However, I hope with sharing some things I learned from other moms who traveled way more frequently than I have...I can make it more of a pleasant experience for you.
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| My Daughter Daniella Flying to Florida |
Here are some tips I would like to share with you on traveling with a toddler.
1. Snacks, Snacks, Snacks - my daughter is the typical toddler who eats on the go and who makes snacks a meal. So I made sure to pack mommy's carry on with all her favorite snacks. (of course not liquid as that will be confiscated) Goldfish, Fruit Pouches, Tortilla Chips, and even a special candy to reward her for good behavior...her so happened to be mini M&M's.
2. Activity books and coloring books - Maybe you will be fortunate enough to have an in flight TV or movie for your child...however you cant always rely on it as the captain could turn it off at any moment while making announcements. So why not be prepared with activities to help your child stay busy. Once in flight the TV tray can serve as a little desk for them to use while coloring or looking at books.
3. Headphones - Often planes will have TV's built into the seat in-front of you. I found that having kids headphones that have regulated sound control - makes it easier as a parent not to worry about your child turning up the volume TOO high on their own. Also if you find kids headphones they will fit more comfortably on your child's head. We found a pair at Target and it even has a jack that you can you fit your headphones into so you both could listen to the same movie or show at the same time.
4. Wear Comfortable clothes and dress them in layers - My daughter can get hot from 0-60...so we need to always make sure we dress in layers while traveling. Also we flew from New England (brrrr) to Sunny Florida...so I made sure to dress her in a skirt with leggings and a short sleeve shirt with a long sleeve shirt underneath on the way there. Once we landed I whisked her away into the nearest bathroom and just removed the under long layer shirt and the leggings..and she was immediately dressed for Florida weather!
5. Bring your child's favorite toy- My daughter chose her favorite stuffed bear and even had a special seat attachment for her carry on I found at Build a Bear store. However, as a heads up all toys and stuffed animals will need to go through security scanners just like all your other personal belongings. So make sure you have a pep talk with your little one that they will need to let their animal pass through the scanner. We made it into a little game for our daughter. We told her the teddy bear needed to get a quick x-ray to make sure its healthy enough to fly. We allowed her to put the teddy bear in the plastic scanner bin. And then we told her to look for it on the other side. She actually enjoyed the process much more knowing she had a task to do.
6. Juice or Water with a Straw - Feel free to ask a flight attendant for juice or water and a straw. (if you hadn't brought with you on the flight already) I found this tip to be most helpful for my daughter while taking off and landing. The air pressure in the cabin can be a lot on your ears. However having juice to sip on with a straw allows for the airway to open up when you swallow the juice. I had my daughter drink her juice the whole way up and down on our flight and she never once complained about her ears "popping." Which can be a very painful thing!
7. Remain calm - Children often pick up on your behavior and attitude. If you keep a positive upbeat attitude during the whole traveling process, I bet your child will too. Get to the airport early enough to check in, grab something to eat, walk them around, let them play, and also show them the plane you are about to board. I know most kids are fascinated with airplanes. So if you show them the outside and prep them that they are about to fly that special plane way up in the air...they will start to get excited and happy about boarding the aircraft.
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| My daughter Daniella flying back home...such a happy little traveler! |
So there you have it.
I hope that those tips will come in handy for any of your flying with toddlers.
It can be fun and easy...if done right!
Love, Stylish Mama
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