Airplane ride with 1 year olds

Hi All

My children have traveled a ridiculous amount, i think this weekend will be flights 25 and 26 since they were born, but we had a lot of sickness and dying in my family when they were first born and we went to see my father many times before he died.

Three weeks ago we did a r/t flight to NC, about 2.5 hours in duration and the children were complete champs. Everything went perfectly. They travelled like little adults. Nary a peep. Travelled in their car seats.

Then this past weekend we did a r/t flight to NY, about 3 hours in duration, but we had delays at both ends so ended up being about 4 hours each way. Kids did pretty well. No uncontrolled crying and they managed to nap. Antsy towards the end though, and on this trip we had to take them as lap infants both ways.

Now, we're headed to LA on the weekend, a 5.5 hour flight from Miami. In hindsight, I would rather not be making this trip but the die is cast. We've purchased a third seat and hoping to get a 4th seat for the other car seat at the airport.

So, long way around to ask, how on earth am I going to keep these kids happy on the plane?? I always try to give them floor time to expend energy before getting on the plane (one walks, the other doesn't) even though the airport floors disgust me. Obviously I will pack dinner and snacks, books and toys...but wondering if you all found anything that made the trip especially easier (or just less unpleasant!).

Thanks in advance

Sotto

 

DVD players with a long battery life are a must. Our children like looking at photos of friends & relatives so we downloaded some onto our iTouch's. You can also bring some small photo albums instead. Sticker books are great, too! Good luck!

 

I took my 13 month olds on a flight from LAX to GUAM last year. It's a 15 hour flight one way. 7 hrs to Hawaii and then 8 more hours to Guam. Kids are so resilent it's amazing. I know the one thing that saved our bacon was those little Gerber puffs. When they started getting fussy, I'd whip those out and they calm down. I bought new toys too and had a carry on full of toys for them to play with. It helped that I had DH with me, so hope yours will be with you too, at least they can try to occupy the other baby. Good luck, you can do and and they'll be fine, you'll be suprised.

There's a sticky somewhere on traveling. It has all kinds of good practical advice. Maybe one of the mods could put up the link? It might be in the handbook up top?

 

Stickers worked great for us too. We're going on a trip next week and I just bought those, oh what do you call them, not etch-a-sketch, but the other thingy that you write on and wipe off with no mess and the "pens" are attached? Sorry, my mind's a blank today. $5.99 each at Target. I'm putting them away so they'll be new for the trip. We had some awhile back and they loved them!

My DD loves books, so could look at those for an hour without a problem. DS is more antsy, so hopefully the food and new toys will keep him occupied. We'd like to do the portable DVD player but I can't imagine how we're going to lug all that stuff as it is and I don't want to have to go out and buy two new ones (since we're sitting in different rows).

Hope it goes well.

 

GOOD LUCK
Ha Ha
We flew with Berber when she was 15 months from Amsterdam to New York 8 hours. Well......we had a seat for her. But it wasn't the best flight for the others ha ha (I remember all the times I flew and hated all the screeming kids and now I was the mom of 1). We gave lots of food. And made her run around at the airport (get some enery out). Must say she's not a girl who sits on our lap or sits still at all. So we let het crawl and I followed.

Sticker books sound good. And looks on sites about kids & flying

 

i last flew with mine cross country when they were almost 11 months; they were walking but 'assisted". And they were lap babies. i have to say it was the most difficult flight (two, really, with a nearly 3 hour layover in denver) because they just wanted to be moving. So i finally let them crawl around in the least trafficked area possible.

we haven't done stickers yet because they still put everything in their mouths, but i think the dollar store if there's one near you is a good place for lots of new distractions for a low price. We don't have portable dvd players (I hardly ever let them watch tv), but i'm seriously thinking of investing in them for the next trip!

I'd say just try to let them get as much activity as possible and resign yourself ot walking up and down the center aisle about 650,000 times...snacks of course, lots of books - i'm finding that mine really like ones that are more interactive - with flaps that reveal something, etc.

wish i had more helpful advice. Good luck!

 

My kids do much better if they're in their own carseat or seat (older DD). I always pack a bunch of new toys/activities/books and foods (things they only get on very special occasions like Jelly Beans). Sticvkers are a favorite but I'm not sure for a 1 yo. I hope they sleep a while for you too