back to back so it was an easy flight!).
Order the kids' meals but also take some extra snacks.
We played ABC games and my daughter likes to write stories, which she then read to us.

Oh and we book lounges on both legs of the journey that include food and drink so no worrying about getting a seat at the airport etc. Anything to make things go a bit more smoothly.

Never flown with Qatar, we flew with Singapore Airlines once and they were amazing with our daughter. It was only short haul to Munich but the service was AMAZING. We have flown with Virgin, BA, Emirates, AA and many of the short haul 'budget' companies too but I have to say Singapore were by far and away the best. They let families on the plane first which makes it easier for us and other customers to not have impatient toddlers queuing forever. Once on the plane they helped with luggage and had little toys as treats for our daughter. They would pay her loads of attention and she loved it.

On short haul flights we have her tablet and colouring which keeps her occupied most of the time. Also have a cushion for her feet to rest on that goes in the footwell so she doesn't end up kicking the seat in front. We make sure we buy a bottle of water from WH Smiths before we board. We did do a lounge once but there wasn't anything for children and she didn't do the food justice so it was a bit of a waste of money.

tablet, coloring books, small fruits and chips to keep them busy

Food and drink
comforters
toys
ipad (download favorite films and programmes)
sticker books

Snacks snacks and snacks oh and stickers

Take plenty of cheap new toys, a mix of different types of activities and some things to do together and some they can do alone, these then become toys to play with while away too so you don't need to pack as many, remember to pack a similar bag for the journey home with new things

Take plenty of snacks and food that you know they will eat as they may refuse the flight meal

Take a charged tablet and headphones but use as a last resort and don't tell them its an option

I value the one on one time flying gives me with my children, which allows me to explain things like gender equality ...

Only a man can run an airline, says Qatar boss - www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44369163

Well, that went well ...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44369163

I flew several times long haul with my 3 children (10 Mo, 2yo and 6 yo)by myself,

I always make sure I have there favourite snacks, but the eldest 2 a magazine from the duty free,
I also pack their own headphones as they don't always like the ones that the airline is providing. That way they enjoy the in flight entertainment which they consider a treat.
We flew with Qatar in January and that was definitely the best airline to fly with young children.

Have a look in advance to see what films and programmes will be available so you know how long you can keep them occupied for with that.

Take colouring and puzzle books but don't let them play with noisy computer games that will disturb other passengers if they don't have headphones!

I would spend the time assuring my DD that, as a woman, she would be more than capable of being CEO of an airline, should she so desire.

Sit him next to Grandad

Otherwise:
Big bag of healthy snacks
Colouring book and crayons
Kindle fire loaded with games and films
Sticker books

Honestly? We use the tablet a lot! Download games, films and shows and get a decent pair of children’s headphones.

We also pack a few new little toys, snacks and activity books.

SNACKS.
I load the iPad with games and videos.
Sticker books and colouring books.
SNACKS.
headphones seem to help too. Often mine fall asleep wearing them.
Did I mention to pack snacks?

I spend a huge amount of my life on planes and the things I see that are really successful are:
take sports cap bottles of your own for children - they need to be empty through security, but there are places to refill them in UK airports and all US ones. Otherwise buy a bottle of water and decant it into them and the same on the plane. It saves a lot of spillages!

Put kids stuff into different coloured drawstring bags (really cheap on ebay) so you can pull spare clothes/ nappies/ toys out from your hand luggage easily without rummaging, and children can hang their own bags up from the table catch. Then put stickers/ playmobile/crayons in ziplock bags inside them so stuff stays together and can be easily found.

Find out ahead of time if there is anything at the airport for children. For instance the kids play area at Birmingham is hidden round the corner from the main lounge and isn't well signposted but gives them lots of space to move around.

No chocolate! Melting chocolate is very messy on plane seats.

Making fruit pastille last the longest.

Word games eg famous oeople ir country names that begin with last letter of last person’s turn.
Squares game - scrap if paper with grid of dots.
Plenty of other simple games like hangman.

New books at airport. Charged gadgets.

Well timed flights!