Are you finding yourself getting anxious thinking about your upcoming flight with your kids in tow. I think more people feel this stress than we know. The airport is always a place of stress and hustling but I have some tips and trips for traveling with your little ones. Flying with kids can be easy and fun.
One thing I have to tell myself every time I fly is I will never see these people again. So if you’re worried about something that went wrong………… try to push your worries aside. And if your child is fussy…. and you’ve tried everything… we’ve all been there. Sometimes a child is fussy and it always seems like the wrong time. I have some tricks for you to try and alleviate some of the fussiness during your flight.
Flying with Kids
What are the BEST times to fly with my kids?
I’ve traveled a lot in my day because we are in the Air Force and most of the time it’s by myself with the kids. The best time to fly with the kids in my opinion is nap time. This way the roar of the engines usually puts the kids to sleep. It’s the constant sound and vibration that put your kiddo in a relaxed state. I also like to fly during nap time because it gives me a break and takes some time off of the flight. Make sure you bring a favorite blanket or stuffed animal. I also like to take headphones and play lullaby’s or soft music while they sleep.
Another great time to fly ESPECIALLY if it’s a LONG flight is the red eye flight. I traveled on a 18 hour flight to Korea with my two young kids by myself, and flying during their “nighttime” was a life saver. They slept almost 12 hours of the 18 hour flight. GAME CHANGER for sure. I put my kids in their jammies on these over night flights. My goal is to try and make them as comfortable as I can. Once the flight is up and the fasten seat belt signs are off, I make the kids a bed on the floor or across the row we are in.
Is there medication I can give my child during or before the flight?
Remember this information is all from me… an everyday mom that flies all the time with her kids. Please contact your Pediatrician before giving your child any medications. This is MY opinion and what I’m comfortable with. I would like you to be comfortable and know the correct doses before you give the medications, so please talk to your Pediatrician.
These are a few medications I recommend for you kids to help promote sleep. If you are planning on giving any of these please test them at home first. Kids can have different reactions to medications.
Sleep
- Benadryl– A big thing with Benadryl is your child could have the opposite reaction to the medication and get really hyper. So please if you are planning on giving this medication test it at home a few days before. One of my children had this hyper reaction and I was so glad I tested it at home. The other child falls asleep within a few minutes of giving the medication. Remember to always ask your Pediatrician for the age appropriate dose.
- Melatonin Drops– This is by far my favorite medication to give my kids when flying. Without fail every time we give it to them they are asleep within 10 minutes. The great thing about melatonin drops is it’s super easy to give, it tastes good, and relaxes your child. Consult your Pediatrician before giving this to your children for the correct dosages.
Fever control and other ailments
- Motrin/Tylenol– I always keep these on hand incase my kids get a fever in our travels. Airports have medications for sale but they are really overpriced and sometimes do not have great options available for kids.
- I also make sure I have gas drops in my bag for upset stomachs. For my older kids I pack cold/cough medicine in off chance they are congested. Flying with congestion is painful and can cause for an upset child.
Best toys to packs for the flight?
Here’s my BIGGEST tip of the day. I got to the dollar store and buy random toys and games. You could also find fun things in the dollar section at Target. I wrap all my finds up in wrapping paper and take one out at a time.
Why do I do this you ask??? Kids love opening presents … and it takes time to open them. This way you can stretch the toys out for the remainder of the flight. You can find some pretty great things at the dollar store that your kiddos have never seen as well.
I also love taking dollar store finds because if I loose them or don’t have room for them.. just throw them away. I used to bring their favorite toys and such and I was so worried about loosing them or misplacing them in the hotel or airplane. Just remove the stress and take dollar finds. Try it on your next flight and your won’t be disappointed. Hopefully you will have the best flight yet with your child or children.
Best Snacks/Food to Bring on the Airplane for Kids?
I will link my favorite snack container for the airplane here. This container is the BEST for flying because it has small compartments and I fill it with all sorts of surprise snacks. I used my silhouette to design names and printed them out on fun colored vinyl. I placed the names on the front of the container. Now my kids now exactly which container is theirs and we have no fighting over them. I also love to use these in the car.
As far as snacks go these are MY recommendations. I try and choose snacks my kids have not had for a while. This will keep them busy and happy for a while……hopefully!!! I also try and do things that are not sticky….except for suckers because suckers are LIFESAVERS when traveling. It keeps them busy sucking for a while and BONUS they are great when taking off and landing to clear their ears. Here’s a list of snacks I usually fill my bin with..
- Goldfish
- Fruit Snacks
- Pretzels
- Peanut Butter Crackers
- Starburst
- Your child’s favorite Cereal
- M & M’s
- Fruit Leather
- Suckers
- Granola Bar
- Kids Cliff Bar
- Vanilla Wafers
- Graham Crackers
- Teddy Grahams
- Cheez its
- Cashews or Almonds
- Nerd’s
- Go Go Squeeze
- Sweet Tarts
- Raisins
- Wheat Thins
- Animal Crackers
- Chips A’hoy
- Mini Oreo’s
I obviously don’t get all of these but I have used all of them at some point. I just try to put a variety in there.
Another tip I have is to bring your child’s favorite water bottle… make sure it is empty through security but you can fill it up once you get through.
Best Entertainment Devices to Use when Flying with Kids
We bring our iPads and load them with kid games and movies. A great new thing about Netflix is your can download movies and they will stay on your devices for a few days. This is a lifesaver because it doesn’t eat up all of your space.
We also bring headphones for the kids. The airplane is loud and no one else wants to listen to the kids movies blaring either.
And make sure whatever electronic device you use…ipad, tablet, kindle or computer is charged. There’s nothing worse than getting on a flight with a dead battery and an upset child. Also make sure you have all your charging cables.
Do kids need an ID to fly?
When flying with your kids an ID is required for 2 and under to prove the age of your child. By ID I mean birth certificate or just a copy of it is sufficient. If you get caught without it and you can’t prove your child is less than 2 you may end up having to buy a seat for your child… not fun!! Once they are older than 2 it’s not required to fly with a birth certificate. I usually keep my kids passports or birth certificates with me when traveling just to be safe.
Wow I hope all of this helps you as your packing. I know flying with kids is stressful but it can also be fun. My kids love flying and we’ve figured out ways to keep us busy during the flight.
If you have any more tips and tricks please comment below and I will add them to the post.
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