Traveling with children is difficult. Well, let’s be completely honest. Doing pretty much anything with children is quite challenging, but traveling is especially hard. Their short attention spans, inability to move quickly or even just at your speed and need to constantly be entertained creates an entirely new challenge to getting from point A to point B.
Recently I traveled with two boys, ages 6 and 7, all by myself. I am not a mother, so I am not use to doing even the simplest of “motherly activities.” Therefore, even just the thought of having to travel alone with them gave me anxiety. Sure, I am a frequent flyer. I fly often enough that doing things such as connecting in a new location comes almost naturally now. But when I realized I would be flying with them from the South to out West, with a connection in the Midwest, I was not sure I would be able to do it. How was I going to ensure that I would get us to our next gate in such a short amount of time? How was I going to entertain them on not one, but two plane rides? And what would happen if I failed?
The truth is, failing was not an option. I had to get it done, so I did. And along the way I came up with a few tips that could help you the next time you have to take flight with a young child—or two.
Snacks are a necessity
Never underestimate the power of food and its ability to keep the attention of little ones. Pack their favorites from home that may be considered a treat and not given to them often. You can use snacks as a reward for great behavior throughout the flight. Also pack snacks that take a while to eat (think raisins, Cheerios, grapes, etc.) so that the act of eating actually takes up time. Allow your children to choose a snack at the airport and withhold it until well into the flight, or in my case, the second flight. It gives them something to look forward to aside from just landing. And most importantly, pack a lot of snacks. Long flights especially warrant hunger from restlessness. Chances are your children will not want any of the snacks offered by the airline if you run out of yours, and if they do, the prices are almost too absurd to even consider buying.
Plan your course of action
You know the old saying, “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail?” Well that could not be truer in this situation. To ensure that your trip goes smoothly there are a few things you should do to prepare. First, explain to your child or children what is expected of them. Let them know that they will be changing planes and that you need them to keep up with you as you walk—or run—from one gate to the next. Giving them the heads up will result in them understanding why you are hustling them and hopefully it will encourage them to be helpful. Second, ask the flight attendant or use your airline’s app to determine where your connecting flight’s gate is. This information will give you the opportunity to charge forward the moment you deplane. It will also save you time by allowing you to avoid stopping at the monitors that list every single departing flight for that day.
Activities are key
Without a multitude of preplanned activities to keep your children’s attention during the flight process, consider the mission a failure. Children cannot and will not entertain themselves. They need activities to help them pass the time. There are several activities worthy of keeping your children focused on anything other the fact that they are stuck on a plane. The first, and most obvious, is fun gaming apps for your tablet or phone. Allow your children to play the games they enjoy, and of course do not be afraid to throw in a few educational options. Although moderation is key, keeping their minds busy with electronics truly helps.
The second activity that is sure to help time pass quickly is watching a movie or television series. Sure, it would be nice if every single plane with every single airline had built-in televisions in the headrests. However, most do not. Plan to introduce your children to a movie that sparks their interest, but they have never seen (although in some instances an old favorite comes in handy). iTunes allows you to buy or rent pretty much any and every move straight off their app. If Apple products are not an option, try one of Netflix’s newest feature. The app now allows subscribers to download movies and series to be seen when Wi-Fi or streaming is not available. It usually only takes mere minutes for Netflix to save your movies. And finally, do not forget about classic games. The boys I traveled with could play tic-tac-toe with me forever if I let then. Hangman, card games, coloring and interactive games (such as completing a story out loud) are other options that are sure to keep your children entertained. The number of activities you have planned should be determined by the amount of time you will be flying. One way to guarantee that your children will not zip through every last activity is to not allow your children to change activity between 15 and 30 minutes. That way they are forced to take their time with each activity that is set out in front of them.
Megan Pinckney (@shadesofpinck) is a retired beauty queen turned lifestyle blogger who loves exploring the world and writing about it.
