Plane journey with a 2 1/2 year old

[Ventura2010]

We are on the N003 cruise, travelling from Gatwick. Any tips would be grateful for travelling with a 2 and half year old on a plane. She has a trunki (a hand luggage suitcase on wheels she rides on!). Have books, colouring in ect packed but didnt know if any frequant flyers have any tips.

[A&Jfamily]

We are on the N003 cruise, travelling from Gatwick. Any tips would be grateful for travelling with a 2 and half year old on a plane. She has a trunki (a hand luggage suitcase on wheels she rides on!). Have books, colouring in ect packed but didnt know if any frequant flyers have any tips.

 

Got a portable DVD player? They are a great distraction. Also, pack your own snacks a sippy cup. Get little things that she has never played with before and hide them in her bag - silly putty, sticker books etc.

[poppan]

Not a frequent flyer but I finally braved a flight with my 2.5 y.o. twins. On the way out they were so excited to be on the plane that they would not take their nap. They got bored with their toys and the confinement quickly, and we were forced to walk up and down the aisles with them again and again. I noticed we were not the only ones having to do this... kept seeing the same parents in the aisles and clustered in the back.

 

If you can get one of those air harness things that might be good to have. I had a lot of problems getting DS to keep his seat belt on and staying seated. DD was an angel, as usual (at least when compared to DS).

 

On the way back I guess it was old hat already, and they settled quickly and slept most of the way home.

 

Obviously YMMV -- or more like, *will* vary... but that's my experience to give you a barometer.

[boulders]

I travel by plane frequently with ds4. Check to see if your plane has the inseat video system at seatguru dot com. Definitely bring the portable DVD player if the plane doesn't have one. They are also useful for downtime on the cruise. Don't forget the headphones!

 

Which cruiseline are you sailing on?

 

My recommendation is to check the carseat as luggage, not into the plane's cabin, assuming you will need it at your destination. At 2 1/2, most kids will be quite squished if in a carseat on a plane.

 

Definitely bring food and drink, as well as your child's favorite snugglies and a small blanket. Planes can be a bit chilly, especially if the child has a window seat, which I recommend.

[codypaints]

I just cruised with my kids, ages 7, 5 & 26 months. My youngest alone has been on 6 different plane trips now, so I'd consider myself a very seasoned traveler. I rarely have ANY issues with them on planes.

 

Magazines, soft cover books. Color Wonder markers--they wont colour on anything else, snacks, sippy cup (with whatever you want her to have...that is one thing that you can take thru security). They will have you open it & test it.

 

Portable DVD player, as said before. We are big Elmo fans, so even one or two of those 30-minute shows helps a LOT!

 

A foldable stroller to gate check....sometimes you need to hurry & cant wait for their little legs!

 

If she still has it, a pacifier for ears popping. this is one time I'm kinda glad mine still likes hers. Or if she can chew a little piece of gum, that's good too.

 

Her favorite stuffed animal, a travel pillow, her fave blanky. Mine often nap on the plane...On saturday, we had a 4.25 hr plane ride from Orlando back to Denver...my 2 yr old fell asleep shortly after we took off & woke up 20 minutes before we began our descent!

 

Just remember, the changing tables on those planes are TIGHT QUARTERS....so have a fresh dipe on her when you get on the plane and put off changing as long as possible!! I dont know how big people can even manage, Im tiny and its cramped!

[codypaints]

I forgot to mention this...we had planned on taking her carseat, its the foldable kind, but then I got to thinking that if she wanted to lay down, or if we wanted to switch seats, we couldnt with that seat. So we didnt take one. Just rented one from the car rental place. Also, most car seats are NOT FAA-approved, so be absolutely sure yours is if you insist on lugging it around!

 

Lastly, give yourself extra time at the airport. We play games (red light-green light, I spy, running races) in quiet areas at the terminal, getting all those wiggly-gigglies out before getting on the plane. Again, I have hardly EVER had probs with my kids (ages 7, 5 & 2 yrs) if we try to "wear them out" a bit before hand too.

[Ventura2010]

Fab replys so far! Lucky my little on has been out of nappys since the summer. But will put a pull up (even though i never used them) for take off and landing! I can just see it now wanting to go to the loo while we are taking off or landing!

[sharktums]

My daughter is a very frequent flyer (Gold Medalion on Delta!) and right around 2.5 years old she started having the ear pain you hear so much about in children. We're still at the stage now (almost 3) where we can control it with some lollipops or drinking something, but just be warned that this is the age where the ear pain starts so be ready.

 

Pretty much everything else people have posted is right on.

 

One thing though, my daughter is also out of diapers for sometime now, but insisted on having to go to the bathroom during final approach into Atlanta on our last flight! I grabbed an emergency diaper out of my bag and she refused and just started screaming (ear pain was also an issue at this time) luckily we had a nice flight crew and they let her use the bathroom (we were only one row away) and she quickly did her thing and was fine again.

 

Children are tricky, you can't wait till they're out of diapers, then when you want them to use one they refuse!!! =)

[Eclipsepearl]

I'm a former Flight Attendant and I fly a lot with my three children, transatlantics about twice a year plus other flights.

 

First of all, your child is safer in a car seat. I found my children to be much more comfortable and settled in their own familiar seat. If you need the car seat on your trip, bring it on board. NEVER check a car seat as luggage. They get lost and/or broken and you could get stuck at the airport without the seat.

 

You said you're flying out of Gatwick but you didn't mention the company. Be sure that your seat will be accepted on your airline. U.S. FAA approved car seats can be used on U.S. air companies (it's against the law to refuse them). Most car seats sold in the U.S. are FAA approved.

 

Never use a car seat from a car rental company. I had a bad experience and I'm not alone. They're often dirty, old, missing parts, etc. even from well-known companies. Also, if you read the small print, they don't have to provide one and can tell you tough cookies like I was told...

 

Just strap the car seat to a small metal luggage cart to get through the airport. I do it this way, alone with three children and it's super easy.

 

Also, please don't fret about ears. In my 13 years of flying for a living, and countless trips with my own kids, we have never run into any problems and I've never done anything special. I did visit the ped soon before leaving to make sure their ears were healthy and infection free. We actually "caught" one with my son right before one of our transatlantics. So glad as if they do have an infection, they can run into problems as the plane starts to descend (not on landing). Everyone's ears have to reverse pressurization at that time so you can feel it too.

 

The AAP only recommends that children be awake at the top of descent (not landing). By all means, offer something to drink if you want but please don't unnecessarily wake her or force her if she doesn't want to. Her ears will be fine!

 

About diapering, try to do it in the boarding area if possible, or basically after security. A great tip my cousin with twins gave me was to learn to change them standing up. It takes a little practice but the changing tables on airplanes are too small for toddlers. Use the handicapped lav instead, so you have more room. You'll love this tip any time you are out in public and while you're on the ship. No more hunting around for a changing table!

 

The Trunki's are great because she can sit down on it while waiting in line. My daughter could also ride in her car seat on the luggage cart. I either borrowed a stroller at my destination or checked it as luggage.

 

It's not an easy age because they like to move and hate restrictions. You also can't negotiate with them, or explain things. What is the worst is when you have to be seated after the aircraft leaves the gate. Buy a new toy and give it to her as soon as she is seated after boarding. Make sure it's not an "electonical device", which are banned at that time but the novelty of the toy might keep her occupied long enough to get in the air!

 

About toys, you know what she likes but nothing that makes noise. Any noise. Toddlers love to play things again and again. Your fellow passengers will appreciate it.

 

I found simple toys to work best; coloring things, dolls, toy cars, plastic animals, chunky books with openable flaps, etc. Pin wheels, pipe cleaners, play dough and other artwork type activities are good too.

 

Make sure if you bring something that shows movies that she is to play it over the headphones. You may even "hide" the fact that there are speakers if it's something she hasn't played with before!

 

Here are my non-commercial flying tips;

http://flyingwithchildren1.blogspot.com

 

Have a great cruise and just survive the flight!

[MamaParrotHead]

One thing I've done is to shop the clearance aisle at the store, looking for inexpensive, small toys to pack away. As a mom, you know that the novelty of something new can be stretched a long way, LOL.

 

The other thing is, do you have an iPod/MP3 with video capabilities? Our iPods (nanos) you can buy/download movies from iTunes, instead of messing with a portable DVD player.

 

Magnets are also good things to keep the kids entertained.

 

On another note, I've read several travel articles recently where they advise against packing Playdough in carryons for security reasons. Not only will it possibly be confiscated, but depending on your little one's mood, it could mean "meltdown" before you even get on the plane.

[my $.02]

just completed our first flight with our 2yo DS (same cruise as codypaint!).

 

First I book the flights when I knew he would be tired. Flight out was at 6:00am, so we had to wake him at 3am. Flight home was 2:50pm, so a full day went by (early up to debark the ship) so again he was tired.

 

We had a full carry on of toys. In the end, each way he did the same thing. Played with the magazine in the seat back, ate some snacks and watched a DVD. A few times he got restless, we just picked him up so he could look around or out the window. Of all the toys, book's and stuff we brought he played with about 20% of them.

 

We made sure to gate check the stroller so he could be in it up until boarding.

 

Also, I talked to him a lot about it prior. Made sure he was "aware" of the plane and that he needed to be a good boy.

 

Our Dr. also recommended/said he could take a small decongestant prior to take off. So, a little benedryl did not hurt either.

[Jasonmom]

Title says about all.

 

Snack bags of favorite snacks. Fill sippy cup at water fountain before boarding.

 

Sitting in car seat. (Yea, I'm a safety girl:rolleyes:.) The familiarity of it also helps.

 

Old favorites and new toys (love the idea of wrapping a few and will use that one myself).

 

DVD player and movies. Make sureto charge it up before you leave both ways. Wish I would have thought of this earlier.

 

Don't pull out new toys nor the DVD until it's time. You'll know when that is (just before they get upset).

 

Make sure they go potty or change their diaper just before boarding plane and ask the flight attendant when is a good last minute potty break (before captain says you can not go anymore).

 

If two of you, have one person keep child in stroller while other one carries most baggage and car seat onto plane early. Then when everyone else is on the plane, the other one can bring child on board dropping off stroller at gate check and walking on in to a already set up car seat.

 

My son was 18 months on first flight. By the time we got onto the plane and everything set up he had had enough. I was really worried that it was going to be a loud flight (know what I mean). As soon as the plane started racing down the strip he yelled out WWWHHHEEEEEEE! I was not the only one in my immediate area that had a look of realief on my face:rolleyes:.

[Ventura2010]

Alot of people have been talking about car seats for the airplane.

 

I understand about the safetly but i really cant see a 2 n half year old sitting in a 5 point harrness for 8 hours flight? I dont want to pin her down xxxx

[jgooden1]

Hi! We have had the good fortune to travel a lot in the last several years and therefore my 21/2 year old son has been to 15 countries to date...over 26 flights! I have read some really great ideas so far....Love the portable DVD player. New little toys. (You can even wrap them up like presents and they can open a new one every once in a while.) Must have snacks and drinks. You've passed that diaper stage so that is great news!

 

My one issue is the car seat....unless your child is REALLY attached to it, it can be a royal pain. Even the one I bought that was FAA approved and supposed to be smaller for airplane travel, dwarfed the seat and made it impossible to maneuver in the row. Besides the fact that my son hated being tied down and was miserable.

 

I quickly ditched the seat and began using the child safety belt that the flight attendant can provide. You attach it to your own belt. then place your child on your lap and secure your child with it. We used that system any time the seat belt sign was turned on. When the seat belt sign was turned off we would put my son in his own seat between my husband and I and put the bigger belt on him just in case.

 

Now my son is old enough for his own seat and he sits with his belt fastened the whole flight.

[poppan]

I quickly ditched the seat and began using the child safety belt that the flight attendant can provide. You attach it to your own belt. then place your child on your lap and secure your child with it. We used that system any time the seat belt sign was turned on. When the seat belt sign was turned off we would put my son in his own seat between my husband and I and put the bigger belt on him just in case.

 

Wow I've never even heard of that... it would have come in handy for me! My son *refused* to sit down and have his seat belt on for the descent... it was a nightmare.

[mom2isabella05cole08]

We flew a LOT when my oldest DD was a baby. Something like 8 or 9 different trips before she turned 2.

 

We've always packed favorite toys and a few new toys, as well as plenty of snacks (including things that she only gets on rare occaisions) We don't have a portable DVD player except for the car but will probably need to get one soon.

 

I would say no noisy toys and no messy toys. Little pieces can get lost easier and that can lead to meltdowns and temper tantrums.

 

We have always flown in the very back of the plane. Initially we did it figuring the noise would drown out any noise DD would make, instead the noise typically helped put her to sleep. We've always brought a carseat, and always gate checked both the carseat and the stroller (if we weren't using the carseat on the flight...most of our flights she was under 2 so she flew free as a lap child but we brought the carseat to the gate in case there were any empty seats...usually there were)

 

Another trick that we do (and people think we are crazy for) is the airline we always use allows you to pick each leg of your flight. Since we live in FL and our families are in CA and WA, we always have a lay over somewhere. I insist on having a plane change and I usually go for the longer layovers. If I have a choice between a 1 hour layover and a 4 hour layover, I will take the 4 hour because it gives me plenty of time to eat, go potty, make sure the kids go potty before we have to get back on the plane, and let the kids play at the airport to wear themselves out so they are more likely to sleep on the next flight. Once, we even met a friend at the airport and went to lunch and a local park for a few hours during our layover.