4 Tips for Flying with Toddlers

Hey there, fellow parent travelers! Flying with Toddlers can be tough. If you’re planning to fly with your toddler soon, you’re in the right place. As I get ready to fly for my 20th flight with my 2 year old, and now 6 week old baby girl, I took a look back on some of the things that ACTUALLY worked for my two year old boy. Here are my 4 Tips for Flying with Toddlers!

But, before we dive in, let me share something that helped me understand my toddler. Toddlers and their attention spans! Here’s a quick cheat sheet, and while not EVERY toddler will match these averages, it is helpful to keep in mind when gathering your in flight activities:

Toddler Attention Spans

  • 2 years old: 4-6 minutes
  • 3 years old: 6-8 minutes
  • 4 years old: 8-12 minutes
  • 5-6 years old: 12-18 minutes

My little guy, who’s almost 3, has traveled A TON, his first plane ride was at only 7 weeks old! The biggest lesson? Keep your cool. I think kids are like tiny emotion detectors and will pick up on your vibes, so stay calm to help them do the same. For me, that means I need to EAT well throughout the trip otherwise I get hangry. That being said, let’s dive in to my top 4 tips for flying with toddlers! PSST…read till the end for a BONUS tip 😉

Top 4 Tips For Flying with Toddlers:

  1. Build Excitement for the Flight at least a week before. Like I said, though it might not seem like it, they are sponges soaking in everything you tell them. So tell them about your upcoming trip, the drive to the airport, waiting in line, going through the metal detector, getting on the plane. Walk them through what the whole experience will be like. I promise it makes such a big difference!
  2. Timing is Everything: Nap-time flights are golden for us. For longer trips, overnight is the way to go. Stick to bedtime rituals – think jammies, their favorite bedtime story, warm bottle of milk, and a snuggly blanket or toy.
  3. Fuel Up: A hangry parent plus a hangry toddler equals chaos. Eat well before flying and pack those trusty snacks. Our go-tos? Cheese and meat sticks, yogurt packs, baby carrots, and Auntie Anne’s crackers. (The higher the protein the better) They’re lifesavers! One important note here: Make sure that on the ascend and descend they are either eating something, or have a lollypop or something to get their jaw moving to keep their ears from hurting. This makes a difference and helps against the change in elevation.
  4. The Great Activity Rotation: Here’s where you get creative. Keep them busy with a mix of old favorites and new surprises. Here are the activities, toys, and tips that have worked for us:

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

  • Stickers galore – I got this tip from another blog and let me tell you, my two year old was sticking stickers on his water bottle, my notebook, my phone, this kept him busy for almost an hour! (Get stickers that are easily removable like these!)
  • Post-it notes for impromptu art. Here are some cute ones if you don’t have any around the house.
  • A sketchpad and pens for doodle sessions.
  • A couple of books for storytime.
  • Little toy cars. My son has so many of those match box and hot wheel toy cars. On one flight I crumpled up my sweater and placed it on the pulldown small table in front of him, and pretended the sweater was a mountain – my son drove his little car all over this pretend mountain for almost an hour!
  • Mystery toys wrapped up for in-flight unwrapping – take some old toys or new toys and wrap em up!
  • Don’t forget a couple of new toys to keep the novelty alive! Here is one of my FAVORITE activity toys you can get on Amazon.
  • Screen Time and Little Adventures: Tablets with pre-downloaded shows or games can buy you some time. But remember, walks to the restroom for a change of scenery, and washing hands to blow soap bubbles can be just the reset your toddler needs! My son doesn’t really watch cartoons for too long, he gets bored of them quickly, unless he is sleepy, so we couldn’t rely on screentime alone.

What are some tips for flying with toddlers that have worked well for you? Let me know in the comment box below, I am always looking for new tips and travel hacks!

SUMMARY

Overall, I think keeping these four tips in mind will set you up for a great flight with your toddler.

  • Get them excited about the flight a week in advance!
  • Choose flights that align with your child’s sleep habits.
  • Feed yourself and your toddler! When you’re cranky and hangry, your toddler will pick up on those negative emotions. Get yourself into a calm and upbeat state, and be mindful of their ears during ascending and descending by making sure they are eating something to help alleviate any pain in their ears.
  • Be mindful of their attention spans and bring at least 5 activities to rotate through.

As promised! Here is my BONUS TIP: It doesn’t hurt to befriend your flight attendants. We had several flights where we remembered to be super friendly and appreciative, and in return they were very understanding and nice to our little one. Happy Travels!!

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