14 Hour Flight with a 4 Year Old!

Looks like you have games/DVDs/toys pretty well covered. Don't forget lots of food. If your child has special nightime music to go to sleep, don't forget to take it. We put the music on our phones so we have it everywhere, including the plane for resting, as well as in the hotel room at night.

When we travel, we mostly stay out of the hotel until bedtime. And it's not too hard. By the time you have dinner out, go for a walk, dawdle a little on the way back to the room, it's time for bedtime snack in front of the TV, then bed. If your hotel has a DVD player in the room, even better because you can show those DVDs that you brought for the plane.

I actually find morning in the hotel to be more challenging. I know the people in the rooms next door probably don't want to be awakened at 6:30AM every day by my kids playing. And sometimes breakfast isn't served until 8ish. So, although it's a bit tiring for me, I just get up and get the kids OUT of the room right away and go for walks every morning, until it's reasonable to expect that the rest of the world is awake.

Well if you had given her a sibling to play with maybe you wouldn't be so worried.

I AM TOTALLY JUST KIDDING! :) This is a reference to an earlier post, so I'm really hoping you got that one because I'm just in a saucy mood today and not trying to incite warfare! ;)

Anyway, I think your list sounds pretty good. I would get her maybe a few new things like a new movie, new coloring book or whatever so she stays interested longer, but my 4 y/o loves to color and will do so for a long time. In that same vein, maybe get her some cool new things to color with...markers, sparkly crayons, etc. I just picked up some of those Crayola mini stampers and my daughter had a ball with those on a recent car trip!

As far as in the hotel I usually take small, easy to pack games like card games or travel sized board games. Then I have my daughter pick out some books and one or two small toys that will keep her busy, but she rarely plays with the toys. She's usually so tuckered out from the day or we let her watch a little TV instead, but we do usually use the games and books.

Lastly, I would keep your airplane toys and your hotel toys totally separate. When you get to the hotel, but the airplane bag up high so that she has no access to them again until she's back on the plane. That way she doesn't get bored with them. Of course you can always pick up a few more things on your travels that you can slip in there, but I always keep the mystery alive! ;)

Oh yes, and swimming at the hotel is a major bonus! I would bring at least one or two pool toys too b/c those hotel pools don't have much excitement!

Snacks
Change of clothes and undies (just in case)
Favorite stuffed animal/ blanket/ snuggly thing she sleeps with
Comfy, but not slip-on, shoes
Dollar Store card games (Go Fish, Old Maid, etc)

I'm assuming that she will not be in the hotel room all day, so I would say that with everything you are already brining, I wouldn't worry too much about keeping her entertained.

I can't stress enough, though, the importance of bringing anything she sleeps with... we travel frequently with our 4 yr old and Green Bear is always the first thing in the suitcase so he doesn't get left behind!

I would take some snacks like cereal bars, fruits etc. My kids dont like the meal served in the meal. I didnt know they allow backup batteries in the carry on. It is a good tip for me :) Thank you!

If you can fly at night (as many hours of her bed time) would be a good thing. Otherwise, sounds like you are on track. I don't think any four year old can "stay seated" for 14 hours.....so perhpas talk with the airlines and see what their guidelines and suggestions might be?

Have a great trip.

You have a pretty good list there.

If it's a solid 14hr flight (no stopovers), chances are each seat will have its own little TV with at least one kids' channel. I know we've all been told "don't let your kids watch too much TV", "don't let the TV be your babysitter". A 14 hour flight is DEFINITELY the exception to the rule. If your 4yr old is happy watching HOURS of TV, THIS is the time to let her.

And let her walk up and down the aisles every once in a while (not RUN, of course).

You'll do just fine - enjoy the trip!

Snacks and drinks! You can't get drinks through security, but make sure you grab something once you're on the other side. You can grab snacks before you get to the airport (whatever you let her have normally, ie fruits, etc. and a few "surprise" snacks like cookies, or something she doesn't normally get)

When I would fly between TX and OH with my then 2 year old, I did Oreos. She loved Oreos and would rarely get them. When we landed, she also got McDonald's fries for having been good. (We were strict vegans at the time so never had McDonald's...oh how far we have come since then, lol!)

Other than that, it sounds like you have it covered. I would make sure you took her swimsuit so she can go swimming at the hotel while you're there. That'll help get her energy out from being cooped up on a plane.