55 17 - 72Shares
Please note: there are affiliate links in this post, which means if you purchase an item from my link I will get a (very) small percentage of the purchase. Full disclosure statement can be found here. Thank you!
Melissa & Doug Felt Friends Stickers: These are so fun to make!
Kindle Fire for Kids: A tablet of some kind is basically a must for long flights with young kids. Bonus points for this kid-proof case and easy return/exchange policy for when your kid drops it on the tarmac.
Washi tape: Totally removable tape that you can put all over the plane walls, windows, and tray table. Win!
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse figurines: Any small toys that can stand easily on the tray table will do. I recommend getting these for cheap at a thrift store, but if you’re in a pinch, click on the link and grab these ones!
Check out this awesome kids tray! It’s already clean and will keep toys and snacks contained.
A Successful Flight (Minus the Swearing)
I spent a lot of time preparing for our flight from Oahu to Phoenix. My backpack was full of tricks and snacks for entertaining my son. When our row was called to board at the airport, my husband was standing near the line and motioned for us to come over. My son was struggling to get his backpack on and mumbled, “Dammit.” My husband called from about 15 feet away, “What?” And my son hollers back “DAMMIT!” The lady sitting next to me gave me a look with her eyebrows raised. So we were off to a good start.
He had fun perusing the safety info and helping Daddy get his seat belt on. We bought some new t.v. shows he’s never seen on the Kindle Fire and rented the movie Up. The movie was a big fail – he just didn’t have the attention span for a movie, but he spent about 2 hours browsing the new t.v. shows, so that was a win.
I tried something new on this flight. I always worry that we are bothering the people in front of us when my son is rough opening and shutting his tray and when he “accidentally” kicks the seat in front of him. So when we first sat down in our seats I got the attention of the man sitting in front of my son. “Sir? Hello this is my son behind you and he’s going to try really hard not to touch your seat, but if he does feel free to turn around and tell him – I don’t like that!” The two ladies sitting with him laughed and he seemed pretty good-natured about it. Plus I didn’t have to be paranoid that the man was fuming every time the seat was bumped. I’m thinking if we started annoying him at any point he would have been comfortable enough to at least turn around and make a joke about it.
Also, do yourself a favor and get some Kids Headphones. These are some of the best customer rated kids headphones on the market!
Here is one of my goodie bags filled with wrapped surprises. It made it through security, but there’s always a chance that they will have to open the gifts if the x-rays make them suspicious of something.
(Side note: I love these water bottles for kids!)
Most of the small wrapped gifts for this flight were figurines from the Goodwill and small pieces of candy. I also found some cool washi tape from Amazon that is reusable and kinda feels like the sticky part of a post it note.
We had a lot of fun putting together a lego spiderman car. It was a small miracle we didn’t lose one of the tiny pieces on the floor of the plane. Only downside was the plane was dark and mostly quiet by the time we were putting it together and he was just SO excited and kept yelling out with glee. Eh, better than crying.
(Another side note… get some of these Little Animal Toys: Again, go to a thrift store for these little guys, but it’s hard to beat this deal on Amazon for new ones!)
So, when we were waiting for our row’s turn to exit the plane a lady tapped me on the shoulder and said “Your parenting was a real pleasure to witness.” I couldn’t tell if she was joking, so I said, “He wasn’t too loud?” (Because he totally was loud most of the time.) She said, “Well kids are loud, but you guys did a wonderful job with him.” So I’m willing to bet she wasn’t the same lady who heard him yell DAMMIT as we were boarding.
As we left the airplane the pilot was just exiting the cockpit and asked him if he wanted some wings. He was so stinkin’ proud of those wings! He has worn them quite a few times since then :)
So at the end of the day it was a very successful flight! Three and a half is a whole new ball game for 6+ hour flights – so much easier than the 12-24 month age. We have one more long flight before we reach our new home, but I have a few more new ideas up my sleeve for that one. And miles to go before we sleep!
How cute is this leather kids backpack with a plane stitched on?
What are your favorite toys/games/snacks to pack in order to have a successful flight with a little one?55 17 - 72Shares
My boys have been flying since they were both under a year old. I just worry so much about them, but I’ve literally never had one issue with them flying.
I can’t help but laugh at the fact your son shouted out “dammit”. My nephew did something similar around me (and other adults) when I was home and took him out on an adventure by himself. Except his swear word was much worse. I don’t remember the exact word though.
I love that you wrapped up gifts for him to keep him entertained! These are awesome ideas for when my husband and I have kids (eventually!)
And hey! Love that the pilot gave him a wing pin! That’s really awesome of them. Bet your lil kiddo was so proud :)
Yeah it was funny, but definitely embarrassing at the time! And he loves that wing pin so much. I don’t know how he hasn’t got one on a previous flight before now. Maybe only certain airlines give them out.
You sound like a very seasoned traveler. We could all learn from you ;)
I’ve been flying with my princess since she was a month old ;-) she’s a pro now hehe… I like the present idea you have… Will have to keep in mind for a longer flight in the future ;-)
I planned and planned like you did. As long as my kids were entertained and not hungry, they were great travelers!
Good point about being hungry. I like to make sure he has some protein in his system before all the treats I give him on the plane. I’m glad your kiddos are great travelers – it makes travel much more fun for the fam!
A long flight for children is always hard. I try to fly on Jet Blue so they are entertained by watching tv or listening to music . I’ve brought their portable games too.
Have you ever asked to see the cockpit and talk to the pilots? They are always more than willing to and many will even let your kid sit in the chair and look at all the buttons (and snag a few photos).
We’ve never done that, but Scott would just DIE of happiness if they let him sit in the cockpit! The pilots always seem really friendly with him when we are exiting the plane, so I’ll definitely ask next time :)
Wow lovely family!!! You guys looks so cute!!!
It’s good to be honest to the person sitting in front of the child. I experience having a child near me every time when we ride an airplane. I get annoyed when parents don’t watch out for their kids and let them bother other passengers.
I think it makes it way worse when the parent is just ignoring the kid’s behavior. Like they couldn’t care less how annoying their kid is! My frustration is way less when the parent is making an effort to entertain or redirect their kid, even if the kid is still annoying :)
I am impressed with the amount of thought and care you took to plan for the long flight! It’s great you brought a bag of tricks and treats(even better it made it through security intact). Also taking time to talk to the person in the seat ahead was very considerate.
I have to do that much planning otherwise it’s a disaster lol. Thanks for reading, Brianna :)
Flying with little ones can be very tricky. I am so happy you had a great experience. A little bit of preparation can go a long way.
Last month on my six hour flight from dubai to heathrow I sat next to a family and their littlest girl made me wanna run for the hills but the middle girl had this flying to a T, she watched movies, ate and like to read books. All children are different and since I am not a parent yet I can not imagine how the parents cope I can just be understanding. Good luck with your next flight and the tricks your got planned
Yep I think there’s one in every family and my only child is it! He just does not want to sit still and flights can be torturous for him. I always feel like other families have it together on the plane, while I am one tantrum away from losing my mind!
I’ve flown three round-trips with my little one (she’s almost a year), and I usually just pray the whole way to the airport that the flight will go okay!! haha! Love that your trip started off with some comedy with your son’s cursing. Too funny! I bet this will be a post you’ll be glad you did. When he’s grown and flying is no big deal, it’ll be fun to look back at the production that it was to fly as a family. :)
I hope that day comes soon where I can look back and laugh :) I can’t wait until he is a more patient traveler, but I know that will come in time (and with practice).
Glad to hear you had a great flight! The flight gifts are such a great thing for little ones, it really does distract them and keeps them entertained :)
I always carry a backpack full of stuff- a survival kit if you will. I love your idea of having little gifts.
Glad you had a good one, hoping my next flight gets better with my toddler. She refuses to sit still. I’m definitely taking some tips from you.
The “Dammit!” is so cute! My husband did something similar in front of his grandmother when he was a child… Got a similar reaction as well…
Lol kids say the DARNEST things don’t they? How cute!!!!
Good job. You were really prepared. Your son is hilarious though. I laughed when he said the “D” word. :D
It looks like you had great flight! Good tips! Thank you for sharing!
It sounds like it was actually not that bad of a flight considering how long it was for sure. At least that is not to bad of a bad word. lol I would teach him darn it though. lol :P Out of the mouth of babes. Thanks for sharing.
Yep, pretty good flight – definitely not the worst experience we’ve had :) And true, the swearing could have been way worse!
Kids can be hard to entertrain, but it looks like you did great. You were super prepared and had a happy kiddo :) Great work.
Way to go, Mom! So proud of you and your boy. I hope you saved some tricks fire the next flight. I sincerely hope you aren’t flying straight from where you are now to where you are going!
Thanks Sara :) Miss youuuuu!
Jamie! Just started following you and I am loving your posts! When you wrote, “He’s going to try really hard not to touch your seat…” I mean if that isn’t the most charming way to give someone a head’s up, I don’t know what is! GENIUS and glad it was successful :)
Thanks so much Jen! It was strategic, but true! He knew he wasn’t going to get any treats and gifts if he was being a punk and kicking the seat. I think it’s easier to forgive a kid when they are at least trying their best :)
Excellent advice for anyone traveling with a kiddo. I love telling the gentleman in front of you to say “I don’t like that” if he feels his seat being kicked too much. It completely relaxes any tension and like you said, gives him an easy way to say something if he’s feeling bothered. Great post!!
So many toys for the plane ride! I like that you let the man in front of him know not to be shy. It’s a great way to avoid hostile conversations mid-flight.
So smart to pack toys for flights. Traveling with kids is tough. This makes it easier!
I’m not sure I could handle a flight that long that well! Sounds like you were really well prepared for it.
You definitely came well prepared for the flight! He is super cute!
I am just glad to know you have a successful flight. I don’t really bring any. I guess girls are different than boys. My daughter can sit a few hours just telling me stories. Then she’ll read. I think an iPad full of excited apps you can access offline would be enough. Did it for an 21-hr trip. :D
You are SUPER lucky that your kiddos are so easy to travel with! I think it’s probably part gender and part temperament. 21 hours though – yikes! Glad you had a good experience!
I wish you was my Mom! All of those snacks…and toys!! Man, great times! :)
I’m glad that you were able to make the flight fun for him! Even I get restless on airplanes. I always like to pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich :) They’re quick, easy, and they don’t have to stay refrigerated!
Cheers!
JoAnna
foreverinparadise.net
I had totally meant to pack some PB&J sandwiches for this flight and forgot :( My mom made him one for the car ride though (cut into dinosaurs and everything!)
What a cute collection of toys, and a great way to keep your lil’ one happy during an airline flight. I would have liked to play with the toys. 6 hours is a long time, and it looks like he handled it like a champ! I’m surprised the movie didn’t work.
Wow, there were A LOT of really good ideas in this post! You thought of everything.
Your son’s adorable (my four are all little, blonde cuties too)…he could kick my seat any time! lol
Yay! A successful flight is a happy flight! I have yet to fly with a small child but I have a feeling these tips will come in handy when we do!
must be quite a daunting task entertaining the little one during the flight + it looks like he totally enjoyed the experience. good job, mum!
Looks like you had a great flight and there were lots of great ideas here. I have to admit that everyone has flown with my son except for me. They tell me he is a pro since he goes on vacation every year. He is a pretty well traveled 7 year old…lol
That’s a lot of candy, I’d be a afraid the child would be super hyper after eating them. Glad it all worked out though. Good job!
I know, I’m always worried about that too! I try to make sure he has lots of protein mixed in with the sweets.
Great tips for traveling with kids! I wish more people would do these things and I’ll keep them in mind if I ever decide to have one or two.
Thanks! I do love seeing parents that are prepared for traveling with their kiddos!
It’s so cute to see how proud he is of the wings! I remember getting some as a kid as well and thinking they were pretty cool.
Yeah I think I had some old school delta wings and I LOVED them :)
Normally I hate it when I hear of people passing judgement on other people’s parenting, but that must have been nice to hear at the end of the flight!!
Yeah I was dreading her comments after the shoulder tap, but luckily she was gracious :)
Wow- well done, you! My mom used to pack us goodie bags like that, to keep us distracted through the flight, and I never see it anymore. I wish more parents took the time to plan ahead and understand their little one has a different realm of patience, like you guys did. Also, telling the guy in front of your son was a stroke of genius- I’ve been subject to obnoxious kid behavior behind me many times on flights, and always the parents just ignored them, so I felt like I’d be an asshole if I turned around and asked the kid to stop, or the parents to intervene.
Thanks Beth! I feel the same way about kids kicking or messing with my seat on airplanes. It used to annoy me SO much! Payback’s a bitch lol. I did the same thing on our loooong flight to Germany a couple days ago and it worked like a charm again. And I really feel like they would have been comfortable enough to turn around and say something directly to him if he got to be too annoying. Or at the very least they know I’m making an effort to correct him, so hopefully they won’t be fuming every time their seat is nudged thinking I couldn’t care less :)
Looks like you really put a lot of planning and effort into keeping your guy busy :)
I sure did and it was worth it :) Thanks for reading!
congratulations on a successful flight! We haven’t traveled by plane yet but when we do, I hope our flight will not be stressful :)
Thank you! Well good luck on your first flight… whenever that may be!
You are a SUPER MOM!!!
I think I speak for all human kind when I say good job on what you did with the person sitting in front of you. It drives me nuts when parents think their child is somehow entitled to annoy and bother the whole plane because “he is a child”. Of course kids have a harder time controlling themselves than adults, but it helps so much more when you see that the parent is doing something about it.
And PS your son is adorable :)
Valeria @ romenewyorklondonworld.com
haha OMG thank you! I think the people that don’t give a $H!T about their kids while traveling probably have a lovely stress-free experience compared to those of us trying to maintain peace for all the other travelers. It can be so much work, but I feel like if my kid is still crazy after all my efforts, the other passengers will be a lot more sympathetic :)
I travel with my 3 year old all the time, and I’m always looking for new ideas. Thanks for some great ones. I love the idea of telling the person in front of him to say “I don’t like that!” We struggle with not kicking the seat in front of us… We might have to try that next time.
Hey Colleen, Traveling with a 3 year old is not for the faint at heart! So much of my stress involves that person in front of my kid(s) being bothered, from kicking or pushing on the screen, or playing with the tray table. We’ve started to seat our family with our most energetic family member sitting directly behind one of us, so that way it’s not a stranger! Good luck with your flights!