How to Keep 17Month Old Busy on a Plane?? Help!

I second the light-up spinny wand! When my son was 18 months, we took him cross-country from California to Florida. He loved to look out the window and play with his toys and watch the DVDs, but when he tired of all that and started getting cranky, the light-up spinny wand would stop him mid-whine! Good luck and have a fun trip!

playdough in the little sample sizes, little board books, magnetic books/scenes, a sucker (like a dum-dum pop) for takeoff and landing if the little one doesn't use a binky.

My kids wouldn't have sat through a movie of any length at that age (thought my now 3 and 5 year olds would), so if you go for the DVD player, have a back-up plan :)

Safe travels!

We have 2 year old high energy boy twins.
We bought very inexpensive gifts for each 1/2hr we were flying + lots of non messy food items. As to other people most love children and the ones that don't too bad, if they don't like it they can ask to move.

I flew back to Maui for a family vacation a few years back with my little one. I gave her a small dose of benadryl. It worked miracles...she was alseep before take off and she was only awake for an hour before landing! You may want to pack crayons, coloring books, mini take along dvd player (with head phones) and some of the kids favorite sing alongs.

Good Luck

hi A.! i have only a bit of advice to offer because the other moms said it all! i could only add that for MY own comfort and sanity, we have ALWAYS bit the bullet and bought the "extra" seat for our little one - that way when the little one naps (and you'd be surprized how often they do: it's like being in the car!) they can be safely buckled in and we all have room to stretch, spread our stuff around, eat, breathe, etc. It's much nicer to have your active little one figiting around in their own seat instead of on your lap!!! I fear that you may regret not having a seat for every family member, but other parents do what you're doing all the time, so maybe it's just me!!!

I don't know how the timing of everything will work out, but we took our daughter cross country (CA to NC) and one thing we did was throw her schedule off on purpose so she slept a lot on the plane. She loved running around the airport and watching planes and people. My advice is to go a little early and fins a quiet part of the airpost and let him runn around. Bring a quilt to sit on and some toys. Then when you get on the plane, hopefully he'll sleep.

We also did small wrapped toys. I just got some of hers from her room that were favorites but not items she was attached to, and wrapped them. She loved opening and then playing sith them.

One last piece of advice is to relax. Kids pick up our energy, so if you are upset, he will be.

S.

We took our son to Hawaii when he was 16 months old..it was a lot of $$ to buy the extra seat, but it was my lifesafer. Otherwise he was bound & determined to get up and move around. So as others have mentioned I'd see if there's an extra seat so you can bring his carseat. Or you can do what most of the other parents who didn't bring their carseats did. They walked endlessly up the aisles.. I tried w/ my son, and it didn't worked he ran up to some woman and stuck his hand in her drink. Needless to say she wasn't very happy :(

I tried all the suggestions about toys, and gadgets it didn't keep my son entertained @ all. Maybe 2 min. So I ended up letting him eat all the snack I took on board for him. And he played w/ my cell phone, keys all the things he normally wasn't allowed to touch. Hey maybe a fake purse with mommy's no no's would work..just a thought..He also found great entertainment w/ the cups, straws etc handed out by the flight attendants. Probably the ONLY toy that kept him occupied for more than a minute was the portable MagicDoodle thingy. lifesaver..And I guess the stickers I bought kept him mildly entertainend, but I wouldn't go all out on new toys...

Also one thing I should mention the laptop table thing was a horrendous battle for us...He wanted it down but he kept banging on it and if he wasn't banging on it he was kicking it. The gentleman who was sittinging in that seat was so irritated, my advice if you can is don't even bother showing him its there. so if he likes to color try bringing something else for him to color on...

Any questions feel free to email me!!

Hi there,

We've flown with our daughter from Europe (where we're living) to the East and West Coasts twice a year since she was 3 months old, 9 and about 15 hour flights, with layovers. She's 2 now and we're packing up for another 9 hour flight this weekend!

My advice is to just remain calm and try to make it an exciting adventure for your kids. Our daughter is always so fascinated with all of the people on the plane, the arm rests going up and down, looking out the window, etc. that she never got too fussy.

Also, don't waste your energy worrying about bothering other people. If you just focus on keeping your kids happy and being patient with them, they will be happy and not be a bother to anyone. If you worry about other passengers, then they will not be getting your attention and might act up. (hope that makes sense!)

We also always bring the Byron Barton "Planes" book with us and read it while we're taking off and landing, asking her who is Mommy, Daddy, etc. in the photos.

You'll all do fine! Enjoy your trip!

H.

p.s. The last time we flew our daughter suddenly had a fever on the plane and threw up all over me in the airport... not fun, but we were all laughing about it the next day. So, if even if things do go wrong it will all be over in a few hours! :)

I didn't have time to read everything, but be careful of one thing - how does YOUR child react to Benadryl? I have one that gets hyper/unreasonable with Benadryl. My other gets gets a little dazed. I haven't used Benadryl for travel.
I have travelled with my 2 every summer since they were infants (now almost 5 and 7), about 10 hours travel time to my parents. My hubby doesn't get summers off (I'm a teacher), so it was me and 2 little ones for the last 4 summers. I use coloring books (new ones are best - love the dollar store), plus I let them choose a few small toys, either from home, or new ones from the dollar store, to take onto the plane.

I took my son from Sacramento to Tucson, Arizona just before he turned 2. I brought him a bag that had some some small cars, board books, crayons (not that he colored at the time, but it was something to do)snacks in ziplock bags and some quiet toys. I made sure we sat in the last row of the plane so that we wouldn't bother other passengers. He never even looked at the toys, all he wanted to do was play with the buttons over head, he did his best to push every button he could find (I just kept him from pushing the call button, lol). I also brought our portable dvd player and his favorite movies and played movies for him once we were allowed to use electronics.

I think you will be fine, i was worried too because i have a very active toddler, but he enjoyed looking out the window, playing with buttons and exploring the seat pockets more than anything I carried on for him.

Medication! Benadrly won't harm your baby. For your daughter take along sonmething she can chew - it helps with ear problems. We brought a small loaf of sourdough bread when we flew to Hawaii (a 5 hour flight) for our 4 year old to eat when ascending and descinding. The Flight attendants told us "Wow, you guys did your homework". Hope this helps!
Patti

We took our 16 month old to Hawaii last summer and the portable DVD player was a lifesaver. I also went to dollar tree and got some cheap "new" toys and pulled a new one out every 30 minutes to an hour. Also, we gave her a little Motrin to prevent the ear pain and she actually slept a lot even though it wasn't nap time. Snacks were good too to keep her busy and happy.

Another vote for Costco DVD player and Elmo DVDs. We flew to another countery with my daughter when she was 17 months...15 hr flight..that was the only thing that saved our sanity.

-J.

Does he like to watch any movies like baby Einsteins yet? You could bring a portable dvd player and play those movies! my son is almost a year and as soon as we turn it on he is tuned into that and watches the whole movie!! I bet Lots of snacks will help too, or books if he like looking at books?! At least its not to long of a flight!

I feel your pain, and I will tell you what has tended to help us on plane trips and long car rides.

Pick up some brand new toys and books. Nothing fancy, just the cheap toys you can get at a grocery store/drug store. At the end of the plane flight, don't use them again until the flight home.

Go to a different grocery store and pick up some new special snacks. I went to Nugget and picked up dried pineapple and papaya, and I will probably go to the natural foods co-op and pick up some freeze dried fruit to use as well. Out of sheer paranoia I am also going to go to Old Town Sac to the candy stores to pick up Saf-T Pops (the lollipops with the looped handle and the flat circle shape to prevent choking) to use for landing (giving her something to suck on to help her ears with the pressure)

Last thing, I picked up an economy sized pack of ear plugs (Rite Aid has a pack of 50 for like $7). Kids will be kids, and are likely to be noisy. I find that offering ear plugs to everyone around us during boarding makes people much more inclined to be forgiving when the fussiness kicks in. Most people pass on them, so that pack of ear plugs has lasted me 16 flights so far.

I have to say, I am going to try the kleenex thing this trip too. Worth a shot!

BENADRYL! It's a miracle, get him up real early so he might nap on the plane. Planes are very crowded right now, so in my opinion, you do have to take into consideration your fellow passengers. Imagine if you had just paid 600$ and there was a screaming kicking kid behind you, what a nightmare... The DVD player also sounds like a good idea. Don't use the fold out desk on the chair in front of you unless you are willing to take the risk. Bring chewing gum.(or a bottle or sucky of some sort) The pressure on the ears from the cabin pressure can be very painful especially for little kids who have small eustation tubes, and the benadryl is also excellent for that. I actually always take it before a flight, as I get such ear pain and headache going up and then again when landing. It is not 'drugging' your child, it is doing him a favor actually. Helps to relax, and helps with the earache/cabin pressure thing. But bring books, etc., favorite snacks, and if possible, before the flight, maybe you could do a bit of playacting at home, like 'how we behave and what we do on the plane!'. your fellow passengers will thank you. It only takes one really nasty pissed off passenger to spoil the whole trip and put a damper on your holiday. Have fun! Terri

My advice is to bring your car seat and strap in your 17 month old son and sit your daughter on your lap instead!
Also. a potrable DVD player is great. Any toys that can be thrown on the floor are not great. Books are good if he likes them.

mini post-it notes and masking tape.

i am sure you'll get other great suggestions. never thought these were going to be my sons favorites! mind you...i carried a bagful of markers, silly putty, crayola wonder-markers-paper-paints, dvd player.

oh, and learn how to make things out of paper...boat, hat, plane....

One of the things that we talk about in my Gymboree classes for travel tips is bringing a box of kleenex(small) and letting your child pull out the kleenexes and then put them back in the box. This can be done several times. It's something I heard of a long time ago and when I've suggested it in my classes, many people have come back saying it worked for quite a big part of the trip.

Good luck and enjoy your holidays.

J. F.

I just did a direct flight to Philadelphia from CA with my 16 month old son...I had the same concerns and stress.

I bought a new interactive book that was pretty long (It was called "Cats" and bought at Target...I hear there is one called "Dogs" as well - this book entertained my son for at least an hr), crayons for toddlers, another toy and had lots of munchies. The flight was MUCH better than I had anticipated. We did do some walking up and down the aisles as well.

GOOD LUCK!

A.-
When my son was little he flew all the time with me, as I had a job that required travel. One tip I will give you is to try to get the seats in the last row or near the last row. This is a problem if you have a close connection, but not other times. There is usually a lot of activity going on in that area, galley, bathroom etc. Which means it won't be an issue if he needs to get up and stretch his legs. It also means lots for him to look at and lots of people to stop and pay attention to him. The bathroom will be close for diaper changes and your daughter's needs too.

I also used to pack baggies with homemade goodies for my son to hand out to our "neighbors". Both your daughter and son can do this and it could be a fun "project" for them.

The portable DVD players are a God send. Remember you have only 14-15 minute time periods you have to fill. Take off and landing should cover 4 of them. My son loved to watch the plane go up and down.

Have a wonderful trip. Don't stress out too much, for the most part people are really kind and wonderful. Just try to avoid sitting up front where the business people are traveling. They're tired, grouchy, just want to be home and don't want little kids bugging them. They are also usually pretty insensitive about someone trying to get kids out of the row to exit the plane.

S.

Hi A.,

I recently flew with my VERY active 21-mo daughter and 17-mo neice (along with my sister and mother), and though I was as nervous as you, it was a breeze! The girls shared an empty seat (we didn't buy either of them seats, but had good luck on the flight there), and were up and down, on our laps and in the seat. There was room for them to move and play but they were happy to stay in just our row. We brought books, small things to play with (bracelets, necklaces, small cars, etc.), a book-size DVD player, and of course plenty of yummy snacks and drinks. We didn't even end up using the DVD player, but I was glad it was available just in case. One suggestion: bring gummy bears or something chewy for take-off and landing, to help his ears pop (something to drink will work too). I gave my daughter tylenol just before as well, since she has ear issues, and she was fine. On the way back we were on a full flight and they were both in our laps, but they were tired from the trip and slept most of the flight, which was also great! It will be fine, just bring lots of small things to keep him busy. And remember you can bring drinks in sippy cups for kids through security if you place them in the bins alone (take them out of the diaper bag). A good umbrella stroller in the airport is a great help too. Good luck!

J.

I usually take my car seat to the gate, and if the flight isn't full a lot of the time the flight attendants will let you take it on board with you. Other than that, I second the portable DVD player, and maybe invest in the toddler busy box thing at Borders, it has all kinds of activities for kids his age. Good luck!

Hmmm....
stickers, pirates booty, raisins, a box or two of tissues...
these things kept my little one entertain for ages.
good luck!

Bring your car seat to the gate. Ask the attendants at the gate if there is an extra seat. You may have to split up so that you are with your son or daughter and your husband with the other. If there is no extra seats, you will be able to gate check your car seat for free. It doesn't count as an extra baggage. However, bring something to protect your car seat, just in case. The seat will let you have time to eat and relax a bit. Note: Often the seat is too high for the tray to come down. Since the seat will be gate checked, the seat will be waiting for you at the gate when you land.

Bring activities like Crayola wonder color markers and paper, snacks, books. I've also heard of the Kleenex box, but have not tried it. Bring small toys like mega blocks or toys that he hasn't seen for a while, but that he likes. They will be like new to him.

Portable dvd player is also a nice thing to have. If you don't have one, you can check with the airlines ahead of time. They may have one to rent for the trip (already packed with various movies, including ones for the kids) for about $20.

Feel free to walk the aisle or hang out in the back of the plane. Whenever I've had to walk the aisle, the passengers all thought it was cute and wanted to talk.

Good luck!

Buy a portable DVD player and Elmo DVDs. It will be the best money you ever spent.
Seriously.
My husband and I took our 16 month old daughter to Spain and Morocco in October. . . .
We brought the lots of little toys and that did not work- the DVD player saved us.
Some things that were also helpful were stickers, lots of snacks, and apps on our iPhone like "I hear Ewe" - we still did several laps up and down the plane with her. But all in all it wasn't so bad. . . except for the 6 hours that I spent on a red eye in a middle seat inbetween 2 strangers on the flight from JFK to SFO when my husband and I couldn't get seats together. That sucked even though she was asleep the whole time. At 17 months they start to get a little big for that. ..
GOOD LUCK!!!! 3.5 hours is Nothing! :)

a wand that spins and lights up

Hi A.-

Count me as another vote for the DVD player. You will not regret it especially if you borrow some DVDs from friends so they seem new to your kids. Headphones make it even better.

Another toy my girls LOVED was a MagnaDoodle. They come in various sizes with the smallest one you can carry in your purse. The child can draw on it and slide the bar to erase their picture. When the child is bored drawing, you can draw for them. Before my daughter could say the words, I'd draw a circle and a square and ask her which was the square. Fun way to add learning into idle time.

Have a safe trip.

Divide up activities into small separate bags (large ziplocs work well) and pull each one out after putting the other away. Also bring small new toys to give at the beginning of each flight. By the time they are done playing it will almost be time to get off the plan (but pack coloring stuff and other significant entertainment too). I have several kids' movies on my iPod and a headphone splitter. But at 17 mos movies may not keep his attention for more than 1/2 hour (but still when nothing else works that can be a lot. Definitely bring snacks or lunch since being hungry will not help. I have also heard of people bringing small gift cards to give in case of problems (boy did I wish I had brought it when my 2 yr old dumped water in the lap of the guy next to him).

DVDs...must have! Our limited-TV rule goes out the window on planes. (We travel pretty often with our son, who is now 20 months old--have flown to Texas a couple times and even all the way across the country.) He loves Baby Einstein, so we just bring a couple and let him watch. He usually falls asleep in the middle for a bit, and then there's time spent with snacks and such, too. But the DVDs are a definite godsend while traveling!