Flying with toddler..few questions?

mommy06

1. Does the carseat count as one bag?  (She is going to be a lap child she is not quite two yet.)

2. Did your dc need anything to suck on for their ears?

3.  Any tricks that helped the flight go faster?

We have flown before but dd was still nursing so she just slept and nursed the whole way.

Thanks - Kelli

sarahjared

paci or sippy cup for ears

snacks, small toys she hasn't seen before to keep occupied

We bought a travel magna doodle and DD loved it

Not sure about the carseat ?

ChicagoBaby

1. car seat is a freebie.

2. not at this age.

3. a nap?  

Amanda&Chris

1. No you can bring it in addition to your bags.

2.  I brought sippies.

3.  Lots and lots and lots of snacks and drinks.  I also buy a new toy and a new book each time we fly.

darlene'smommy

Take the car seat to the gate with you. They will check it and the stroller for free.  You can get a cheep suit case roller from target to put it on to take it thru the airport. I wont check my car seat I also buy a seat because they tend to lose car seats gate checking it kind of makes them not lose it but they still can and I have heard storys of people have huge cracks in the seat just from the handlers.  Also that why if they have an empty seat they will let you use it for free.  I did not have to have dd suck on anything for her ears she was 16 mos.  dvd player worked wonders for her.

cornichon

1) car seat depends on the airline.. if you are checking it as luggage (not gate check) and she is a lap child, most likely yes but I would call our airline to double check

2) last time we flew she was two and I just had her drink from her straw sippy on take off and landing.. her ears did not bother her

3) books, new small toys that she has never seem before, portable dvd player, snacks

Ciarrai

1. Does the carseat count as one bag?  (She is going to be a lap child she is not quite two yet.) nope - doesn't count as a bag and you don't have to pay for it.  I check mine at the desk and pack the bag full of extra diapers or things like that

2. Did your dc need anything to suck on for their ears? a sippy cup or a lollypop (if you give them) can help 

3.  Any tricks that helped the flight go faster?  lots of new toys, movies and a portable DVD player, snacks (I pack them in snack sized bags so I could just give DD a bag at a time and she wouldn't just wolf them down all at once.)  I usually let DD watch whatever movies she wants when we can.  She also likes to read books and play with little toys.  I bring sticker books and coloring books and things like that too.  Oh and little cars and such she can "drive" around.  (DD#1 and I have been traveling together a ton since she was born.)

 

Good luck!

docmay25

I am not sure if the car seat counts as luggage.

We have been flying every year (2x a year) since ds was 4 months old.  So I know all the tricks.  Pack as much as you can for her to do.  Some good things are crayons, stickers, small containers of playdough, magna doodle (travel size), aqua doodle (travel size).  Lots of snacks. 

Whatever activities you have for her to do, don't show her until you take off so that it is new and exciting. 

My kids never needed anything for their ears.  I offer them a sippy cup, but my son never used it or seemed bothered by their ears too much.

firefightersgal

1.  We gate checked the car seat.  It did not count as a bag, checked or carry-on.  We just picked it up as soon as we got off the plane.

2. DD had her pacifier.  It really helped.

3.  Nora was really happy just to sit on our laps and watch the people and out the window.  I brought tons of stuff for her to do, but she didn't touch any of it.

Our flight was about 3 hours.

kjlrs

Not sure about the carseat. Definitely doesn't count if you gate-check it and pre-bags-costing-extra you could check it along with your two free, but i'm not sure if the rules have changed now.

 

DD has flown bunches and has now outgrown the troubles with her ears during takeoff and landing so you should be fine, just offer the sippy but no big deal.

 

What worked great on our last flight was a sticker book. I found one in the airport and she loved it. I bought this magnet set at TRU for my upcoming flight with her. Obviously a 2 yo needs to be supervised with it but i think it'll be perfect for this - it was in the books section. We're also bringing a portable DVD player and a couple backyardigans DVDs.