Traveling with a Toddler

Party-size playdoh packs
gummis for chewing (prevent ear pain) and/or lollipops
magnadoodle, travel-size
dvd player with headphones
a blankie and petite pillow
new treats

good luck

Hi Kristen-

It looks like you have all the basics down with the car seat, stroller, snacks , and favorite toys. The only thing that I would add that worked well for us was I had a new bag for her with different pockets. In some of the pockets were new, cheap, toys or snacks, that she could explore and play with. My children loved the looking for the toys, and then having the new ones. I would have new toys for each leg. I don't know where you live but I would just go to GNC in Grossmont Center, or Target, any place like this.

My friend went to Hawaii with her toddler and she bought See's suckers to give to the people around her!

Have a great trip!!!!!!!

It's probably too late to change your reservations, but I always make sure that our lay overs are at least an hour in between each flight. Trying to cross 2 football fields (because you know your connection will be clear on the other side of the airport) with a toddler in tow is like trying to run a marathon.

Definitely request the bulk head seats when you check in. They offer more leg room so less chance of your little one kicking the person in front of them.

Definitely ask the flight attendant for a seat belt extender before you latch in the car seat (I didn't do this last time and it took the flight attendant plus the airplane repair guy about 20 minutes to unfasten the car seat).

Limit the amount of carryons you take to one per adult. That way you have both hands to chase down your daughter. Last time we travelled was a couple of months ago when DS was 3 and DD was months. DH and I both took on one back pack and DS took on his little Spiderman backpack. I carried all the baby stuff plus snacks. DH carried a change of clothes for me (because the kids ALWAYS either spill, barf or somehow get something all over me), my book, our two IPODS, and all the wallets and travel itineraries. Then in DS's bag we packed a change of clothes for him, a few snacks, a few toys, a light blanket, and a few pullup for just in case.

During your layover, definitely find an open space where your daughter can just run and run. My DD is a late bloomer so she didn't start walking until right after our trip , but with an active 3 yr old boy, he needed to run around... A LOT! So DH and I took turns taking him on the walking escalators, letting him run up and down the window areas, and we DEFINITELY made him walk the 2 football fields to our connection gate. We did the same when we just had DS a year ago at age 2. Whatever we could let him do to burn off some energy, we did.

During the plane rides, we would let DS at age 2 stand up in the seat area or walk up and down the aisle once or twice. Now at age 3 we took advantage of him needing to go to the potty and walked him to the farthest potty.

Have fun!

I flew with my very energetic son when he was 15 months old and I was 7 months pregnant. A portable DVD player was my lifesaver. My sister got us a set of videos for Christmas that my son loves. They are from HBO video and they are called Classical Baby. There are 3 videos-The Art Show, The Dance Show, and The Music Show. They all incorporate classical music and works of art so I don't feel guilty letting my child watch them. I had headphones for him, but he was content just watching the screen. A good stash of snacks helps also. Babies R Us has a little cup called a Snack Trap. It's great for letting them have snacks without making a huge mess. Gerbers yogurt bites, goldfish, and Teddy Grahams are great with it. Give her a bottle or sippy cup (or nurse her if you're breastfeeding) when the plane takes of and lands to help with the ear pressure. Good luck!

Our child came to have motion sickness. You can buy liquid Dramamine, but most drug stores don't have it on the shelf and have to order it. It also makes the toddler extremely drowsy and helps them sleep through the trip, which can be an added bonus. It can be added to a bottle of formula. We always carried a bottle with us on trips just in case.

Bite the bullet and buy the GoGo Babyz carrier. It has made flying with our daughter so much easier (I'm often traveling alone with her). It turns your car seat into a stroller. You can roll your daughter and car seat all the way to the plane and sometimes down the aisle of the plane (depends on the type of aircraft you're on).
As far as diaper changes, some of the planes have changing tables in the bathrooms. For those that don't, I've often asked the stewards if it's ok for me to lay a blanket down in the back where they sit and change her there (if they're not busy).
Good luck!

Hi! We've flown with my daughter at 12 months, and then at 20 months. It is deffinately more challenging than traveling when she was a newborn, (flew with her when she was 3 months also). Don't expect to get any sleep, necessarily. Because they're so active at this age, expect to walk the aisle of the plane several times. You can also hang out in the back, near the lavatory's and where the stuart quarters are. There is a bigger space there to stand, and they usually don't mind. You might even meet other toddlers strolling around also, and they can play. I also brought a little DVD player, but she is not that into movies yet, so we didn't get too much use out of it. I also talked to her a lot before we boarded and while on the plane about what was going on, and how I expected her to behave. It turned out fine. Good Luck!! PS: During take off and landing, it's helpful for their ears, to be sucking. Try a bottle, pacifier, or nursing. We had to ask the stuartess to warm a bottle with hot water right when we boarded the plane. When it was time for takeoff, the bottle was warm enough. Also, we practiced opening our mouths reeeaaly wide, to unplug her ears. :)

What worked for us when we traveled with our daughter at 14 months was that we brought something brand new that she had never played with before. I bought some little tubs of play dough that had My Little Pony stamps on top. It was simple, but she had never played with it before so it kept her busy for a while. Just have a variety of toys and snacks. Maybe even a portable DVD. Good luck!!!

Personally we found the carseat and stroller too cumbersome for plane travel. Instead we used a baby carrier and a leash (the puppy backpack - he loves to put it on and while it doesn't stop him from going where he wants to it keeps us connected to him. Toddlers can worm their way through crowds easily but people will not move for an adult and look at you rudely when you try to push through to follow the toddler- with the leash you are connected and people make room for you to follow the toddler). We checked the carseat at check-in. It's been seperated from us twice and both times they gave us a nice (new even) carseat replacement and delivered ours to us later that day (and took back their nice one :)) I've heard there is a five point harness that you can get for the plane seat that is really cheap if you want her strapped in. We didn't bother with buying our son a seat until he was 2 and we had to buy him one. He was a great lap baby. We haven't needed a stroller in our travels and if we did there was one to rent. You have to fold up the stroller and put it through the scanner at security- such a pain! Plus I find we take too much stuff when we have the stroller. We always try to have one new toy for our son to keep things interesting. I just find something cheap at the dollar store. This last trip we got him plastic dinosaurs. Don't be afraid to let your daughter walk up and down the aisle during the flight (with you of course). If there is turbulence have her sit in your lap. For most of the flight my son stood in front of his seat and played on the seat. He also enjoyed the window shade a lot. Good luck and have fun on your trip!

Do not take the carseat on the plane with you - check it! Way too bulky and she will prefer to have the extra seat to use as a playing/sleeping area. We've flown twice from LA to Boston, but we've made sure they are late flights so that she can sleep half way there. Also, books, books, and more books! Lots of snack/bottle water/juice that you'll have to purchase after security. Good luck and safe travels!

Hi K.! I just returned from flying to NY from SD with my 21 month old VERY ACTIVE son. We were so impressed with him and mainly this was due to some serious preparation on our part. So, I hope some of this helps you!

*Buy the CARES harness to strap her in to her own seat. www.kidsflysafe.com This give you a break and also acts as a carseat on the flights.
*If she doesn't do pacifier (my son doesn't) then 100 percent fruit leather strips are great for take-offs and landing. But make sure you don't give it to her until you're actually taking off or she will get bored!
*Portable DVD player! This saved our lives. Max loves Curious George, so we were able to keep him entertained.
*Walk her up and down the aisle when she gets antsy.
*Bring a little flashlight. Kids love them!
*Also, expect her to cry a little, especially during the landing.

I had bags within bags of snacks, toys, books, etc. so that I was constantly able to give him something new to do. And we also let him play with cups of ice that the flight attendants gave us.

Good luck to you! I hope some of this helps.

C.

Hi K.!

My daughter is 23 months and has flown at least 5 or 6 times already! A big tip I have for you is to bring a portable DVD player if you have one. You can put in her favorite video (or even buy a new one she's never seen before!) and it will at least keep her occupied for a little while. I have also been told recently that it's a good idea to bring a toy that your child has never played with before. It will hold their attention longer. I also love bringing crayons and a coloring book. Let her run around as much as possible before you board the flight so that she gets a little energy out of her system. Also remember not to give her anything sugary before the flight- you want her as sleepy and mellow as possible! I hope this helps. Good luck with your trip!!

We are a family of girls, 2 and 7 and we travel to Sweden alot. If she likes movies then bring a dvd player with extra batteries and her favorite shows and movies - it should work like a charm even at that age. Also stay away from to much milk, a little is fine but on the flight it is sometimes h*** o* their tummies. One other tip is if it is during their bedtime, which is always a great time to fly, do your same routine at home that you do on the flight. Change their clothes, brush teeth and do the nighttime ritual, I always bring their favorite blanket and tuck them in. Have a great time! Lisa C.

Hi K.
I know when I traveled with my daughter she was about 13-14 months too. I don't know if your daughter still takes bottle but I made sure my daughter had one for take off. This helped with the ears too. I also bought a portable dvd player and that really saved me. She just sat and watched movies in between playing with her toys. Good luck, I hope everything goes well for you.

Hi,
I am an experienced traveler with kids and can probably answer all your questions! I have traveled to long flights to Europe sometimes on my own with an active toddler and baby. It sounds like you are well prepared. The major problem for a 14mo. old is sitting still- At that age her legs will probably touch the seat in front and there's not a lot you can do from keeping her from kicking it. I always tried to find a seat with an empty one in front. If there is any way you can tire her out before hand so she'll sleep......that is your best bet. Some things that keep my kids occupied. STICKERS! Watching a DVD on the computer, ice, plenty of snacks. I also recommend the Sit-n-stroll. It is made for airplane travel. It's a carseat and stroller combo. It will roll down the larger airplanes aisles and then you sit it in the seat-strap it in. Good luck!
-K.

I just returned from 10 glorious days on Oahu with my 15 month old daughter. We bought her a seat as well, but I was pretty worried about the flight, keeping her entertained and not screaming :-) Part of the problem with traveling is that their regular schedules/nap times are disrupted. On the way from LAX to HNL, we had a 9AM flight. Once we got on board, she slept for a couple of hours, and then all she wanted to do was walk around the plane. We took turns doing that. We also tried DVDs, a kids play laptop (Fisherprice Laughtop), old toys, new toys, but all she wanted to do was explore. On the way home, it was an afternoon flight and she did not have her morning nap and she was tired and cranky. Our doctor had recommended giving her children's benadryl to help her nap on the plane. We gave a a little bit of it and she slept for 4 hours. I felt guilty about it - but she got much needed rest and we had a little bit more relaxing flight back. I would bring some just in case your little angel gets stressed out and cannot go to sleep.

Wow, I don't think I have ever seen so many responses...I just wanted to give you a website that has some advice from a flght attendant. Also, as far as the layover, check out the airport to see if they have any kid friendly areas, I know a few of them do.

http://www.flyingwithkids.com/

It sounds like you've planned well! I always went out and bought a few new toys & books to bring as surprises in addition to toys from home. Give them to her when all else fails! Lots of walks up & down the isles will bring her pleasure too.

Have a great trip!

Hi kristen, we traveled all the wy to japn with a 22 month old 4 year old and a 6 year old we just mde sure the boys had gum and we made sure our daughter had her cup, to ease the ear popping, other than like you are planning toys and snacks, it should go good. J.

Portable DVD player with Barney or her favorite videos is definitely worth the investment. But the batteries only last about 2.5 hours, so you have to plan that strategically. We use Hawaiian Airlines almost exclusively and they have Digi players you can rent for $15/flight.

Take a change of clothes (at least shirt) for yourself in your carryon (yes, that bag will weigh a TON), because at about that age my daughter started coughing on the plane and then vomited all over me. It's not a smell you want to sit with.

Move the armrest between the two of you "up" so that she's not tempted to stand on it. A flight attendant gave me that suggestion.

Don't worry too much about what other people around you think. Those with children will understand.

Hi K.,

I totally feel your anxiety about travelling, but don't worry, your daughter will be just fine.I have travelled back and forth to England with my now 4 year old since she was a small tike and she just has the best time. I firstly always buy her small toys that she will not have seen untill the flight gets under way, this way she will be excited for a little longer than if I had taken along old favourites, also keep a small note pad and new crayons and maybe a small box of stamps, my daughter loved these. Small pots of playdough were also good for Emmy. Hope these suggestions were helpful, finally, don't hesitate to walk around the flight with your daughter, Emmy loved this and the attention she got was fantastic. She would just talk to everyone that wanted to talk to her. Have a safe flight.

C. Holtschneider,

Bring some small toys that she has never seen before, and bring them out slowly throughout the flight. Also, a portable dvd is priceless. We just went to scotland (10 hours there, 11 hours back) with our 2 and 4 year olds, and the dvd player made a big difference. You definitely have to relax your standards on tv and sweets on a flight and in airports, just to make it more tolerable! Lollipops are good, too, because they take a long time to get through, but she might be too young still for that one.

Sounds like you have it pretty well planned out but here are a couple of other suggestions.

1. Make sure your daughter is sucking on a bottle or sippy cup during take off and landing. This will help her ears adjust to the altitude and pressure changes.

2. I always took a few new toys with me and wrapped them up as presents in case interest was lost in the old toys. Getting the toy out of the wrapping paper took up lots of time and the new toy was usually played with for much longer than the old favorites.

3. Take picture books for reading.

4. Be prepared to stroll the aisle in between cart service!

Small tubs of playdoh were always a favorite with my daughter. She would easily spend 40 minutes playing with it. You can bring small plastic cookie cutters and get plastic utensils from any of the restaurants after you go through security. Just make sure you save it for play on the plane to maximize the time. Happy flying!

I, also, travelled via air w/ my daughter when she was @ the same age. After reading your on-board preparations, I think you two will be fine. You will probably need to take alot of deep breaths to get you thru a few tough times & try not to worry about what the other passengers think, too much :) I know that's hard to do but you'll kind of get use to it. Getting an extra seat helps. Also, you may consider ordering a mini-bottle of wine or two. They're small but helps you to relax once you get everything situated. I have almost always been seated beside grandmothers & mothers, too, totally by coincidence! That's really helpful. Hopefully, you will be similarly blessed. Happy flying. If you think of it, LMK how it goes.

Hi. I just got back from a grueling 20 hour traveling experience with my 3 and 6 year old girls! We live in Hawaii and everytime we travel it involves long flights and layovers. It sounds like you have lots of good ideas so far. I think you should be sure to pack at least one change of clothes for your daughter and at least a clean top for yourself. You never know when they might spit up or spill something. I also always pack a few disposable sippy cups so I can pour water or juice that they serve on the plane into something more child friendly. If you have a portable DVD player, it will make a big difference. You can bring some of her favorite videos and that will help keep her occupied and calm. Good luck!

Make sure the car seat is FAA approved or it will not be allowed on the plane-we found that out the hard way.

To help ease ear pressure you can use sugar free gummi bears or lollipops. Trader Joes has come out with Organic lollipops. My dr. recommended giving a small dose of Benedryl to help ears and made her sleep a bit as well.

Don't be afraid to get up and walk around the plane. When my daughter was 2 we hung out in the back looking out the door window. Bring small books and comfort items. The flight home my kids were completely exhausted from vacation acitivites and slept almost all the way. I hope you have such luck.

You may also want to practice changing her diaper with her standing. Those bathrooms are tiny and fellow passengers will appreciate you not doing it in the cabin. Bring double bags to wrap the diaper.

have a fun trip!

Bring a little gift for the flight crew... a box of fancy chocolates or something and tell them "thanks for their patience" in advance... they'll all be bringing your toddler wings, crayons, anything they think she might like... we did this when we flew with my toddling twins and they were entertained all the way to and from hawaii. My girl friend used this trick and got complimentary champagne. It never hurts to recruit as many baby entertainers as possible!!!

good luck!
S.

Hi K.,

I travelled to Europe from California with my 14 month old and it was no problem. She got my undivided attention on the flight so she was perfectly happy. Taking walks down the aisle of the plane, visiting the people she passed, was great fun. I had lots of quiet activities for her, things I bought at the educational toy store and drawing supplies. If you're not nursing or want her to sit in the seat on take off and landing, make sure you have liquid for her to drink so her ears don't hurt. Actually, if she cries during that time, it's a way for her to help her ears not hurt. Enjoy your trip.

V.

I wish I had felt more comfortable walking the aisles with my son when I traveled with him at 15 months. I have traveled from CA to NY (and plenty other places) at least every 3-6 months with him, so I get a variety of experiences! For me, 15 months was the toughest, since he wasn't interested enough in the plane to be fascinated, but was mobile enough to not want to sit still. Nothing I could do would entertain him enough! You've got a good start - I bought 2 matchbox cars that are only plane toys and we played together a lot. We also bought a small dvd player and brought "Signing Time" dvds (new ones) and that really engages him! Also, I bring our iPod and play his favorite music and sing along. Good luck - the travel can be rough, but it's worth it!

I was also an experienced traveler when by myself. We've taken several trips with our two daughters and the last one was from L.A. to the midwest for Christmas 2007 when they were 2 and 3 yrs old. My recommendations are to gift wrap little toys/snacks and present them to her every hour. As you know, you have to be fully present and participate with her in opening them. Drag it out! Wrap a mini coloring book with crayons and stickers, etc. Also put snacks and a juice box in a brown paper bag and tie a bow on it. If you can, have a portable DVD player on standby for emergencies with her favorite shows to watch. Overall, don't worry too much about what other passengers are thinking. Many parents on board will completely understand that she will make noise and probably cry at some point, just enjoy your trip! : )

We had to travel roundtrip from California to New york twice this past spring when my daughter was 15 and 17 months. We learned some valuable lessons from the first flight. Take single direct flights whenever possible. The less moving on and off the better. Next, since your child can't run around, it was best to keep her in her car seat the whole time. She thought it was a long car ride and was content. If we let her up she was very disruptive and couldn't understand why she couldn't go where ever she wanted (she is very headstrong). We also brought our portable DVD player and several of her favorite movies. The battery only lasted 3 hours, but we were able to stretch it out by turning it on and off at different times. It could then be recharged in the terminal. My final very important advise is to buy the Gogo Kidz Travelmate. You can view it on this link http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2658824. Traveling with a toddler means not traveling lightly. My huadand and I had to lug bags for three people, the car seat and our 25 pound child thru some huge airports. Believe me, that 10-12 pound carseat doesn't weigh much at first, but it feels like a cement block after an hour standing in line. I know $80 is expensive, but it is worth every penny even if you only fly once. We bought it for the return trip and were amazed at how much more smoothly everything went for all of us. You just clip this thing to the back of the car seat and push you child around like a stroller. No carrying either one. You keep it attached even in the airplane seat. The wheels come off to store overhead and take two seconds to reinstall. It doesn't look like much, but this simple contraption saved us, especially with me being 5 months pregnant at the time. I can't recommend it enough. It is also worth mentioning that most carriers don't allow srtollers on the plane, they need to be checked as luggage. That leaves you with no stroller for at least an hour, usually more, before boarding your flight. Your car seat does not count as a carryon, even with the travelmate attached.
One last thing, make sure your carseat has a sticker that says it is airplane certified. They will check it when you board the plane. Most popular brands (Greico, ect) are.
Good luck and safe travel.
K.

Another good distraction is color crayons and a coloring book or plain paper! I traveled to South Carolina from Cali this spring with my two boys when they were almost 3 and 6 months. So we just made sure to bring his favorite little toys coloring materials and snacks galore! By the way your layover will be a great time to let her run around near your gate. I know it sounds bad to chase her around that area but if she can get that energy out the following flight will go smoothly! Good luck!
*M.*

HI-

From experience...what I can tell you is that NEW toys are a wonder! When we travel (from CA to NJ at least 2x per year) I always bring some new things that she has never played with so that they keep her attention longer. Also a portable DVD player with something she likes. We dont't watch a huge amount of TV regurally but for a long flight it can realy help, and most shows are now avalable in DVD format. Good luck!

Hi My daughter was that age when we flew to hawaii. It was a 6 hr flight w/ a 2hr lay over in San Franisico. We took all the things you mentioned and the portable dvd player w/ movies. She had her own seat but we checked her carseat on the way back. On the flight over she didn't want to sleep in her carseat but wanted to lay down. It was less stressful on the way back w/o the carseat in her seat

I would recommend checking the car seat or leaving it at home if you can borrow one when you arrive at your destination. Most car seats are so big and bulky, its really a pain to carry through an airport. 45 minutes is not much of a layover and you could easily end up running through the airport to catch your connection. Other than that, I'd say you are as prepared as you can be. I took my daughter to Hawaii at 16 months and Australia at 18 months. The larger plane to Australia allowed for some walking up and down the aisles. Shorter flights are harder for walking because of the food trays and the amount of people getting up to use the restrooms when they are not passing out food. So, don't count on her being able to walk around. On the flight to Hawaii my mother-in-law brought a travel sized Connect 4 game. I thought she was crazy, but my daughter spent most of the flight putting the little pieces into the slots. So, use your imagination and even if its a toy that you wouldn't normally allow her to play with, it might be perfect.

Happy traveling!

I'm experienced at traveling between Europe and CA. When my son was younger, we brought his car seat on board. We also had an umbrella stroller, which we gate-checked to the connecting airport. Don't check the stroller to your final destination, or you won't get it back when you need it. Check it at the gate. That way you'll get it right when you get off the plane. We fastened the car seat to the stroller with bungee cords. It sounds weird, but we were able to push my son and deal with our carry-on bags. It was a lifesaver when he was tired and didn't want to walk through the airport. We could even hang a purse or diaper bag off the stroller handles.

I would pack plenty of (healthy)snacks and drinks because kids are not always hungry when the airlines want to feed them. Another thing I did was pack several new toys or books and let my son unwrap them. I also brought old favorites. During the flight, we took lots of walks up and down the aisles when we had the chance.

I would do a diaper change just before boarding. Most modern planes have a bathroom with a changing table. On smaller planes, I put a changing pad on the bathroom floor and did diaper changes there. It was a tight fit, but it was better than offending my fellow passengers. Bring more diapers than you think you'll need and a change of clothing for both of you. I never gave my son Benadryl because I don't believe in drugging children unnecessarily. A DVD player is also nice, depending on your child. My son wasn't a big TV watcher but preferred to play with Hot Wheels.

Have a great flight.

My sister just shared with me a somewhat humorous story about purchasing an airplane seat for their young toddler, and bringing his carseat for him to sit and sleep in. Unfortunately, since the effect of being in a car seat in a plane was not the same as being in a car (no real feelings of stop/go motion and no changing images to view out the window), he refused to sit/sleep in the carseat. And since the carseat was bulky, it would not fit under the seat in front or in the overhead bins. So, my sister and her hubby had to keep the baby/toddler (about same age as your child) in their laps and arms, while the carseat was "stored" on the seat next to them. Basically, they purchased the extra plane seat just to store the car seat...

Purchase a Kiddie Kangaroo soft pocket car seat accessory for your toddler. When placed on the car seat, it provides deep pockets in which your little angel can keep and retrieve her sippy cups, bottles, snacks, toys, etc...Thus you are not having to pick up lost or dropped items while on the plane or in the car! I love it for my 2 grandchildren!!! You can pick up at many stores or websites..Go to KiddieKangaroo.com for more how to purchase info.

I have flew several times and there has been toddlers on every flight the age as yours and they do fine. They took the same thing you are taking and they did fine. Don't worry everything is going to be fine.

Hi K.,

If your daughter can sit and focus on an activity, I have one word for you....Stickers! When my daughter was little, I brought an empty notebook and lots of stickers. She would spend almost the whole time putting stickers on the pages. Be warned of giving her benadryl. Some people have an adverse reaction. They do not get sleepy, they get hyper! You definitely do not want that on the plane. I tried that with my daughter. She was the dream child. Most people would see her after we landed and say that they didn't even know she was there. Even with that, I tried giving her benadryl once and she didn't crash until the last 15 minutes of the flight and then was completely dead weight! Trying to get her off the plane along with my purse, her bag, get the stroller....TG someone helped me. Now, my son is a different story. I think it hurts him physically if he can't move around!! He gets the DVD player and that works for most of the time. That and the little jars of playdoh. Relax, though. Kids can tell when you're uptight and act accordingly. For me, when I'm traveling without my kids, crying babies and loud kids do not bother me. I just turn up the Ipod. Kicking the back of my chair and constant up and down with the table drives me insane. Most people understand and will try to help you. Good luck.

KarynG

In your bag of things to bring try wrapping a couple of small items that she will like. When she gets antsy or bored pull one out and let her open it. Make sure the "gifts" are things that will occupy her time for a while. This way there is always something new for her to do. Good luck and have fun! Don't forget some things for the plane ride home too.

N.

We flew the first time when my son was 14 mos. Definitely take a few NEW manipulative toys and books. Also, this may sound silly, but my husband and I have found that although are son doesn't much care for DVDs for very long, he LOVES home movies of himself! He becomes a calm, quiet boy almost immediately when we put them on. For our next trip in a few months, we are copying his home movies to DVD to play on the laptop. Good luck!