Traveling with a toddler - please give me your best advice/tips

trojas

So...

We are flying to Texas next week and its the first time my LO goes on a plane - he's 19 months. One thing I do know is to bring entertainment (books, coloring books, toys, iPad for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse). Also, a friend told me to make sure he doesn't nap so he sleeps on the plane. 

Anything else I should know?

TIA

ASmallWonder

Do NOT attempt to make him overtired.  That's a recipe for disaster because being exhausted can just as easily equal a full scale meltdown of epic proportions as it could a nap.  Horrible advice.

trojas

@elmoali good point. I didn't think of that. 

hilsy85

- I wore LO in the ergo on our most recent plane trip. It was really easy, I was hands free, and I didn't have to take him out for security. 

- We bought him his own seat and brought a carseat. He was way more comfortable in there than he would have been on our laps. 

- LOTS of new and yummy snacks (we introduced annie's cheddar bunnies for the first time on the way there, and teddy grahams on the way back). Eating them one by one took up at least 30-45 minutes. 

Hennessy

I would buy brand new toys for the plane.. things he has never, ever seen before.  Much more likely to interest him and keep his attention longer.  We went by the rule of thumb to have 1 new toy for every 30 minutes of flying time.

Also make sure you have a variety of snacks.. these will help keep LO occupied!

LSU628

Just an FYI- you typically can't bring juice boxes b/c they need to be able to see through the container. We allow lollipops on the plane to help with ears and b/c its' a special treat it helps keep DD in a good mood and entertained. Will your LO have their own seat? Every time we fly we bring DD's carseat on board. She is comfortable, knows she has to sit still and 99% of the time she ends up falling asleep.

LSU628

theresat858 said:

Sippy, pacifier or nursing during take off and landing (or a lollipop).

Wear through the airport. Only bring a stroller if you need it at the destination/want a luggage cart.

Bag of new toys. Stickers. An almond can with a hole cut out and a bunch of water bottle caps made a great game for my DD on the plane when she was 16mo old.  19mo maybe crayons. 

The nap depends on when his nap time usually is. If the plane is at nap time, then yes, keep him awake before that. If it's not, then let him nap at his usual time.

ETA: I never understand the carseat advice...but maybe my kid is just special in her hatred of her carseat. Why would everyone else on a plane want to listen to my kid whine for 2 hours about being stuck in her carseat when she'd be so much happier on my lap?

See, my kid is the complete opposite. They will both sit still and quiet in their carseats, but if I tried to hold them on my lap they would be squirming, trying to get down, etc. I flew one time with DD as a lap child and swore it would be the last!

Beth.1212

I actually prefer to take LO through the airport in his stroller and then check it at the plane. We've always traveled somewhere where we wanted his stroller at the destination, though. I have the carrier with me and have used it when we were walking around a crowded/busy terminal to kill time.

If you're still BF, that's a great way to help little ears during take off. 

It's helpful to have spare baby outfits, travel friendly food, and more diapers than you think you'll need. Think about what you'll need with you if your flight is delayed. 

We have some special electronic toys that only come out in times of great need, so we bring those along. My LO loves books, so we bring a good assortment of those, too. 

I'm in the lap child camp as long as the flight isn't toooo long, mostly for economic reasons. If money isn't an object, go for the seat for LO, I say. 

Starbear06

When we traveled with DS when we was 17 months, we used a stroller for the airport. Brought lots of new and favorite snacks. Letting him stick stickers on his wipe container was a big hit and took awhile. If you decide on crayons I would bring the triangle ones so you aren't constantly picking it up for LO. Of course, iPad and a few favorite books is always a hit. Lastly, his security objects like paci and blanket.

KristinKWashington

Post It Notes. Bring like three packs. Lucy entertained herself for at least an hour!

trojas

Thank you all for this great advice!

aji820

We just flew with our 17 month old, and I'll echo the try-not-to-let-your-kid-get-overtired camp.  We could not get our son to fall asleep on our laps on the plane on the first leg of our trip.  There was too much going on.  He only fell asleep after he was exhaaausted and screamed for 10 minutes (miserable for everyone).  On the way back, we got him to take a nap in the stroller before the flight and he was a much happier (although still very active) guy during the actual flight.  Good luck!