Remember the last time you got on a plane and a child sat near you?
For many people the first inclination is to think that it’s going to be a rough flight.
After all, children are notorious for acting up on planes, right?
In reality, there’s no reason for kids to have a bad time or act out during a flight. Here are a few tips to keep your kids and your fellow passengers happy on your next family flight:
Pack the right way
- Plan on each child carrying a backpack onto the plane. This is where you should put everything they’re going to need for the flight, from games and toys to keep them distracted to snacks. Let your child pick out some items to take along, and they’ll behave even better.
- Reduce your luggage load. You can pack all of your children’s clothes and necessary items in your luggage. The fewer big bags you have the better everything will go.
Set and keep a schedule
- Set a schedule for your flight a week in advance. Take plenty of time during the week to pack and prepare for the flight. Preparation should also include mental preparation for the kids, so they know what to expect and how to act.
- Be early for everything on your travel day. It’s much better to be way early than it is to be even a minute or two late. You should also keep this in mind when you’re booking the flight.
Stay positive
- Calm down. Travel can be stressful for kids and adults alike. Reach into yourself to get to the rock-solid zen state and use it to your advantage.
- Don’t forget to enjoy yourself. Traveling is incredibly exciting for youngsters. We should all approach flying as they do, with wonder and delight (for the most part).
Got something to add? Do leave a comment below.
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Author’s bio:
Logan is a guest author who writes about family dynamics and travel. He thinks the right attitude can make any flight enjoyable, from a private jet charter flight to a busy commercial flight.
As a travel blogger, I love reading and connecting with other experienced travelers. This is a GREAT post…. So many people think about packing the clothes, the car, the cooler and the toys, but forget to pack the right attitude! Especially for parents of young kids, that attitude really determines whether the trip (plane, train or car) will be enjoyable or not. I practice each of these tips with my own kids… we flew to Paris over spring break and began adjusting our sleep schedule two weeks ahead. No major jet lag! It really works.
Twitter: karen_dawkins
I love this: packing the right attitude! You are so right
Hope moms will learn from this lesson you gave, Karen!
Thanks for sharing:) #voiceboks
Twitter: LatinaR
You are welcome!
Thank you for having me! I hope everyone can use these tips on a future trip.
Thank you for the great post, Logan!
Thanks for the tips! We also like to bring something new for our daughter when flying–something she has never seen before because it will hold her attention longer than her old toys or books. Sometimes, I bring small games that we can play together. And, a pack of cards can do wonders! One thing–be sure to carry on a change of clothes, plastic bags, and some wipes. That way, you will be prepared for motion sickness.
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Thanks for those lovely tips… small games can definitely help get rid of boredom. You know what? I learned about bringing plastic bags on long trips the hard way
Anne thanks so much for sharing..We have not went flying with the kids yet, but it is bound to happen at some time, so I need to know all that I have to do. Thanks for all this wonderful info.
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You are welcome, Pamela! Hope your trip goes well and that you enjoy
We fly at least once a year and the first one was at five months with my son and then another when he was 11 months old. It is really hard the for the little ones. I don’t know what the rule for liquids now, but I advise moms to have the bottles ready even if they already ate. We were in a situation where we didn’t leave on time and he was hungry again by the time the flight was mid air. The stewardess wouldn’t let me get up to get in the overhead bin because there was turbulence. Eventually I disregarded her and safety. We were fine but Christopher was passed hungry and at that point he rather cry than take the bottle. There was nothing I could do.
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Thanks for sharing that tip… I would probably have placed bottles in the overhead bin as well thinking I could access it after take off. Forgot about turbulence.
Love travelling suggestions with kids. I’ll be having three on a flight next year it will be fun
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Glad to hear about your trip, Alicia!
Oh, these are good! Flying with little ones can definitely be stressful! My son had a cold the first time he flew and i was so concerned about his ears and the fact that our flight was during his nap time, I was completely stressed out before we got on the plane. I DID listen to my meditation music, but it didn’t drown out his crying when the over tiredness crept in and my husband was trying to comfort him. After knowing what to expect from the flight there, the flight home was much better. A little volume on the iPod goes a long way.
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Oh yes, the iPod is a great device
I don’t have kids yet but I said to myself that I will influence my future children to travel while they’re young. I never thought of these circumstances in traveling with kids though. It’s always better to be prepared even just with information such as these so that we’ll know what to expect. Thanks for the heads up!
You are most welcome, Tiffany!