Flying with toddlers....

Hi all,

I'll be travellling with my 22months old toddlers. We are taking a 3 hour flight and I'm a bit worried. Can you give me any tips on flyiing with twins? where can I change their diapper in the plane? How can I keep them calm? My kids are not calm kids.

Thanks!

 

I have flown a few times with my girls. At 21 months I took them to Seattle on a 6 hour flight. I always buy them their own seats because 1) it is easier that way and 2) it gives me more room if we are not taking up the entire row. I always make sure I have enough things to keep them busy. Color wonder markers are great for flying and what ever little toys they may like. You may also want to buy a few new toys to travel with so that the newness of the toy keeps them interested too. It is also a good idea to have lots of snacks for them. I know some people travel with prortable DVD players but I have been traveling on JetBlue and they have TV for each seat. I also make sure to pack the girls lovies with me so that if they are going to sleep it helps comfort them.

My Seattle trips were always over night flights and they would eventually fall asleep on me, on my mom, or curled up in the seat I bought for them. We have also flown to the Bahamas and those flights are during the day. then they play, watch the seat back TV, eat lots of snack and travel across the aisle to my parents who I usually travel with.

I have tried taking carseats on the plane with me and have found it to be much more of a hassle. If I need them at my destination I now check them as baggage.

As for changing diapers, the lavatories on the planes have a table that drops down over the toilet.

Hope this helps. Have a wonderful trip.

 

Note on the changing tables - some planes have them, some don't. Just ask a flight attendant onboard whether there are any. I have resorted to the seat lids when they were smaller, but I think I'd be stuck on the floor now...bring a lightweight blanket/playyard sheet just in case.

 

dora, dora and more dora! seriously - we go to seattle (6 hr flight) every year - and my kids will not sleep on the plane, no matter how tired they are/ what time the flight is. all the rules go out the window on flights. they can snack as much as they want, watch as many dvds as they want, get lollipops (for the takeoff and landing). i indulge them completely to keep them happy and well behaved. and for me, it totally works - they are GREAT on the plane, even when they are exhausted. probably the excitement helps too. and they know that the rule bending is a special thing that stops the moment we land.

i agree that you should get them their own seats - all of you will be MUCH more comfortable.

you'll be fine!

 

We flew wiht our twins when they were 22 months old. They were both lap children...it was my Dh & I. We could not sit together because there are only 4 oxygen masks per 3 seats so we had to sit apart which meant packing 2 activity bags. ON the way home there was an empty seat ont he plane next to my DU so we asked someone to swtich with me and we were able to sit together Dh on window me on aisle and 2 babies between us. It was much better.

We packed sitckers, flap books, crayons, coloring books, bendy straws, pipecleaners (amazing how much those entertain) and lots of snacks! They did pretty good. We were just very busy and constantly switching activities and even had to trade babies once because DS wnated me not DH after awhile!

Cindy

 

We have flown with them several times and I think taking the carseats is well worth it for longer flights 3+hrs. Mine DO sleep on the plane so it makes it more comfortable for them and thus I am more comfortable!!! It does get tricky during landing (say the last 30-45mins) because they are ready to move around and fussy that they can't play, just hang in there!!!
Bring lots of snacks, and toys they normally never play with. Let them tear up a magazine if need be, keep them happy and you will be happy

 

Don't forget the extra outfits -- for them AND for you and DH in case of someone spilling or throwing up all over themselves and you. This is crucial.

 

COOL! We are going shopping for new toys, coloring books, books and anything else that comes to mind. I'm hoping they will fall asleep in the plane, since I have to wake them up 2 hours earlier than they are use to. I'll let you know how my flight went.... wish me luck... we leave at the end of the month! ^_^

 

We took them from CO to Hawaii when they were 22 mos. They slept part of the time and we had Color Wonder pens and paper and we did laps around the airplane. They can thread cheerios onto pipe cleaners (thank you Kate for that!).

Take stickers and a notebook and let them stick stickers....

I fly with mine all the time, so I am getting more and more used to it. I hope you do well!! Leave extra time to get through security so you can take your time. That's the best advice I have. If they scream and cry, not a lot you can do about it, so just try to pack extra patience!

It won't be that bad!! :hug99:

I take extra special stuff for the time when they MUST REMAIN BUCKLED! (if they have their own seats...)

 

I agree with a lot of the other posters. We have flown 2 times with the girls and will fly again the end of September. Make sure you take an extra set of clothes and ziploc bags. If they have a pooey diaper on the plane, the ziploc is a lifesaver otherwise everyone is miserable smelling it. I always just changed them on my lap at that age. We always bought each of them a seat and took the carseats. The flight attendents told us that kids who have their carseats do much better because when they are in them, they know they have to sit still. We would let them out towards the end of a long flight and then bribe them with cookies to get back in their seats for landing. We always had a bag of food/diapers and clothes and a bag full of toys plus a large sheet to throw on the floor during layovers so they could crawl, run, sit or play without me getting grossed out by germs. We have had no problems and they typically sleep most of the flights since they are in their carseats and used to sleeping in them on road trips. Good luck and have fun!