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

Comfy clothes a few layers. Surprise packs of 'eats' and loads of games and colouring books

pack a bag of activities...paper, pens, a book and a pack of cards and a magazine to keep them occupied. failing that give them the iPad

lots of snack esp for taking off and landing. My LOs are quite happy with their portable dvd players and travel games :)

Every hour/half hour give them a package to open. Contents include:
Mini travel aquadraw type book
Little magnetic snakes and ladders
Magic slate
Sticker book
My daughter's Kidizoom camera has lots of games on it which keeps her busy. As does the iPad!

Take a selection of new inexpensive toys eg magazine, book, puzzle book, plasticine, stickers, lego, pen and paper, playing cards (don't forget to do the same for the return journey!). Snacks, wet wipes and favourite soft toy. Don't expect them to sleep and then you won't be disappointed!

By keeping them busy and entertained throughout the journey.

used to let our son stay up as long as he wanted the night before - a very rare treat, which of course results in him being absolutely shattered and makes most of the experience a sleeping one! other than that its as much screen time as he wants and lots of snacks - but be careful here you need to make sure those snacks are not loaded with sugar or you will have a hyper kid, some drinks but not too many (remember the sugar). Tiny rucksack with little toys in it that are not noisy or make him jump about - think finger skateboard, those fingerlings things would have been ideal for him if he was a young kid now!

Pack lots of snacks and a snuggly blanket. Headphones and a table/iPad for a blissfully quiet flight!

We've not yet taken our children on a flight. But i'm thinking we would need some fully charged tablets (with their favourite games, films, and audio books) as well as drawing/writing materials.
However, i'm sure that they would still get restless...

Tablets, battery banks snacks and magazines. all have to be used and play games noughts and crosses hangman etc, helps keep there mind off bordem!

As above. The sucky sweets for helping with ear popping are really important.

Games and colouring in books are a big help and essential

We flew to Kenya last year and I was slightly dreading the flight as even though my son was 7 he hadn't flown that length of time before. Our flight departed early in the morning (so we were all shattered) and arrived late at night (doubly shattered) but he did really well (excitement helped). He was entertained by the inflight movies and his Tablet. I took a battery charging block so that he could play for a fair few hours before it died but the seats incorporated USB charging ports so this wasn't a worry. He also had books and colouring stuff with him but these remained untouched.

I do not take toys on flights as they can be annoying to other passengers and if they get dropped etc they can cause a hazard.

Hand held consoles, books, portable dvd player are all handy

number 1.... power bank, number 2 ..... tablet with games and downloaded programmes, number 3 ...... headphones. If it's a night flight a blow up headrest, and a cabin crew who make your little one feel special is always a welcome bonus.

Travelling with kids can be awful if you aren't prepared, whether you are flying, driving or on a train etc. Tiny babies sleep most of the time, which is a Godsend although if the journey is long they may be more active when you arrive and need sleep yourself! The hardest time I found was between about 6 months until 2/3 years as they are hard to entertain for longer periods. Taking a tablet with films and games works wonders from 3 years upwards but personally I found things like that only worked in short bursts for toddlers as their concentration wasn't great so I had to be hands-on most of the journey with other toys and games and actively playing with them.

Puzzle books and colouring books

We Only do short haul fights with the kids, then it's books and colouring, we're old school 🤣

Bring a book for them to read on the flight.

Have a bag of treats and goodies (stickers, sweeties, cards, pocket money toys) and stagger giving.

I find if I pull something new out every little while it not only takes the mind off the length of the flight but stops the, getting bored so easily and helps them concentrate on the activity in hand.

we try to wear them out the day before, so they can sleep more on the flight!,

Make sure you keep activities secret until you on the flight then there is an element of surprise. Download favourite films on to tablet before hand. Pack new felt pens and colouring books. I always buy/ borrow some new story books too.

Tire them out BEFORE the flight is always top of my list of must do!! Then I let them choose a new magazine and some munchies before boarding and we play I spy the cloud that looks like .......

Unlimited screen time
New toys (wrapped up)
Stickers
Food

All big hits!

With eldest daughter she loved to read so it was easy, also took some crayons and a colouring book too! Now with the gadgets I think it is easier with toddlers up!