Flying with a toddler

I'd take a little bit of everything he's interested in. So little cars, stickers, books, puzzle type things, a couple of blocks he can stack.

Snacks.... I can pretty much guarantee to distract Jake from a tanty with food. No a much practised form of distraction but definately something I would use inflight!

WE bought some new toys for on the plane (going for novelty factor) - Magnadoodle, new crayons, plastic monkeys that link up, matchbox cars.

Try and get a spare seat if you possibly can (I recommend crying).

We just came back on Monday from the Gold Coast with 16 month old twins. If they are on an infant ticket then you wont get food....we didn't and we flew with Air NZ. They did book a seat out though and it was really good for the extra space. We bought toys but they weren't interested in them. I put Playhouse Disney on the TV and let them play with the remote...that kept them entertained for a while. Otherwise they kept themselves entertained by climbing on and off the seat, eating, playing with the spoon plus they had a sleep. At home they sleep in sleeping bags which we took with us for there sleep.

One thing we did do was use ergo back packs to get to and from the plane....it was great but then that could be because we had twins plus two other kids. Kept them out of mischief!

We flew to LA when Caleb was 23 months old and fortunately managed to get a spare seat. He actually slept most of the trip so we only had to entertain him for an hour or two either side of a big sleep both ways and there was an individual TV screen so we just tuned in Playhouse Disney and he watched that. In the absence of this I would definately take a portable DVD player if I were to do a trip like this again.

We took a little bag of toys for the plane. I think we took books, cars, plastic figurines etc and some snacks. We didn't touch them as we got a kids pack from Air New Zealand both ways that contained a few bits and he slept most of the way there anyway.
I wouldn't do crayons or puzzles at 16 months. My standard for long drives is a small bag containing two books, 2-3 each dinosaurs, people, animals and cars plus 3-4 snacks like boxes of raisens and muesli bars. This would work on a plane.

We ordered the kids meal and tried to grab some of the snack things to put aside for later but he spotted them and insisted on having them straight away. The airline had little bags of vege chips and kiwifruit cookies so we did a few little walks up to the cabin to get a drink and snack when he wanted to get up and walk around. If there are leftover off the meal tray that will keep, like fruit pottles or wrapped crackers, save them until you need them.

The airlines tend to seat parents of toddlers down the back where the change facilities are. There is room for them to get out and play in the aisle near the bathrooms.

Pack spare clothes and dress him in layers that will dry easily and do the same for you. I always end up wet from spilled drinks etc. Take plenty of wet wipes and a sippy cup with a lid as drinks spill and squeezy containers get squeezed.

If he'll have a bottle take individual sachets of follow on formula and bottles of cooled boiled water so you can make up a bottle when you need it. Try to give him a bottle upon landing to alleviate ear pain. Breastfeeding on a plane is quite awkward and you must have them belted in for take off and landing so just about impossible to BF upon take off and landing.

linda wrote: We just came back on Monday from the Gold Coast with 16 month old twins. If they are on an infant ticket then you wont get food....we didn't and we flew with Air NZ.

We asked for and received a childs meal on AIR NZ with a 23 month old last year. Infant meals are basically just cans of baby food so if you want something more substantial you need to ask for it.

The good thing is that childrens meals come out first so you can get them settled down and eating by the time your meal arrives.

Guess it's different from airline to airline (and probably varies depending on sectors as well) we've only flown SIA long haul since having C and they give you 3 options when you book an infant ticket - infant meal, post weaning meal or child's meal.

I rung Airnz today and requested a meal for DS, so they put us down for a post weaning meal (whatever that is). Will make sure we check in nice and early so hopefully get a spare seat. I have the Manduca for once we check in the MB.

Bought a little book with stickers today and he's got felts etc so it should keep him pretty well occupied, doesn't seem to mind headphones too much, but I only have airline ones so he can only hear out of one headphone.