Has anyone traveled with LO recently? Lots of questions

zyas · August 2014

Hello! I haven't posted here much lately as I still can't post from my phone so it's super frustrating. I try to lurk when I can though!

In 5 weeks I'll be traveling alone with Ava back to visit my family in Canada - 2 planes each way and about 8 hours of travel time altogether with a layover in there. The good thing is this time she will have her own seat on the plane although I am anticipating it will be hard to keep her there. If only I was taking a carseat with me, but I took one last time we went and I left it there. I used to ask for the aisle seat but now I'm thinking we should ask for the middle and window seat and I will put her in the window seat. Otherwise she will probably bother the poor person sitting next to us.

So I need all your travel tips please

I am already starting to put things away for the trip. Coloring stuff (magic wonder stuff with no mess and dry erase), snacks, stickers, a couple small thin books that won't take up much room... but what else should I be taking? I will have her ipod, my iphone, my laptop and my galaxy tablet with her which will hopefully help occupy her at times. Does anyone have headphones for toddlers that you recommend? Or apps?? I am taking a bubble guppies DVD (its the ONLY thing she will watch an entire episode of) for the laptop and I downloaded a couple episodes to my phone as well.

What about wiki stix? or magnetic play sets? any recommendations are greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

nesenotes · August 2014

I'm flying tomorrow and will be taking her car seat because there is no way Lucifer will stay in that seat otherwise. I know my kid too well.

@trixi posted this last time and I think it's really neat. If emery weren't already so close to the weight limit I would buy it:
https://www.diapers.com/p/kids-fly-safe-cares-airline-safety-belt-16433?site=CA&sku=FF-001&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc_D&utm_campaign=GooglePLA&utm_content={adtype}&ca_sku=FF-001&ca_gpa={adtype}&ca_kw={keyword}&CAWELAID=1338722511

As for headphones I bought her these last time and we still use them all the time because they fit her head perfectly:

https://m.target.com/p/kidz-gear-volume-limit-headphones-assorted-colors/-/A-14629412

As for movies I have a small dvd player so I take frozen, bubble guppies, little mermaid, and Madagascar. We drive for 3/4 hour chunks. The flight is only 2 hours. The driving kills us.

And I will take frozen stickers. She loves stickers. All that should keep her plenty entertained.

nesenotes · August 2014

It sounds like you have plenty though!! She should be good.

sarahandeddiejune212008 · August 2014

Wiki stix or the magnets would be great. The tiny tubs of play doh might also work.

lewispm · August 2014

We traveled once without the car seat and it was a disaster. My kid might be different than yours though, but I'm going to bring that car seat until he's too big for it!

I actually brought some dum dums (the little lollipops). He had never had them before and loved them. Plus they take a while to eat so it got him still long enough for the taxiing before takeoff and after landing when he seemed to get really antsy.

And I second the kindle and tons of snacks. We've only done 2 hours straight before, and I cant imagine 8! Good luck to you!!

julymommy12 · August 2014

I just got back from a trip. The return trip was just the 2 of us so I had no other helpers to entertain him. It was only a flight from Ft Myers to Toronto so not a long one. I was stressed out about it but he did amazing! I didn't bring a car seat cuz I had enough to carry on my own. He was pretty good about sitting still in his seat. As we were descending he didn't understand why he had to sit with his seatbelt on but I just continued to distract him. He fell asleep for about 20 mins but it was cut short because he just couldn't get comfortable. Just bring lots of new things. I would do it again in a heartbeat, no stressing this time.

julymommy12 · August 2014

KSKim said:

Benadryl...

Oh and no nap beforehand so at least she will hopefully sleep for part of it. The plane puts mine right to sleep.

Both of these could backfire so you might want to test beforehand. Some kids get the opposite affect on Benadryl, can make them hyper rather than drowsy. Same with the lack of nap. Might not be the right time to try that out. But if you know it would work then go for it, might give you a little time to relax.

versed · August 2014

I know you said you don't need a car seat, but it'll make sleeping so much easier for her. There's not an easy way for a two-yr-old to get comfy to sleep in those seats! However, if you're not considering it, highly recommend the Cares harness. I haven't used one, but I've heard lots of good things about them if you can't do a carseat.

Activities: like PP said, stickers - just taking them off a sticker sheet and putting them in a notebook is the best. The craft stores have those $1 books of a million stickers that are great. Pinterest has a ton of great ideas for toddlers on planes that are worth checking out, too.

Apps we like: Peek-a-boo farm/jungle/safari, Mr Potato Head, Monkey Preschool Lunchbox, Agnitus, Disney story central, talking Tom

Good luck - you can do it!

C&Csmommy · August 2014

We just did 2 four hour train rides with both boys and I packed them each a backpack with the following in them.
Coloring book/markers
Play dough/accessories
Book/blank paper
Stickers and stamps
Foam shapes/stickers
Cortlandt had a leap pad tablet so I saved a new game that he had never seen and kept it back incase shit hit the fan. I also did the same with Camden except I kept back a new transformers toy incase we needed it.
I also bought lots of fun snacks

EandIMommy86 · August 2014

We just got back from hawaii. 5 hour flight plus layover plus another 5 hours. Bring plenty of snacks and lots for them to do. I brought books and a magic writer. I also brought my ipad with apps for her that kept her entertained. Do not let her get up too much or else she is going to want to roam around the plane. If you have a window seat that helps too so she can look out. She most likely will also sleep on the plane so bring a blanket and pillow if needed.

zyas · August 2014

Thanks everyone!!

@nesenotes awesome - those were the exact headphones I was looking at on Amazon. I was hoping someone here had them so I could find out if they were good or not. I'm ordering them today!

@lewispm love the lollipop idea! I added it to my list, thanks!

@melin_11 thanks, I will check out those apps, I've never heard of them!

@versed thanks, more apps to check out

We have talking tom already and love that one!

Question: I saw play doh was recommended a couple times. Is it not too smelly for the other passengers?

zyas · August 2014

@Laurski81‌ oh no

I'm sorry you had a stressful flight! Now I'm getting worried for ours. Ava is as good as gold when my H is around but I will be flying solo with her.

zyas · September 2014

Laurski81 said:

@zyas

Update: Our 3 (yes 3 @-) ) flights home were wonderful. I didn't even bother with the car-seat this time because honestly it didn't work the first time and when you have a packed flight you really don't have the option to take it off the seat and put it somewhere mid-flight. I'm not sure if he just had enough of traveling/vacation/being away from home and he was just mellowed out by that point or what but he happily "read" books, watched his movies, and napped. He did a complete 180 from the week before. No tranquilizer needed

@Laurski81 I'm so glad the trip back was better! I was worried for you!

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