TRAVEL: Air-travel & Children checklist (printable)
TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN ABROAD - BY AIR
BEFORE YOU GO
1. Check the validity of your childrens' passports well in advance. Passports may expire quickly for the little ones.
2. If your child has a runny nose, be sure that it is not a sinus infection. You cannot fly with a sinus infection - the pain would be unbearable for a child!
ON THE GO
1. Travel in good time to avoid any unnecessary stress!
2. I always choose an aisle seat for one of the family members to ensure that our toddlers can run back and forth without disturbing others too much.
2. Bring a plastic spill proof bottle to drink from.
At the moment, you may not be able to bring any liquids on board but you can buy water & other drinks and fill the bottle up.
3. Wet wipes are of course a necessity - needless to say!
4. 1 extra set of clothes should be brought.
You would not want to sit with a 2 year old soaked in orange juice (or other worse smelling liquids...) for hours!
4. Bring some favourite snacks, sandwiches, crackers or whatever on board in case of emergency, even if they serve food on board. Yes, it may be unhealthy, but trust me, it can come in very very handy!
5. Bring several small toys.
For the little ones up to around 3 years you could bring small cars, a small favourite doll, books, stickers, sticker-books, crayons & paper. If you are on a long flight a dvd-player can be fantastic, likewise some electronically toys like for example a LeapPad. Another thing that I have found to be tremendously good is to buy some small new toys and wrap them up like presents. Give them the presents on board when they have become bored of their old toys. Works wonders!
6. Pain in the ears - yes they will probably experience that. It helps to try to get them to yawn or laugh. You could also (if they are capable of handling it) give them a lolly or a bubblegum (for the older ones) - that can help. So bring that in your hand luggage as well.
7. Prepare your child mentally for the flight.
My 3 year old boy could sometimes be a bit scared of flying. But once I started talking about the different stages of the trip, such as walking up the big stair to the airplane, how everyone has to be buckled up with seatbelts and how much noise the airplane makes when it takes of etc, it really really made a difference. Now he loves flying and even buckles himself up with the seatbelt without a word!
8. Buckle up the seatbelt over the blanket while sleeping, instead of under the blanket.
If they turn on the fasten-seatbelt-sign, you do not have to waken your child up.
A FEW EXTRA TIPS FOR FLYING ALONE WITH SMALL CHILDREN
8. Always expect queues and plan for them.
Bring something to eat & drink while queuing for check-in. These queues can be very long and it is hard for you to keep you children happy here, so a little drink & snack can save you from loads of problems here.
9. I always use a backpack as hand luggage when travelling alone with my toddlers. I recommend this highly since you then have both of your hands free to hold on to your children.
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