Flying with children can be a daunting task. While we all love our kids to bits, we are always concerned for their well-being as well as that of those around us (we never want to be “that” family bothering all the other travellers). Preparation is the key.
Talk with your kids about the journey and get them involved in planning
Talking about the upcoming trip in advance is key; kids are naturally curious so ask them questions and give them the space to find out things, when Caleb first flew he was nearly three years old. We had looked at maps and photos of our destination and talked about what we were going to do there. We packed together (mainly the carry on bag) so that Caleb was in the loop. We talked about what was going to happen on the plane. All of this was great until 10 mins into the journey, two-year old Caleb was ready to arrive! As Caleb got older, we involved him in planning what we would do when we got there – he picked a couple of activities on our first trips to Australia and when we traveled through Europe when he was 10, he helped us plan our trip, find things to do online that would interest him and even attempted to learn some of the local language (but was often too shy to try it when we arrived). Another way to get kids involved with international destinations is to get them involved with changing money over at the bank and talking about how much things may cost. From the age of six onwards, Caleb always had some spending money of his own, in the local currency, so he could enjoy all of the travel experience.
Pack a bag of things to do – don’t just rely on the airline goodies
One of the temptations that we have on long haul flights is inflight entertainment. We would never encourage our kids to watch hours and hours of TV in a day so we try to create balance, why should a plane trip be any different? Until Caleb was about 12, his carry on activities were largely the same (only the sophistication of them the changed), we almost always took:
- colouring in and drawing stuff
- cars and small figurines for imaginative play
- music (an iPod – this means that you can turn off the inflight entertainment system)
- a puzzle or travel game
- handheld gaming device
- snacks
- books to read
- a favourite cuddly toy (Caleb’s toy kangaroo Sheilah traveled with us around the world)
- a small pillow for snuggling.
If no blanket was provided, Caleb could use my large scarf (or one of our jackets at a push). I usually had a small lolly pop in my bag in case there were no sweets handed out on board. I also had a digital camera which he could use and we packed Caleb’s wallet with his spending money in there too.
The carry on bag was used in short domestic flights or international flights. We also included a change of underwear and t-shirt and for long-haul, a change of clothes. Obviously traveling with kids in nappies or babies means that there is a lot more gear that you need to bring. As Caleb got older, he took the responsibility for packing his own carry on, and looking after it in airports. Games are great distractions when in transit – we played many games of travel Monopoly in Munich airport.
Bring an empty water bottle on long haul flights
I know lots of travel blogs recommend this for adult travellers but I think it is really important for kids too. Most airlines give you the option of filling up with water when on board and the last thing that we need is to offer kids sugar filled juice and soft drinks on board. Please don’t read that this means that Caleb has never been allowed soft drinks on board; part of flying is all the perks that comes with it – in flight meals and drinks are but some. However, for flights over five hours a water bottle makes a big difference as well. If you are unsure about filling up on board, you could always purchase a bottle of water once through the gate.
Create a scavenger hunt for older kids to complete
This could be as easy or complicated as you wanted it to be but travel can be boring for kids. Keep their brains ticking over by creating some treasures for them to find depending on their age, it could be a list of things to check off (images and text) when they are with you or things that they can go and take photos of in different locations if they are older. Scavenger items could include:
- A suitcase with a cool pattern
- A triangle, circle and square shape
- Words in another language
- The logo of the airline
- Their age written somewhere (flight number, gate etc.)
If you are travelling with more than one child, getting them to compete or work together are two options. As long as your children are not intrusive to other travellers, this is a great way to keep them occupied and engaged.
Let older kids lead the way to the gate/ transit lounge
Having a sense of purpose and finding out stuff is something that kids love. Obviously this is off the cards if you have a tight transit or are running late. Caleb took the lead (aged 10) through Zurich airport when we were flying from Greece to London. I was convinced that he had it wrong but he read all the airport transfer information on the electronic boards and got us to the new gate on time. If I’d been in charge we would have ended up at the wrong end of the airport.
Make the trip as emotionally stable as possible
Depending on the reason for flying, it can be a big deal for kids. As adults, the more calm and relaxed we are the better the environment for our kids. I personally hate to see parents yelling at their kids, or even worse (maybe) yelling at or getting irate with airport or airline workers. All that this does is add stress to any already long process. However, we need to give our kids the opportunities to feel what they are feeling – when we moved away from New Zealand to live in the United Kingdom, Caleb was really excited. But saying good-bye to his aunty Rachael and cousin Joshua was just too much for him. Rachael had thoughtfully given him a travel kit for Sheilah, his trusted favourite toy, which came in handy. As we were going through passport control, the wonderful official checked Sheilah’s boarding pass and “passport” alongside the rest of the family and in doing so, acknowledged that Caleb was feeling quite overwhelmed. Airline and airport staff are really fantastic. He did still burst into tears by the time we got to the gate.
Be prepared for the worst
Traveling with kids can be unpredictable. Ears can hurt, they get over tired, things or people can get lost. Make sure that you factor enough time in at your destination to catch your breath after flying with your kids and be patient with them. Caleb suffers jet lag whereas neither Darryl or I do and I have to muster as much empathy and compassion for the poor lad, even when he dragged his heels through the streets of Chicago comparing for hours on end at the age of 14. Know where to go for blocked ears on arrival – pharmacy or local doctor – and support your wee, or big, kids to enjoy the travel process.
Poor Caleb suffering from jet lag in Chicago, aged 14.
Following some of these simple tips may make flying with kids a little more enjoyable.
The Peterson Odyssey 