Preparing Children for Upcoming Airplane Travel

Disclosure: In any review for a product or service, products or compensation may have been provided to me to help facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” and "Terms of Use" tabs for more information.

Planning a family trip can seem overwhelming enough to most parents, but planning on surviving the trip with children may seem impossible. With proper preparation, any parent can survive taking a trip on a plane with their children, no matter how old they are. It’s helpful to prepare yourself and your children ahead of time for the upcoming trip and always plan for the worst-case scenarios just in case.

Prioritize Safety

Safety needs to be your number one priority at the airport and on the plane. Airports are busy places and when parents are busy worrying about their luggage and boarding on time, children need to remain close by the entire time. As any parent knows, children can wander away rather quickly, so remain vigilant in keeping your children under control by giving them something to do or allowing them to help out. On the plane, try to keep children out of aisle seats. Ear pressure and pain are common in children on planes, so ensure you purchase appropriate ear protection. You can get padded child-size noise-attenuating earphones from this online pilot store prior to your trip.

Get Them Excited About The Destination

Children love to have something to look forward to, so spend some time getting them excited about where you are taking a trip to. Whether it’s a trip to Disneyland or a family vacation to explore a new place and learn about a culture like Mexico, tell your children about all the cool adventures in store for them. If you are going somewhere where the culture is very different than what your children are used to, teach them about it so they know what to expect. You can help them prepare by watching travel videos and reading books about your destination.

Leave Early and Plan Accordingly

Make sure you arrive at the airport super early, because you never know what will happen that could potentially set you back and make you late. Don’t rush to be the first ones on the airplane. It’s good to wait until the crowd has already gotten on the plane. Try to plan your trip on the least traveled days like Tuesday through Thursday. Late afternoon and evening flights might be hard for young children to handle, so try to plan morning or early afternoon trips if possible.

Plan Activities to Keep Them Entertained

One of the most important things you can do to survive a plane trip with children is to find ways to keep them entertained. Pack a fun bag for them filled with things they’ll enjoy for the duration of the trip. Make sure to learn the rules for what you can and cannot carry on the plane first before packing a bag. Some items you can pack include:

·  Books

·  Coloring books

·  Drinks and snacks

·  Stickers

·  Magna-doodle

·  Portable DVD player

·  Music player with headphones

·  Handheld video games

·  Small stuffed animals

·  Cards

Older children will be able to tell you what they want to bring, but you can encourage them to bring items like books, brain teaser games, and crossword puzzles. Get the little ones involved by letting them help pack their carry-on bags.

Airplane rides can be a fun and exciting experience for adults and children. With careful planning and preparing your children ahead of time, your trip can end up going smoothly. Get your children involved as much as possible and have them excited about the destination. Keep reminding them of all the fun they’re going to have once you arrive so they have something to look forward to.