Travelling with young children isn’t always easy, especially on aeroplanes when ‘toilet stops’ and breaks in motorway services aren’t possible. To help your time in the air with youngsters run a little more smoothly, take a look at these following plane travel tips with children.
- If your child gets car sick it is possible that they may also get air sick. Don’t let them over eat before flying. Egg sandwiches, hotdogs and a fizzy coke in the airport lounge, may not be a good idea. If you give them travel sickness pills make sure that they are not allergic to them.
- Provide entertainment. It may be one of the better times to let them become absorbed in computer games, or pack a couple of good books to pass away some time.
- Your child may be excited or scared before a flight; they will naturally act differently on board. Take time before you fly to explain that the plane is full of passengers sitting in a confined space, who may not be too keen on over excited or constantly fidgeting children.
- Talk to them, explain where they are going and the wonderful holiday that awaits, suggest plans and involve them in choices. A bored child is asking for trouble!
- Play-dough, glue sticks and scissors are all in the “forbidden” category for obvious reasons. However, dot to dot, colouring books and quiz books are allowed. Play card games like Uno, or a portable plane-friendly game like Scrabble Folio. Clever companies have now come up with portable activity kits for each age group. A portable DVD player and a couple of good children’s films (ones they haven’t yet watched), or listen to favourite audiobooks, better still make up stories for them.
- Pack extra baby food and of course plenty of nappies and baby wipes, you’ll never know when you’ll need them!
