Comments on: My Secret Weapon For Taming My Toddler On Our Plane Trip

By: Marla

Marla — Fri, 07 May 2010 16:30:33 +0000

We actually just drove from TN to PA took us 2.5 days with my 22mth old. The way we did it; we planned various stops, like petting zoo in VA, Chliden’s Science Museum in TN, Water Parks, and we filled up the rest of the time with her favorite TV programs, such as Diego, Dora, Backyardigans, on a portable DVD player. And we stopped for the night lates 7:00pm. That worked, we were surprised at how well she dealt with such a long trip. We seem to be more bored than she was.

We are off to Denmark in about 4wks, so definately taking the portable DVD player.

By: Q

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 04:18:52 +0000

Here are some small toys that have helped my three and two year old boys on long flights:

-McDonald’s toys (a couple of small items with characters that they like – Star Wars, lego cars, hot wheels – its even better if the items are still individually wrapped as the boys love to open them up, I buy them on EBay);
-Post it notes (draw a picture or write their name under a post-it and mix it up with two other notes, asking them which one has the drawing)
-Wikisticks (like pipe cleaners except they can stick together due to their wax composition)
-New types of drawing utensils (glitter crayons, mini stampers, color wonders markers, non-drip paints ( look like markers, by Crayola))
-Building kits (foam cars, people, bugs)
-Play doh, model clay (by Crayola)
-Different sets of stickers so that they can create a story
-Kids chopsticks (attached at the top) or plastic toy tweezers and small snacks that the kids can pick up and place in a cup

By: jenna

jenna — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:55:02 +0000

hi, my name is jenna and i a mummy of 1 little 2yr old monster lol. Hes into everything and very hard to keep occupied for any longer than about 20mins. We are heading off to turkey in may and i am dreading our flight there and back. He got an i teddy for x mas so i think that will be our best bet, he can watch all his favourite cartoons on the plane and ill also bring colouring in books and crayons to help keep him interested in everything i can.

By: Amber

Amber — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:53:45 +0000

Thank you so much for your suggestion! It is so true. I am learning- in a few months from now I will be taking my 16 month old from New York City to Montana, two 2 1/2 hour flights and a two hour drive. This will be her fourth flight, the longest was to phoenix, 5 long hours. As soon as I buy the ticket for each trip, I immedietely start a complex, mapped out, every minute orchestrated strategy for how to keep her entertained it seems like! New toys, hide favorites, everything you guys have all said! I become consumed- everywhere I go whatever I am doing, until the flight I am constantly searching for flight toys!

By: poker dealer

poker dealer — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:40:17 +0000

Room pedestal poker table americana dodge city poker hacks for rounders poker ulitimate poker [URL=http://lakaje.ciniyiz.com/770.html]pirate poker chips[/URL] [URL=http://lakaje.ciniyiz.com/713.html]sexy strip poker online[/URL] website

By: stacey

stacey — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:52:16 +0000

I am traveling to Egypt from London on the 24th and after reading everyones suggestions I now have lots of ideas of how to keep my 2year old entertained thank you!

A few other ideas:

shape sorters
paint dabbers
etch a sketch

hope u have a wonderfull holiday and a safe journey!

thank you everyone for ur excellent ideas!

By: Jenn P

Jenn P — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 19:50:21 +0000

You guys got my creative juices flowing. Just thought I’d share my brainstorming with you:

simple origami
simple game: which post it note is the sticker under
stamping
finger puppets

By: Jenn

Jenn — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 18:51:25 +0000

I love all of you great ideas thank you! We are taking our son to Italy departing from the states in september he will be almost 3. After reading all of your posts I feel more hopeful about the trip.
Things are as exciting as you make them for toddlers.
Jenn

By: Jen

Jen — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 15:28:19 +0000

I have traveled with 11 mo twins and 2yr old twins. The pipe cleaners are awesome for the 2 yr olds let the creative juices flow! the younger ones we had a few new toys and lots of chewy toys as one was teething too and those helped during take-off and landing. When I travel with toddlers I usually bring circle cereal like cheerios or fruit loops and some string. The kids have to make a necklace out of the snack before they can eat it. For some of them its VERY entertaining for them and myself to watch. Large buttons and lacing string was a big hit too. small cars and and toys with music or lights that were not seen before. We actually hid a few of their favorite small toys a month before and then pulled them out on the plane and their eyes just lite up like they had found an old friend. Okay last one I promise. We had a small box about the size of two duplos that they loved putting other toys in and out of, can’t remember what it was from just a simple cardboard box. Good luck!

By: :: Suzanne ::

:: Suzanne :: — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 04:32:44 +0000

Well, neither of them were two, but we flew from Moscow to Zurich to Chicago to Seattle (36 hours of travel) with newly adopted non-English speaking children (5 and 6 yrs old).

The Swiss Air flight gave us plastic sticker books, the ones that you can move the stickers on over and over. These were awesome.

The best thing we took, however, was oodles of earplugs. We handed them out to the folks around us who obviously needed them.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 15:56:06 +0000

Susan, we took a 4 year old, a 2 year old and 6 month old on a 24 airline trip ( with three flights and stopovers) to India last year! Definitely not for the faint hearted! They did show some kid movies on the flight but my 2 year old was not interested. The 4 year old was ok with the tv. They did sleep for most of the latter two flights.

By: Susan (5 Minutes for Mom)

Susan (5 Minutes for Mom) — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 00:15:35 +0000

Thank you all sooooo much!!!!

What fantastic advice… I am so excited to try all your suggestions.

By: Becky

Becky — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 23:51:13 +0000

I think it is a wonderful idea! I wish I had my iPod last September when we made a 12 hour drive to Topeka. Now I fill it up with Dora and the Backyardigans – even for the short 5 hour drive to Atlanta!!

By: Michelle in MX

Michelle in MX — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 20:08:02 +0000

I read through almost all the comments to not repeat the already good advice, but one thing that helped me with my 2 year old was the SLING! Can you believe it! Sometimes in line, or even sitting on the chair in the plane just to be snuggled close to mom was what she wanted. Also in line I could carry her and have my arms free and this worked great when she was tired.

By: Amy

Amy — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 12:09:00 +0000

I am a Navy wife and I cannot count the number of long plane rides I have taken with my children just to get out of our house when the husband was away. Especially when my oldest was 1-3 years of age. One of the greatest discoveries was those paint books that just require water. I can’t think of what they are called but the pictures have colored dots on them and when you paint with water the color spreads across the page. I can find them at Target here in the States. We were able to just get a little cup of water from the flight attendant and you only need a little bit so if it spills it isn’t that big of a deal. Color Wonders area also great because you don’t have to worry about your daughter coloring on anything besides the paper. Also sticker books are a godsend. My kids could spend hours doing them. They also just love to stick stickers on anything, so sheets of stickers and paper are also great. And of course the portable DVD player! I recommend getting headphones if you think your daughter might wear them but I know people would rather here a movie than a screaming child so that is not a big deal. I also have a friend who has done many international flights and she always grabs a blanket and makes a tent over the seats. Another great item is the travel size Doodle Pads.

I saw someone recommended the Leapster and having a 5 and a 3 year old I know the Leapster is going to be too old for your daughter (recommended age range starts at 4). My 3 year old doesn’t have a clue on how to use it.

But whatever you get for the trip HIDE it until you are on the plane and you need it. Also let your daughter carry a backpack, it makes her feel very important. A light weight wheeled one is great. We actually love the Pottery Barn Kids Rolling Backpacks becauase the handle telecopes to two heights so if we need to pull it we can without being all hunched over and since it is a backpack we can also hang it on the back of the stroller.

Also people are very right about the ear popping issue. It is important to have something to chew or drink when taking off and landing. If that doesn’t work just wiggle her ears for her to help clear them. I felt so bad once for a baby that screamed all during decent and I politely recommended wiggling her ears to the parents and they got very upset with me, but the poor baby just cried and cried and I am sure it could have been prevented.

Medicines affect kids differently so if you want to “help” them sleep, try it at home first. I know Benadryl makes my youngest hyper so that would be nightmare to give to him before a long flight.

I love the pipe cleaner idea! I am going to have to get some of those for when we move to Hawaii from the East Coast this summer! Thanks!

Have a great trip and best of luck!