Traveling with 18 month old-16 hour flight

chocolatechip06 · August 2011

Trying to figure out what I need to start buying in prep for our looong flight in November. It's 7 hours from Toronto to Brussells (2 hour layover) and then another 9 hours to India.

We are taking DS as a lap child (a seat would be over $1000). It's my mother and I traveling with him.

I'm going to get a travel Magna Doodle, lots of snacks, some books, small cars (toddler friendly ones) post it notes, unsharpened pencils (he loves to remove them from the box and put them back in), some lego from the dollar store etc.

Any other suggestions (each seat has a TV so I'm not taking a portable DVD player). Given the length of the flight I can only plan for about one or two new items an hour if that since I also have to plan for the return flight (and they have to be small so that I have enough place to pack everything for the plane)

Thanks!

gringa78 · August 2011

DD did great with books on our flight cross-country...she didn't sleep much, but she was good once she realized she couldn't get down off my lap. Snacks helped too. I was going to suggest the portable DVD player with his favorite shows/movies...that could be a lifesaver.

krissyh21 · August 2011

I never took a flight that long, but we did do a 5 hour flight at 19 months. We had the TV at the seats and for the majority of the trip, that is what kept D entertained the most. Besides toys, pack lots of treats. I would give him a handful every hour and that kept him content. Before boarding, we ran him all around the terminal to get energy out. He didn't sleep for much of the trip, but he was content with sitting for at least 3 out of the 5 hours. Don't give him all the toys at once, let him play with the TV until he is over it and then whip something else out. Then repeat.

JenCW · August 2011

We do take-off and landing treats. These are typically some sort of gummy fruit that requires lots of chewing to help with the ears during lift and descent.

Make sure the toys aren't too small. You don't want anything that is difficult to gather up should they fall on the nasty floor (which is likely to happen since there isn't much space). We try to bring activities that don't require many small parts.

We bring mostly new toys, so that they are exciting and interesting for longer than a toy that he is already familiar with. We pull out a new one every few hours.

Ali212 · August 2011

JenCW:
We do take-off and landing treats. These are typically some sort of gummy fruit that requires lots of chewing to help with the ears during lift and descent.
Make sure the toys aren't too small. You don't want anything that is difficult to gather up should they fall on the nasty floor (which is likely to happen since there isn't much space). We try to bring activities that don't require many small parts.
We bring mostly new toys, so that they are exciting and interesting for longer than a toy that he is already familiar with. We pull out a new one every few hours.

We fly a lot of with our daughters on ~12 hour direct flights and I agree with much of this. New coloring books/magna doodles are great plane toys as well as new books. I personally would probably avoid legos just b/c my daughter would drop those smaller pieces (even the oversized legos are kind of small individually) all over the floor and we all know how nasty the floors on airplanes are. We also have our ipad/iphone which have a lot of apps/games downloaded on them.

I would also consider bringing new DVDs to play in either a laptop or DVD player if you have the room. The reason I always do (even though our flights always have individual TV screens at all seats as well) is that the children's options on the in-flight TVs are often limited -- in ## of options as well as age range. My daughter is 3 years old and some of the children's options are just for 5+ year olds so she doesn't enjoy them so much. Also, since children's videos/shows are typically ~25 minutes and they often don't have so many options, she gets sick of what there is pretty quickly when we're on a plane for 12 hours. Also, depending on when you return on your flight, the options could be quite similar on the return. I always have my laptop with me when I travel anyway so I just bring her DVDs so she can watch them on there.

sliz · August 2011

Stickers - michaels has books of halloween one for $1.

howleyshell · August 2011

Ali212:
I would also consider bringing new DVDs to play in either a laptop or DVD player if you have the room. The reason I always do (even though our flights always have individual TV screens at all seats as well) is that the children's options on the in-flight TVs are often limited -- in ## of options as well as age range. My daughter is 3 years old and some of the children's options are just for 5+ year olds so she doesn't enjoy them so much. Also, since children's videos/shows are typically ~25 minutes and they often don't have so many options, she gets sick of what there is pretty quickly when we're on a plane for 12 hours. Also, depending on when you return on your flight, the options could be quite similar on the return. I always have my laptop with me when I travel anyway so I just bring her DVDs so she can watch them on there.

This.

TAKE A DVD PLAYER!!!!

Seriously - you won't regret it.

The TV's are not always turned on if you're sitting on the tarmac, have a lay over in the airport concourse, etc. And you can't rely on what's going to be available.

And you may find a use for it once you're at your destination if you become desperate.

And ditto the sticker recommendation. The dollar store always has books of them and mine will put stickers on paper for a good 20 minutes.

LIAngel · August 2011

I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that you are going to be on a plane for 16 hours. I know it's not 16 hours in a row, but even that first 7 hour flight would do me in.

Yes, I would bring the DVD player and some snacks. I think Davez says that she likes to put cool treats in those Plastic Easter Egg shells. Every hour pull out a new treat. Maybe page her for some ideas.

talentedmomma · August 2011

Those disposable sippy cups, for water etc. Then I wasn't bothered by losing them on the plane. We took a ball for him to chase in the airport on layovers, worked great. A couple of extra shirts for yourself, I was filthy after each leg, and so happy to have a change of clothes for myself.

navyandviolet · August 2011

window clings, especially the gel ones. The can stick on the window, the tray, books. DD plays with those for hours on the fight. They are small enough to pack a couple of them (they tear easily) and then just leave them on the plane as trash when you leave. Unpack a new one for the flight home.

also we had great sucess with this https://www.amazon.com/Lauri-2116-Toys-Toddler-Tote/dp/B00006JBKT/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1314489714&sr=1-1 and still only bring it out for trips.

And of course food and a dvd player (with headphones, DD loves those, and I didn't think the entire flight wanted to hear snow white 3 times)

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