Your best tips for flying with kids (3&5 yo)...

[barkley1]

I've flown plenty of times, but never with children. I don't even know where to start! Our flight is about 4 hours, with one stop, each way. DH will be with us, too. Please hit me up with what to expect, and any tips you have! Thx!!

[azzeps]

We did pretty well on our flight home last Saturday - it was about 4 hours. I sat in between the kids, 3 of us across, and DH sat across the aisle. The only thing he did was take DS to the bathroom twice. Anyway, well stocked "busy bags" are very helpful. As are electronic devices such as ipads!!! The kids watched a movie and then played with stickers, and then DS started losing it (mostly because he hadn't napped and was tired, I think), so I handed the ipad over with his apps on it.

We took on board:
- crayons
- blank notebooks for each kid
- STICKERS, lots of them!
- several Dover mini sticker books (great for travel)
- headphones and a splitter so they could watch a movie together
- snacks (squeezable applesauce, granola bars, Annie's gummi bunnies, grapes)
- empty Funtainer bottles to fill up on the other side of security, and on the plane
- wiki stix
- coloring/activity books for DD
- Leapfrog Tag reader and a few books (didn't actually use on the plane, but did in the hotel room)
- Bananagrams (not the best for the plane, but we did get them out and spelled things using a chair at the gate while waiting in the airport)
- Pull-ups for DS as he's recently trained, just in case! He didn't pee in them at all! But it's better than a wet seat/pants, etc.
- a new book for each
- iPad loaded with a couple movies, plus we each have phones to hand over if need be. When all else fails, use electronic gizmos.

Oh, and adopt a mantra for the day: "We'll never see these people again" and repeat it to yourself when your kid throws a tantrum or won't stop kicking the seat in front....

You may also wish to consider a car seat for your younger one, if you think there's a chance they'll sleep some of the way in it. That being said, we checked DS's car seat, and he slept on the first leg of our trip without it.

Best wishes, and happy, safe travels!

[maestramommy]

We pack their little backpack for long trips with drawing paper, coloring books, and good markers. We also pack snacks. If we have a layover we usually plan to eat lunch or at least do significant eating during. During the layover we keep busy so they won't be restless. Our youngest had a hard time with noise for a while so we got the Peltor hearing protectors. Last year I flew with the kids from Logan to LAX, and we used these hearing protectors that were also headphones. We had an ipod and triple jack. It worked most of the time, but I found that the kids didn't necessarily listen to music/books as much as I thought they would. Now they each have their own mp3 player so they can pick what they want to listen to.

[Liziz]

Azzeps has a good list. I'd add that if you can make a quick trip to the dollar store and pick up a couple cheap little "new" toys, that can help keep them occupied. Also, be prepared in case their ears hurt...my DD is too little to chew gum, but I found that "pouches" (squeezable applesauce type) helped her ears.

[babyonway]

Azzeps has a good list. I'd add that if you can make a quick trip to the dollar store and pick up a couple cheap little "new" toys, that can help keep them occupied. Also, be prepared in case their ears hurt...my DD is too little to chew gum, but I found that "pouches" (squeezable applesauce type) helped her ears.

I did this and then I wrapped each one with wrapping pager (cause that takes time).

I also got this advice from the BBB. Even though they say those traveling with small children can board first DO NOT do that that can add like 30 minutes to the time that your children are trapped on the plane. Be one of the last ones to board!

[123LuckyMom]

SNACKS. Seriously! Pack a ton of snacks, and have some special treats in the mix. My kids rarely have candy, but they get lollipops for takeoff. I also pack lots of high protein stuff as well as fruit and munchies like Pirate's Booty. It may seem silly, but my snack pack has saved us several times when there were delays on the flight or when getting to the hotel was a lengthy process. Also, my kids are sooooo cranky when they're hungry!

We limit screen time at home, but they can watch for the whole flight if they want to. It really keeps them entertained.

We do bring coloring equipment and sticker books, but crayons always end up falling, and there's not lots of room to spread out books. For a flight, I think screen time is the way to go.

[cuca_]

You've gotten good recommendations. I would also pack a change of clothes for each of your kids. We fly several times a year and one of the kids usually ends up needing to change. We've had spilled drinks, motion sickness, etc... If you are going to need overhead space, I would go ahead and take advantage of family boarding if it is available. These days planes are usually so full, that it is often hard to find space in the overhead compartments if you board last. Another thing we do is wait until most people get out of the plane. That way we don't feel as rushed by the crowd and are able to inspect the area to make sure we are not leaving anything behind.

[onyx8]

Pack a change of clothes for everyone in the carry on ... My kid puked on dh and I at 30,000 feet once

[Mommy_Mea]

We fly a couple of times a year with the kids, this is our usual routine:

- Each kid has a backpack of activities, coloring, pipe cleaners, stickers, books (either buy a few new ones or hit the library beforehand)
- Lots of snacks, mixture of healthy and not-so-healthy. We start with healthy and break out the treats if need be if they are starting to get antsy.
- We have our Kindle and phones, but those are only brought out if the other activities are starting to lose their luster. Our kids sometimes will lose interest in an app/movie, so we try and save it as a treat!
- Definitely a change of clothes, even if both kids are fully potty trained. You never know what they will spill or if they will puke. Until recently we had DS2 in a pull up as well, even though he was fully (but newly) potty trained, just in case!
- We fly Southwest, and we always do the family boarding so we can get our seats together and get situated. We go towards the back of the plane so we can get settled without people trying to get by. We also wait to get off the plane until last so we aren't rushing and worrying about forgetting something, or risking meltdown of children if we rush them too much.
- We give little prizes if they do well for a certain stretch, always Hot Wheels right now.

[Ms B]

SNACKS. Seriously! Pack a ton of snacks, and have some special treats in the mix. My kids rarely have candy, but they get lollipops for takeoff. I also pack lots of high protein stuff as well as fruit and munchies like Pirate's Booty. It may seem silly, but my snack pack has saved us several times when there were delays on the flight or when getting to the hotel was a lengthy process. Also, my kids are sooooo cranky when they're hungry!

We limit screen time at home, but they can watch for the whole flight if they want to. It really keeps them entertained.

This. It's all about what we refer to as the unlimited supply of individually wrapped snacks and video crack. We way overpack on the diapers, wipes, and extra clothes (like three changes in our carry on) and download two or three times the number of Doras/Yo Gabba Gabbas/Blue's Clues, etc. as we think we will need for the trip to the Kindle, because you never know when you will get stuck for an extra six hours at the Philadelphia airport. Ask me how I know . . .