Flying with a 2 Year Old and a 5 Year old....need Advice.

Ok so I have traveled by plane many many times with my kids and here are my tips. Sorry this is quite long-winded but I really think through my airline travel!

1) I would never EVER travel through the airport with my 2 year-old without a stroller. I just use a basic light umbrella stroller but if my little girl isn't strapped in, she's gone! There is no chance we could wait in a security line with her on the loose. You do have to get the child out of the stroller to get through the scanner but if you use a lightweight one it's no big deal. And people will help you. And it gives you somewhere to put any loose snacks, toys, whatever and hang your bag on too. You check the stroller right at the plane so you have it until the moment you walk on the plane, and get it back right after you exit the plane when you land. I'm not a leash person, and besides, my 2 year-old would throw herself on the floor at some point and I'd end up having to carry her anyway.

2) I have a portable dvd player for each child and have their favorite movies in a small dvd holder. Entertaining them with DVD players during the flight is easy - it's the time before the plane takes off and then the time before the landing when they tell you to turn everything off that can be hard. It can be 30-40 minutes from the time they tell you to turn off the DVD players until you get to walk off the plane. That's where the real planning comes into play. So when we first get on the plane, we read books and make a big deal about looking out the windows at the activity on the ground. Lots of planes and workers to look at. Then for the end of the flight, I always have special packs of surprise stickers that I save just for this moment. Also I bring the kids' Tag readers...the flight attendants never tell me to turn these off - and it saves us while the other kids are the flight are all melting down.

3) Pack lots of snacks. Dried fruit packs easily, popcorn, pretzels, granola bars (chewy kind so they don't break into oblivion in your bag). I bring a "cool pack" big enough to fit 2 sippy cups for the milk (don't assume they have it on the plane - in many cases they don't) and room for some string cheese. I use one of those ice packs you just refreeze to keep everything cool.

4) For ears - make sure both kids drink something during the ascent and descent. My 2 year old has no issues with her ears on flights; my 4 year old does. So stock lollipops and that should help the ears and make them happy too. I don't like giving either of them lollipops ever, so it's a huge treat and works like a charm. Also when the drink cart comes by I get them each a cup of ice. It's weird how long a cup of ice can entertain kids. They'll get a little wet - so what, it's just water. Ask for extra napkins when you get the ice.

5) Before your trip pick up some of those scented Arm & Hammer plastic bags - you can buy them in the baby department at Target - they have cute little dispensers for them that you can easily store in your carry-on. Assuming your 2 year-old isn't potty trained, if he does decide he just has to poop during the flight, you have somewhere to put the smelly diaper that will totally not smell once closed up. Let me tell you - you're not changing a 2 year-old in the airplane bathroom. I can barely pee in there comfortably! Plus, it's gross! You have to stealth change him on your seat when the flight attendants aren't looking (they don't like it). You probably know this, but they also sell disposable changing pads in the same area at Target - perfect for stealth airplane changes!.

Most importantly, try to just be as laid back as you can. If you are relaxed, it will go SO much smoother. Spoil them a little during the trip - after all, it's their vacation too. ;) Chances are, if you are having fun, the kids will have fun too.

One thing that nobody has mentioned is to let them run around in the airport as much as you can between going through security and getting on the plane! They need to run off their energy BEFORE you have to sit on the plane for an hour or more!

New dollar store toys are good, new anything really.

Also, don't forget to factor in time before boarding to make a final bathroom run. Most flights board 20-30 min before the scheduled ticket time (ask the employees at check-in), so go to the bathroom 10 min before that boarding time if you plan to pre board.

Don't try to take liquids or special, non-solid foods through security unless you have to. The TSA claims you can take toddler foods and beverages through if you delcare them, but we've had issues with that several times over the 3 years we've flown with our daughter. It is so much easier to take an empty sippy cup and solid foods through security and buy whatever else you need in the airport.

If you're taking other liquid items (hand sanitizer, hand lotion, ointment, etc) through security, have it already in your quart baggy in the top of your carry on so it is easy to get in and out. The DVD players also have to come out of carry ons, so have them easily accessible too. Slip on shoes for all three of you are a must!

I also packed a 3 ring binder w/ paper, a zip pouch of crayons, and lots of stickers. Good entertainment for a 2 yr old and possibly a 5 year old too. You can use the notebook as a "table" for drawing on top of, and it can be out and in use during take off and landing. When my daughter was 2, she LOVED having her hand traced. We did that for 20 min on a flight once. We also traced ours to show her size differences. Now she likes to try to trace our hands by herself.

I fly with my twin four year olds all the time. Here's my advice:

1. Bring another adult through security with you. All you need to do is ask at the check in counter for a pass to have your helper come to the plane. They can't get on the place, but can help right up until then.

2. Get a CARES harness for your 2 year old. He has to sit in his own seat, but the belt will be too big for him. the CARES harness will hold him securely in the seat.

3. Bring portable DVD players for both kids. Borrow from friends if you don't have any. This is the easiest way to keep your kids entertained.

4. Make sure that you have three seats together - check your reservation now. If you don't, call the airline and get your seats changed now. It's not pretty trying to get people to switch seats after you've already gotten on the plane.

5. My kids haven't had problems with ears popping after about 1 year old, but if you think it will be an issue, just have your son drink water during takeoff.

6. Bring tons of small snacks - keeps little fingers busy.

7. Bring new books or small toys to keep your kids entertained.

8. Enjoy!

Start drinking early! LOL! Just kidding! :)

Make sure they have their own carry on. Check your stroller at the gate, this will make it easier for you to get to the terminal. Fill a special backpack with goodies that they have never seen before. New little games, books, coloring books, etc. If they have Leapsters, bring them! Going through security for them will be the same for you. Put them in flip flops or easily removable shoes. Bring an empty sippy cup and be sure to fill it with something after you go through security. Otherwise they may not let you bring it. Have your son drink as the plane ascends. You could also give him a lollipop. Once you are up in the air, break out the new stuff, if they get restless. Keep some stuff hidden for the ride home too.

Hope these tips help!

I have traveled more than once by plane with my two kids by myself. My last trip, they were 5 and 2 yr old. If you are taking car seats see if you can have somone help you get to the airport and drag all your gear to the curbside check in.
If you don't need a stroller on your trip, then I would skip taking one through the airport, it always ended up just being an extra thing for me to keep track of :( Have your five year old wear a backpack with snacks but don't go overboard and make it super heavy, they will probably be more interested in the airplane snacks anyway! You wear a backpack and pack as light as you can - diapers, wipes, an extra T-shirt for each of you (just in case of spills), and a portable DVD player.
Each of my kids brought a stuffed animal as their travel buddy, and it helped them go through the security area because they got to send their buddy through the Xray machine, go under the metal detector, then meet their buddy on the other side. Then their animal doubled as a pillow on the plane :) I would also suggest crocs or flip flops for easy shoe removal! Once inside the terminal I made sure to walk my kids from end to end and let them look out of every window to get the wiggles out before it was time to sit for a long time - this is made easier if you only have a backpack for yourself and your older child.
For pressure changes pack a sippy cup (empty, then have the stewardess fill it with water for you), gum and lollypops. Even so, you may have to expect crying, both my kids (and the kid in front of us) cried saying their ears felt weird and I had done everything I could to avoid it! The airplane crew had coloring books and crayons, stickers, and kind words for my kids, so I didn't need to pack a ton of extra toys. Maybe a new matchbox car for each child will keep them happy and distracted and is easy to pack.
Remember that people do this all the time, and all usually goes smoothly. Relax and enjoy sharing this adventure with your kids!

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We just flew w/ our kids...2 and almost 5. My advice....activities & snacks!! We brought an ipad that had games & tv shows/movies loaded on it. They loved this. I also had a bag full of coloring books & other activities, but of course they barely used these & used the electronic device way more. If you don't have anything like this, just be sure to bring a variety of activities. Their attention span is so short that you'll want multiple things for them to do. I gave my kids a sucker for the take off & landing (but I understand the landing is worse on the ears). I also brought sippy cups & told them to drink during the landing. Also, take then potty b/4 you board...you don't want to take them to the tiny airplane bathroom. Lastly, you can use your stroller up to the gate, and take them out of the stroller right before you board. Airplane personnel will take your stroller down w/ the rest of luggage. Good luck!

My trick for the ears (espically if your 2yo doesn't yet know how to chew gum) is to hand out lollipops just after the plane gets into the air. Or have him drinking out of a cup/bottle (prefill with water) or use the pacifier if you're still in that boat - anything to make him swallow. I've breastfed on the plane before specifically for that reason.

Other then that, take with you a new toy and some little activity to keep them entertained for the trip. Have each kid take their own little carryon - buy each one of them a little backpack they can carry a few toys they like. Don't know what airline you're going with, but I love Jet Blue because of the TVs they have on the back of each seat and they have various channels including cartoons.

Boarding - If the airline doesn't call ahead for parent who have little kids, Wait until they have last call. having to deal with the general public while worrying about kids and car seats doesn't work well. Same goes for leaving the plane - try to be the very last people to get off, less people you have to deal with trying to hurry past. My daughter got run over because some idiot business man was trying to dial on his cell phone and NOT watching where he was walking. (he was real sorry, but the mama bear in me was ready to rip him a new one!)

Security - its a B****. DON'T take a stroller if you can manage without one, or at the very least fold it up as you stand in line and put it through the xray machine like you do shoes and the carry-ons. Remember not to have anything metal (like belts) on the kids.

General - one of my fears when my kids were little was them getting separated when ever we were in a big crowd. My solution was to take a sharpie marker and write MOM- then my name- and my cell number on the inside of their forearms. That way if that kid got separated then s/he could walk up to pretty much anyone and say "please call my mom". And because its on the inside of the arm, its kind of hard to see if you aren't looking for it. And I used a sharpie because there are the crazies out there that if they wanted to try and kidnap your kid... well sharpie marker takes about a week to wash out.

Hope that helps!

I'm watching this as we will be flying in July. Santa got us a portable DVD player for the trip and DD has her own little backpack that she loves. I plan to put a lanyard on it to make it into one of those leash bags.

Airlines differ on whether or not you can use a car seat and we figure we'll either pay out the nose on Aer Lingus or we'll be able to use our seat. Call in advance to see how that works.

I've been polling friends and they say to put the kid in shoes that can be easily removed/put on. One of my friends got snapped at when she took her kids (she was flying solo with an infant and a toddler) to the side to put sneakers back on and wasn't enough of a mind reader to know the TSA didn't want her to stop there. She says they now wear crocs or slip-on sandals.

I haven't had to do this for years! But when I did one time I had kid "leashes" the one's that attach to your & kids wrists. My 5 year old wore this while I carried her brother. I knew it was unlikely she'd get separated from me in the throngs of people when we had a plane change. Good Luck have fun!