Things You'll Need:
- Infant Carriers
- Strollers
- Coloring Books
- Inflatable Pillows
- Motion Sickness Medicine
- Baby Toys
- Infant/toddler Toys
- Travel Toys
-
Step 1
Schedule a night flight, if possible, so that your little one is likely to sleep for at least part of the time.
-
Step 2
Pack a change of clothes, or dress your child in layers that can be easily removed in case of spills.
-
Step 3
Consider the preboarding option for parents of young children. If your child is mellow and sleepy, it's a great idea, but if he's wide awake and excited, it might be better to delay boarding as long as possible.
-
Step 4
Keep in mind that only certain car seats are airline-approved. Be prepared to check your car seat as baggage if necessary.
-
Step 5
Bring a selection of healthful, nonperishable snacks and a drink in a spill-proof cup. In-flight food services aren't designed with hungry, impatient toddlers in mind.
-
Step 6
Prepare a surprise pack of small new toys, picture books and other tiny treats. Bring them out one treat at a time, whenever your child begins to get restless.
-
Step 7
Remember that antinausea medications are a good idea if your child has a sensitive stomach. They also cause drowsiness.
-
Step 8
Bring a collapsible stroller or kid-carrier backpack to use in the airport, especially if you have a connecting flight to catch. If it doesn't fit in the overhead bins, an attendant will check it for you. Airports are big and can be very tiring for little feet.
Comments
Anonymous said
on 7/15/2006 Write your cell phone number on your child's arm in permanent marker, so that if you do get separated, the child can give it to an adult and locate you.
Anonymous said
on 1/30/2006 We recently traveled and used the Traveling Toddler strap. It allows you to attach a car seat to a rolling carry-on. It is much more affordable than other options, $20, and worked very well. We really wanted to take our toddler's car seat with us, but with a 2.5 year old and a four month old, we just didn't know how we were going to be able to, as well as bring enough stuff for the flight (as others have suggested, bring plenty of little toys, and gift wrapping them is an excellent idea). This was perfect because we were still able to bring a carry-on, car seat and let our son ride through the airport. It really made our trip a lot easier.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Toddlers who are able to walk are required to go through security points by themselves, which can be scary. Talk about it before hand, possibly by reading books about flying
Some airports have a special line for little kids ( the little metal detector has fun stickers on it, and things like that ). Reduce the chances of the alarm going off by emptying your child's pockets and taking off their belt. If you have two adults, send one through first, then tell your toddler to 'Go to Daddy!' (or whoever ), followed by the second adult.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 If it's your toddler's first time flying, let them know what's going to happen. Read stories about airplanes, and make it seem like the biggest adventure in the world.
Let your travel agent know that you're bringing a child, and try to get a bulkhead seat -- there's a lot more room in front of the seats (enough space that they can even play in that space on some planes, making a nice little play area) , and there's no one actually sitting in front of you, so it doesn't matter if they kick they 'seat' in front of them.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Remember to dress your little ones with bright color clothing, so they are easy to spot if and when they run off in the airport. Don't bring any kind of toy that can roll to the back of the plane. Use snacks that contain little or no sugar. I learned this from experience.