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Flying with a toddler is a real challenge, and it takes a lot of patience. If you have a trip coming up and are worrying about flying with a baby or a toddler, try some of these top tips to make the experience as smooth as possible.
Travel restrictions are still changing with the ongoing Covid-19 situation, so make you check on the current rules and recommendations before you travel. Make sure you have any vaccine or negative Covid test proof that you need, as well as your regular passport, and anything like a VISA, ESTA, or ETA, or other travel paperwork. Check when to apply for these too and whether your toddler will need their own.
Save The Best Distractions For When You Really Need Them
A lot of parents are a bit sneaky when they fly with a toddler, and don’t let their toddler know that they can walk up and down the aisle. Unless you have to take them to the toilet, try to avoid letting on that it’s allowed to walk about in the aisle.
This saves you from having to spend the whole flight doing it. It also gives you a really big distraction trick to keep in your arsenal for emergencies, like a serious tantrum during a really long flight. Don’t play all your cards too early!
Plan For The Inevitable Toddler Tantrums
Try to think ahead for what might cause your toddler to have a tantrum and plan for how you can manage those tantrums while you’re on the go. For example, take-off and landing are usually the hardest parts, as toddlers don’t understand why their ears are popping, so make sure you’re ready to go with a favourite snack and a distracting activity, so you’re prepared to head off the tantrum when the seatbelt light goes on.
Have Fun Toddler Aeroplane Activities To Cycle Through
Toddlers have short attention spans, so it’s a good idea to take plenty of different activities with you for them so you can cycle through them as they get tired of different things. There are hundreds of lists online of different ideas for plane activities for kids of all ages.
If your toddler really loves Paw Patrol, you can get some episodes downloaded on your iPad and buy some Paw Patrol colouring books. Try out some games and movies at home before you travel so you know if your toddler likes them. If they like to read, get plenty of toddler books on your tablet or eReader. This can be a great alternative to yet more cartoons.
There are lots of great apps that you can download for toddlers too. Test them out before you fly, and make sure you’ll be able to use them without any WiFi or data.
Let Your Toddler Play First
Normally, toddlers do best when you stick to a schedule. On a flight, this can make things worse. Usually, it’s better to wait a little while on your flight before you try and encourage nap time unless they’re really tired.
Wait until the meal service has been finished and everyone has settled down, so there aren’t so many distractions around and you have the best chance of getting them to sleep.
Try Different Ways To Get To Your Toddler To Sleep On The Plane
Make sure you try to get your toddler to burn off some energy in the airport and give them the time to explore their surroundings on the plane a bit. You want them to be tired enough to sleep, but not over-tired and grouchy.
When it’s time to sleep, get your toddler to lay down. Don’t engage with them beyond telling them that it’s time to sleep, so they aren’t distracted. This might take a while, but it should work.
If they’ve been watching cartoons or movies, position your iPad so they have to lay down to watch it. This can help them calm down on their own and fall asleep. If the flight isn’t overnight, try not to stress too much about naps.
Bring A Travel Car Seat Or Inflatable Aeroplane Toddler Bed
Whether bringing a car seat or an inflatable aeroplane bed works the best will depend on your toddler. Decide which you prefer and be prepared with it to help them to sleep on overnight flights.
There are lots of different inflatable aeroplane beds available for toddlers at different budgets. Check with your airline what you can bring on board before you buy one.
