Flying long haul with kids: tips from a mama
Our tried and tested tips for tacking a long-haul flight with kids. Advice and strategies that work for us.
Flying long haul with young children is daunting.
Before kids, I loved getting on a long haul flight, resting with the in-flight entertainment system and the knowledge that for a while, no matter what my phone would not go off with a work related emergency.
Since the kids came along, flying long haul has not been quite as blissful!
The toddler years especially are intense when it comes to flying.
Unless you are very lucky and your toddler sleeps well on the plane, long haul is now a full immersion into toddler entertainment creativity, a task that potentially requires energy, patience and a zen attitude – there is no strapping your toddler in the stroller and go for a walk option here!
After many long haul trips with out kids, we have some tips that we believe work well! Here they are!
Let them know what to expect
Before a flight, it is very tempting to get the kids out of the way and pack your bags in a quiet room, without little hands and excited voices interfering with your decisions and, inevitably, thoughts.
However, I find that enduring the mess that ensues when you do anything with little children is worth it.
Involving them in the packing process is a good opportunity to tell them what the flight will entail, talk about what to expect on the plane, what games will be allowed and what kind of space the will have available to play, eat and sleep.
If you have a bit of time, you can go as far as doing some role playing.
My kids love to pretend their beds are plane seats and I am happy to pretend I am on board crew serving them water (a childhood dream of mine, frustrated by my Italian small stature…)
The kids involvement makes the discussion on what to pack easier (my daughter agreed to leave home a teddy as big as herself when she realised he’d have to sit on her lap for 12 hours!) and also lays the foundations for entertainment on board.
I always give my kids details about the plane before we travel, so while we wait to take off they can play detective finding them.
‘Can you see the airline logo we talked about? Where? And can you see the pilot, the toilets, the fasten seat belt sign?’
Book seats together, double check and then check again
I used to think being seated beside my children would be an obvious consequence of booking tickets together but it turns out: it isn’t.
Children seats are assigned exactly like adult ones so unless you pre-book them, there is no reason to believe you will be placed beside your offspring.
For safety reasons, airlines will have one adult close to a small child and the crew may help you make this happen should you not have secured seats together. But they do not have to and will not ask other passengers to move to have all of you together and people don’t have to move if they paid for their seats.
I know this sounds harsh but people have their own reasons for choosing a seat and refusing to move may not be down to rudeness – don’t assume people are in a happy place going on vacation. They may travel for a bereavement, medical treatment, they may need to seat beside the window or the aisle for crippling anxiety.
Book your seats in advance so you don’t put stress on yourself or others.
On long haul with 2 kids, we always book 4 seats in the central row with one parent each side or two seats and two seats at the two sides of the aisle work well too.
With a baby, consider the bulkhead seat and a bassinet and, with a toddler, I always found window was best
Get them moving
One of the biggest challenges for kids on planes is not being able to move freely, so a good idea is to get them to release as much physical energy as possible before boarding.
If you travel at night, make sure they get fresh air and are active during the day and if you have only the time in the airport, make the most of it.
Some airports have children areas with small (or occasionally big) playgrounds and all have long corridors that the kids can use as running tracks.
My son is an avid runner and all it takes to get him going is to challenge him to be faster than the people on travelator – it works every time!
Board first or last
Most airlines board families with young children first and, personally, I always avail of the option as I love being able to get straight to my seat without having to wait in line as people settle their bags occupying the aisle.
My kids also love the extra time to make the seats into their little den. However, I know parents who find the opposite to work well: boarding last to minimize time on the plane.
Like many things when it comes to kids, both approaches can work: I wanted to tell you about both so you can see which one sits best with your personal style of travel.
Bring water and watery snacks
A big part of that awful ‘lack of fresh air’ feeling we get on planes is caused by poor hydration and the best way to combat it is to drink a lot of water.
Some people recognise the need to drink simply feeling thirsty, but often dehydration is more subtle and might simply make you feel unwell or, in the case of kids, cranky and upset.
Offer water regularly and avoid highly salty or sugary food. If the airline allows, chopped fruit is also a great in-flight snack
Bring extra clothes
One of the inevitabilities of family travel: the chances of spillages during the flights are inversely proportional to the age of your kids!
No matter how much a light packer you are, always have an extra set of clothes for the kids and, if you can, for yourself.
Disastrous spillages of sticky juice on the parents’ trousers have been experienced by pretty much anyone who ever set foot on a plane with a child, as you can read in these funny travel disaster stories here.
If you are not sure how to pack carry-on with kids, have a look at my advice here.
Consider booking a child meal
Some airlines give an option to book a child meal or even just prebook your in flight meal. With kids, this can be a great option as it means you can be sure the option you go for doesn’t run out before they get to you and it also means you are usually served first.
Depending on the airline, this can be a pricey option so it may not work for all trips but it is definitely something to look into!
Bring entertainment
Inflight entertainment may / may not work with young kids but even in the case of good onscreen options, I find having entertainment for your children paramount. You can find below a list of your favorite flight pastimes.
Consider comfort
I don’t believe you need much to make kids comfortable on the plane as their small size often means they are way more comfy than you even in economy seats!
That said, it can be worth considering niceties for them such as kids’ travel pillow, an eye mask, a soft clean blanket and of course their favorite toy.
Depending on airline and length of flight, you may consider an inflatable leg pillow that allows them to stretch and sleep horizontally.
If opting for one of these, check that the airline allows them and on what seats, as there are strict safety rules about their use and they depend on each carrier/plane.
Accept it can be messy and tiring
Despite all the planning and gear, it is possible that your child doesn’t take well to a long flight and the whole experience is miserable. I know, this is not what you want to hear!
But I think it is important to know that sometimes it doesn’t go well and it is ok!
Let the people stare, roll their eye, lecture you about how to deal with your child, then ignore them and do what you think it is best for you and them – your child has the right to be on the plane as much as anyone else and they are not acting up out of spite, they have a need and that’s ok!
It is easy to feel self conscious if you have a child keeping everyone up but how many other people keep others up by snoring or being noisy or kicking the back of someone else’s seat or smelling?
Annoyances come in all shapes and forms on a busy flight, try to ignore other people judgments and do your thing: most people will be supportive and nice, don’t let the few bad ones put even more stress on you, once you are trying to settle your child, there is nothing else you can do, all you can do is your best!
Kids’ carry on packing list – entertainment and games for flying long haul with kids
In terms of entertainment, thing that work for us are:
- Amazon kids tablet with games & shows downloaded ahead of time
- Kids headphones for the tablet (others parents’ ears will thank you for not having to listen to Paw Patrol in loop for 12 hours)
- Led drawing board or magic board for mess-free drawing
- Squishy fidget toys – choose a size that is appropriate to the age and make sure they don’t go in the mouth
- Card games (uno, donkey, go fish)
- Card holder for little hands – see why you need to ask other parents? I would have never though of this!
- Magnetic bingo, magnetic tic tac toe, building blocks – these building blocks are so much better than just stacking cups as they don’t fall on the floor all-the-time
- Kids Nat Geo magazine – my daughter loves this as there are cute photos, we can read fun facts about animals and you also have some hands on activities
- Magnetic maze
- Tactile books for younger kids
- Water wow reusable water reveals activity pack
Packing for a long haul flight essentials
Of course, on top of games you will want to pack:
- Snacks – ensure you pack snacks that can travel with you! Peeled and chopped fruit and veg, crackers, rice cakes are usually safe to carry on board. So are pouches.
- Paper napkins to asborbe spillages (inevitable!)
- Wipes
- Favorite stuffed toy
I hope this article answer the question: how can we make flying with kids easier? Safe family travels!
