Most of us experience mild bouts of inner hysteria just thinking about flying with small children. How will you deal with it? How else will you take your kids quiet, seated, and still? Have you installed all of your children’s educational apps?
Making kids preoccupied with things they find interesting will make them enjoy the family getaway. Hence, less stress for parents and a more fun travel experience for the entire family. This quick guide to travel planning hacks for kids may solve all of your travel problems.
Read here to learn how a mom survives long-haul flights with her toddler.
What to Prepare When Flying with Kids?
Traveling with toddlers may appear to be a daunting task, but with a little planning, you can make the experience much more enjoyable! We share the toddler travel tips that have helped us over the years, as well as a list of necessary items to load for your trip.
So, whether you’re taking a car trip or traveling overseas, keep reading for some helpful tips for your next holiday with small visitors!
Plan Your Flight
If you organize ahead of time for your vacation, it will go much more smoothly. This is especially important when traveling with children of any age. Especially babies and toddlers, who have different needs than older children!
Bring Activity Kits
Install Games
For entertainment, technology has come a long way. Load up your child’s iPad or tablet with movies and they’ll be entertained for hours.
During the flight, they can also watch and play in the app their favorite kid-friendly games and puzzles. Age doesn’t matter in this in-flight entertainment. As a result, parents can unwind and enjoy during family travel.
Download Movies
One of the most popular travel hacks is one that keeps the kids captivated for at least an hour. Download their favorite movies on the Ipad or tablet. You may also check the list of downloaded videos on the plane that are suitable for kids.
This way, your toddlers or even older kids can watch them without you feeling worried about them trying to fiddle with the screen. This is also an excellent time to see that movie they’ve been wanting to see. Great screen entertainment for everyone.
Brain Teasers
What perfect way to get more fun for a long-haul flight than to learn about the interesting places you’ll be visiting? Kids may enjoy some brain teasers during the flight like Lonely Planet Kids. It is jam-packed with logic and number puzzles to test young minds in an enjoyable travel-themed setting. This is ideal for when they need to take a break from screen time on the plane.
Surprise Toys
Toys are most of the time a joy to every little one. When you are flying with kids, you may bring some toys that they like but are not too bulky to bring. Here’s one of the travel tips for toys, prepare some stimulating toys to play with. It is amongst the most important parts of maintaining your toddler to have some fun. We frequently go to the discount store to stock our carry-on with cheap toys we’ve never seen before.
Buckle Toys are made of a soft, snuggly material that a toddler’s hands can easily grasp and hug. Most buckle toys are compact enough to carry in a purse or carry-on bag, which relieves you of the stress in preparing your kids the day away from home.
Another great toy to bring for kids during flight is a magnetic play set. It encourages storytelling, promotes problem-solving skills, and builds sequencing skills that will keep kids entertained for hours. The playboard folds in half and the magnetic pieces are difficult to lose, making it ideal for travel.
No Mess Coloring Books
Who doesn’t love coloring and sticker books? This has been a travel buddy for a long time and continues to work perfectly. You can select various stories based on your kid’s interests.
Coloring has never been more enjoyable. It is no longer necessary to be concerned about your child coloring on walls, seats, seat back tables, or themselves. Here’s one of the tips you may try for your kid’s love for art.
There are very few options available in the market, all of which only work on the paper that comes with them. For example, the Color Wonder products. Color Wonder markers are pens whose colors only show up when used on the Crayola line of coloring books and blank pages. Color Wonder provides your kids with the most choices available and creativity in terms of no-mess coloring.
The Water Wow coloring books are suitable for kids aged 5 and above. It comes with four reusable pages as well as a refillable water-based pen. You are given one pen with which to activate the color on the pages! When you’re finished, let it dry before erasing the images and filling it in once more.
Pack Some Snacks
Cheerios
Simple things might be neglected. These cheerios have been helpful to parents flying with kids. It only costs a little but this snack can be used to keep young kids busy the entire flight. You would love these ideas as they create more ways to enjoy cheerios on the ride.
Go fishing with cheerios. A preschooler may find it difficult to use tweezers. This offers enough of a challenging task to keep things interesting, and each success is rewarded.
Make a hole at the top or one side of your empty pancake or cereal box. It must be large enough to squeeze a Cheerio out from the box. The hole size you create is entirely up to you or it depends on the age of your child. Put some Cheerios inside and instruct them to fish them out with tweezers.
Child Meal
Food is essential in different trips. A hungry tummy can lead to tantrums in the airport or even during the flight. So, packing a snack for them is the best way to ensure that they love to eat the food during the trip.
But before anything else, you need to consider the flight rule in bringing food, especially liquids. When planning to travel with snacks in your carry-on bag, it’s better to successfully navigate airport security checkpoints.
Consider packing snacks that will minimize spills and messes. Snacks can be packed in Ziploc snack bags for single servings, which can be distributed directly to your kids or used to replenish the snack cup. This will save you energy from cleaning up the mess.
Always pack far more meals than you believe you will require. Kids may frequently eat more on a jet than they do in the house most likely because they are constantly on the lookout for a way to pass the time.
Baby Meal
Traveling with a baby needs proper planning. You couldn’t go to your kitchen and bring in food every time they are hungry. One of the tips to remember is you need to consider some delays which becomes challenging to keep food hot or cool.
While there are strict limits on the fluids you can bring on an aircraft, they do not pertain to baby food or milk. All airlines allow passengers to bring food and milk onboard. Just bring a reasonable quantity that would fit in the airport rules. You may also inquire in advance to your airlines for baby meals. Some of them offer healthy food for your baby.
Bring Toiletries and Medicines
Antibacterial Wipes
As a parent, you feel anxious if you don’t have a kit of wipes with you. You’re constantly thinking about what might spill or stain if you don’t have some wipes nearby. They’re great for cleaning delicate or sensitive skin. They are portable and suitable for a variety of surfaces.
Wipes can, indeed, be taken on board a plane. Just make sure they are carefully packed and not easily damaged. They are intended to clean dirt and other potentially infectious materials from your child’s skin. Many different types of them are made with hypoallergenic properties.
Nappies
Nappies are important during family travel. Just imagine if you don’t bring some extra for your kids. It might be a disaster. So, here are a few tips to remember when you pack and use them on the flight. Baby should be changed as close to disembarkation time as possible. This may allow you to spend more time on the plane without changing.
Next, check the changing table location on board. If the jet has a changing table, the flight crew will be willing to inform you where it is. Most aircraft used for long-distance flights would have some kind of changing table.
Many small regional planes lack a changing table. In these cases, inquire with the flight attendant about the best location for a diaper change. Some will provide a sheet to protect the jump seat, while others will have user do it in a rear aisleway. One popular suggestion is to change the baby on a confined toilet seat.
To make this easier, use a compact bag that would allow you to access baby wipes and nappies easily. Never miss this pack me bundle for a stress-free vacation.
Common Medicines
Don’t forget to pack some medicine for common illnesses during family vacations. We recommend packing all meds in your carry-on luggage so that you can have it if you are away from your checked-in luggage at any point during your airplane trip.
Medicines should have a printed label that defines the medication, as well as the name of the manufacturer or a pharmaceutical label. Security or customs officials may request proof of medication need.
To prevent running out of medication, always bring more than you anticipate using during your airplane trip. However, depending on your destination, some restrictions may apply. Each country has unique rules about what meds you can bring with you. If you’re traveling abroad, research the rules of your destination country ahead of time.
Make Them Sleep Better
Sleeping Gear
After all the busy activities onboard, kids love to sleep. So don’t forget to bring some sleeping gear that would make them feel comfortable even in their seats. Having a sleeping child on an airplane reduces stress for everyone.
If your child falls asleep well in the car seat, bringing a car seat on the trip may be advantageous. We’ve also found that a dark environment is essential for getting a baby to sleep ing on a plane. One method is to request or bring your own extra cover or blanket onto the plane. You can make a canopy out of them by hanging them over the seatbacks and onto the tray tables.
On the other hand, little babies may find it difficult to sleep on a plane. The stimulation and unfamiliar surroundings can be perplexing. Baby wear provides comfort and allows the baby to sleep more soundly on a plane.
Choose the Right Bag
Using the top travel suitcases for your necessities is a sure way to reduce drama while traveling with young kids. Whether you travel carryon only or not, packing cubes will help you manage and even squish your belongings to optimize your space.
If you are traveling with a toddler, you need to bring a stroller together with your luggage. What a hassle! However, a new travel buddy that combines your luggage and stroller in one is a game changer. You don’t need to juggle all your things at the same time. What about that! Hassle free travel.
Summary of Family Travel Hacks
Traveling with toddlers can be challenging, but effective planning can greatly ease the experience. Preparing ahead by loading your child’s device with games and movies can keep them entertained for hours, which is crucial for maintaining peace during the flight.
Bringing along surprise toys and no-mess coloring books can provide additional entertainment and keep children engaged in a variety of activities. It’s also important to pack plenty of snacks to avoid hunger-related discomfort and to ensure that all necessary toiletries and medicines are on hand for any situation.
By incorporating these travel planning hacks, parents can ensure a more enjoyable and stress-free journey for the whole family.
