toys for 14 months for plane ride

We are going to the UK one month today (yay!) and the twins will be days shy of 14 months. It's a 7 hour plane ride from Toronto and I was wondering what toys I could get (little ones) that would keep them amused. I am hoping they sleep most of the trip as it's a night flight.

Also, what tips/tricks do you have for flying with twins?

Thanks!

 

Thanks for this. We're taking a plane trip soon too (although it's nowhere near 7 hours) and I was wondering about entertainment too.

Good luck with your traveling and have fun!!

 

We just did this in July, but went from Los Angeles to Guam. It was a 5 hour trip to Hawaii and then 8 hours from Hawaii to Guam. We started out so early in the morning and by the time we got there it was like 3am our time, but not theirs.
Anyway, I would say, buying seats for them saved our lives. We took both carseats and put them on a foldable luggae cart to transport them through the airport. I've heard too that if you rent a car where you're going that they'll let you rent the carseats as well, but not all are prepared to let you have two at a time. It really wasn't a hassel toting them around as long as they were on the cart. I would say make sure you've got their sippy cups available for take offs and landings. It helps them pop their ears when they swallow. Puffs were also super for this and helping to keep them quiet. As far as toys goes, small stuff that'll fit in a diaper bag. I had three diaper bags when we went. One for their food, one for the diaper stuff and one strictly for toys, blankets, etc. The toys that I did get were a see n say, a little FP rooster that crows and the flashlight comes on out of it's mouth, books, play keys that made noise, a top-like thing that when you press down on the red top, it spins a few balls around at the bottom of this bee hive looking thing. Little stuff and it was all new. They had never seen any of it before the trip. Thankfully my husband and I were never seperated on the planes so I never needed two diaper bags as I've read it suggested before. We also took a portable DVD player and a couple of baby eistiens, but to be truthful, my kids really never have watched TV and I probably could have left it outta the bag. But if yours like it, it might help. I'll tell you it really wasn't as bad as you think it's going to be. My anxiety about the trip was far worse than what it actually was. We held them some and also let them sleep in their carseats alot too. They did suprisingly well for such a long trip. You might even have a better time since it is a night flight. OH! I would suggest you take your lightest double stroller too, you'll be expected to pick it up and put it through the security x-ray machine thing and you're only allowed to take milk in their bottles or sippy cups. Not the milk container itself. We actually bought a carryable little cooler to keep our milk and bottles cold. They were still taking a bottle when we went. They were 14 months at the time. We would get a mcdonalds large hot water with an extra cup and split the hot water in them and then put the bottles in to warm it up.
I wish you lots of luck. You all will be fine. Is it just you and the kids or is someone else going with you?

 

Thanks for your tips! My mom will be coming with me as DH has to work...we are visiting family and I will be MOH at my best friend's wedding. We didn't buy them their own sits as we could not afford it, but the airline is providing bassinets for them to sleep in and I am taking my sling for DD to sleep in as she is tiny.

I don't have a double light stroller, we are taking two single umbrella strollers and their carseats. I will be taking books, I thought about taking some small toys but most of them make noise, do you think other passengers would be ok with that? I am going to call the airline to see if they can heat their bottles or if they have homo milk on board. Only 4 weeks to go! yikes!

 

When the girls were 11 months we flew from Atlanta to Hawaii which is a 9 hour flight. These are some of the notes I kept:

1. Pack your Baby Bags well! A bag with sections is the most convenient so you can organize it. I had one section for diaper items, the middle section had food/bottles, and the third had toys/books. This made things easy to find. I was constantly getting things out. For my second carry on I had a bag that I stored my personal items and 2 small blankets.
2. Vary the snacks and give small amounts when they get fussy. We decided not to worry too much about their normal meal schedule and focused on having a pleasant flight. Cheerios, Goldfish, come in individual small packets. You can find other small packs of snacks like Animal Crackers due to Halloween. Individually wrapped cheese is also a good snack to bring if you have a small cooler or carry a blue ice. We used the Snack Traps to give the snacks in.
3. Links or thick shoestrings are great for attaching toys and keeping them from falling out of reach. Purchase a few NEW toys/books to interest them or keep a few favorites out of sight for a week. Soft Books are great because they are easy to pack.
4. A friend of ours put his daughter in a Bjorn and wore the seatbelt over both of them. We brought a Bjorn with us in the event that we had to take many aisle walks.
5. If you are planning to request a baby meal, note that some airlines have a baby and a toddler meal. You need to specify which one you want. This may be only available if seats are purchased.
6. If there is a changing "table" it is often in the bathroom over the toilet. Delta had a flat shelf with no straps, very much like the meal trays in the seats. I happened to bring a small folded, padded changing pad that worked well.
7. Have them drink a bottle/sippy or have a paci during take off to eliminate ear popping.

Hope some of these help! Have a great flight.
Sharon

 

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearc...19072&itm=3

I love these!

 

I have one advice ... get DVD players. My oldest has done 7 transatlantics (in 3 years), started at age 3 months. The second trip we got the DVD player and that's all I've ever used. I got an extra battery so I have 5-6 hours with me. All other toys and even snacks seemed useless next to that thing. I bought mine at Best Buy for $150 or so and it has been worth every penny and more. They've only gotten cheaper (with more battery life).

The twins have only done 1, we're leaving the US end of this year, so we have a oneway "to look forward to" ...

As for the seats, we always get seats for them overseas, I can't imagine not too (or at least 1 seat). Since you have already made this choice, please eat beforehand since you will not be able to eat with 1 yo on your lap, there is simply no space. Hopefully the flight will be fairly empty, which is rare these days, but November is a pretty low-season month.

But believe me, 1 yo will NOT fit in the bassinets (they're short, ask the airline for the exact length and you'll know right away). My oldest outgrew the bassinet at age 3-4 months and last time when the twins were 6 months, they could not fit in the United bassinets (which are only 24 inches long ... don't start me on that one; the KLM ones are 26 inches so when my oldest was 3 months she did use that one but it was tight). Also the aircraft that United uses on our route only has a few bulk head seats and they can't even hang bassinets, so even if I order them (which I don't bother doing anymore), I know I won't get them, nor the bulk head seats (they have 1 row bulkhead in a B767).

Which airline are you flying with?

 

We are flying with Air Transat....the bassinet should just be ok, if not then no worries. The height limit is about 29 inches and DD is tiny and about 28 so she may just fit. I may have to get another sling just in case. My SIL is lending me both her dvd players (She has twin girls). We have got one bulkhead seat and the seat directly behind it. I will be bringing books because DD is mad about her books and probably their play keys...I will have to see what other new things I can find. My babies are busy babies and I know a DVD player won't last the whole flight! lol.

Lori..I have the puzzles, I will have to see if I can find the books..I think I saw that at TRU. Thanks!

I have so much to do in the 4 weeks leading up to our trip...I hope I don't get too overwhelmed!