How to Keep Children Calm During Flights

Traveling by flight is not the most pleasurable experience, with tiny aircraft seats and crowded waiting areas. They detest sitting still for extended periods and are terrified of sudden changes in air pressure. If you are not adequately prepared, the journey to your destination might turn upside down. But fret not and get your passports ready because here are some tips on keeping them calm during flights.

Give Them Something to Do

Colouring workbooks, coloured pencils, and non-toxic crayons are excellent inflight entertainment for children, especially on lengthy trips. Colouring can be a relaxing and enjoyable pastime. Make it even more enjoyable by giving them a picture of the plane to colour. If your child has difficulties sleeping, pulling out a colouring book might be a terrific way to keep them occupied during the trip.

Some parents may be concerned that their child would accidentally make a mess or decide to show their art skills on the travel tray when crayons or pens are involved. If that is the case, you could consider packing a travel-sized magnetic doodle board in your carry-on.

Download Some Fun Games in Your Device

If you are planning to bring a tablet along on your trip, make sure to load it up with some of your kids’ favourite games and videos. Playing familiar games on the tablet can be a great pastime that would make the children feel more comfortable during the long journey. It also provides a nice break from hours of watching movies on the plane.

The Google Play and Apple (iOS) App Store include many wonderful children’s games that you can download for free. Plus, a tablet is also an option to save room in your carry-on because of its size, portability, and adaptable than carrying around many toys.

Do Not Forget About Snacks

The typical sub sandwiches served during the flight might not be something kids want to eat. And the tasty snacks that your child loves on the snack cart may not be enough to cater to all the adults and children on board. Hence, ensure to bring along enough food and snacks along the trip. And if your child is having a meltdown during the journey, a bag of chips or gummy bears can be a lifesaver for you to calm them down.

Prepare Your Child’s Juice or Milk Ahead of Time

Do not worry about not passing the security check because all these liquids are excluded from the TSA’s 3-1-1 rule that limits carry-on liquids to 100ml. Thus, pack enough baby milk that you will need for the travel journey without worrying it will run out.

If you are concerned that the liquids will not be enough for your baby, you may also bring along canned or jarred baby food for them to eat on the plane. Although they will need to be inspected individually, keep them in a bag or container that you can easily remove from your carry-on luggage or backpack when you reach the security checkpoint.

Get Some New Toys

Purchase some new toys for your journey, but do not reveal anything to the kids until after taking off. The toys don’t need to be pricey to be amusing. Choose something you believe your children will enjoy, such as a new toy vehicle for a car enthusiast, a fresh set of playdough for an artist, an action figure for a superhero comic lover, or a jewellery kit for a crafty youngster.

Buying the toys at the airport may be expensive, so go to the dollar shop a few days before the trip for some affordable toys for the children to have fun with. The best part about getting cheap toys is that it will not hurt your wallet as much if it happens to be lost or broken during the trip.

Consult the Airline About Any Kids’ Entertainment

Airlines are also concerned about keeping your children entertained during flights. Try to find kid-friendly flights that could cater to your child’s needs along the way. Consult with the airline to discover what kind of in-flight activities they can offer for kids.

Some airlines provide little toys for children to play with throughout their travels and TV displays with Disney or Nickelodeon shows for the kids to enjoy. Other than that, most pilots would welcome youngsters into the cockpit before or after a flight, and many airlines will also offer kids airline pins.

Pack Along Some Books

Suggest your children develop several titles they want to read or take a trip to the bookshop to get new ones. The idea is to wait only until the trip to let your youngster read them. Then, start revealing the new books as soon as you arrive at your seats to save at least one for the journey back. With the books present during the flight, they will be able to switch their source of entertainment from playing games to reading and back, making them forget that they are confined on an aircraft for hours.