Toddlers on a Plane
I have had it with these …. toddlers on this … plane!!!!
Yes, I know they are my toddlers, doesn’t mean I can’t be tired of it!
Let’s face it, traveling with toddlers is not easy. Adding in a flight to the mix, you must be crazy. Just kidding! You can do this! I promise. It may not be the traditional plane ride you remember from traveling solo - oh how I long for a time when I can sit in an enclosed space, disconnected from the world with a book or a podcast and no mini me begging for snacks. But alas, I’m a parent so this image will live in my dreams. So, take a breath and repeat after me “This will not be a total disaster, this will not be a total disaster, this will not be a total disaster.”
Here are 16 tips and tricks for surviving airplane travel with your rambunctious toddler.
Airports and Toddlers
1 - Plan for extra time, especially if you do not know your airport. We are lucky and have six different airports less than 2 hours from our house. Two are very small and have the least amount of people coming and going (making security lines miniscule). For these, we know that we can arrive at the airport one hour before the flight departs and still have plenty of time to get through security. The others - those are the major metro airports with the very long security lines you have heard about. I have waited more than three hours in a security line for a domestic flight. Plus, it will take you 20 minutes to get from your parking lot to the actual airport, and then you will realize you are in the wrong terminal and need to find the shuttle to get to the correct one, and the baby is crying because it’s time to eat (because it’s always time to eat), and all you want to do is sit down for two minutes. …. Or so I’ve heard…anyway.
2 - Plan for your return when you are arriving for your departure flight. Are you parking at the airport or is someone picking you up? Is your return flight coming in after bedtime? Will it possibly be snowing when you return because you live in New York where apparently it is 60 degrees and sunny one day and then a blizzard hits the next? Plan for every situation. If you are parking at the airport, try to find a way to park as close as possible. Obviously this is much harder when airport parking ends up costing more than the actual flight - so always way the pros and cons. BUT, if parking walking distance to the airport is only slightly more expensive and you are returning very late when snow can happen, being closer to the airport may be the best. Our children fell asleep towards the end of our flight, and we were able to transport them from the plane, to their strollers, and directly to the car - no shuttle to worry over and no waiting in the cold.
3 - Make a Potty Plan! Hit the restroom right before you board the plane to (hopefully) avoid the need for a potty break on the actual plane (more on that later). This goes for both potty-trained and non-potty trained toddlers. Changing a toddler in a plane bathroom is impossible.
4 - Unpopular opinion, check luggage. We have finally mastered fitting an entire vacation worth of clothes for a family of four into one piece of checked luggage. On our first flight as a family, we wanted to save as much money as possible, so we carried on two suitcases, four personal items, plus a stroller, and two children (one of which was not walking). You forget how many less hands you have when you have children in tow. Although we have to pay to check our luggage (which is frustrating), managing just a stroller and a few backpacks is much easier than attempting to wheel all of that luggage.
4.5 - Your stroller can be checked for free! I’m a huge fan of having my stroller at the actual airport (especially large terminals that involve tons of shuttles or walking - I’m looking at you Orlando!). It’s also a great place to simply put your child when they need to sit but there are no empty seats available. For most airlines, you can gate check your stroller and it does NOT count against you. You do not need to pay. Always check with your airline in advance. This is also the same for any car seats you may be traveling with but do not plan to utilize on the plane.
Toddlers and TSA
5 - Ask questions if you are unsure. Going through TSA (security) involves ever changing steps and regulations. There are signs that tell you exactly what to do but when you are trying to keep your toddler entertained, it is easy to miss them. In many cases, TSA will help and guide you. If you are unsure, just ask.
6 - Check the latest regulations before heading to the airport. The TSA keeps an updated list of regulations for flying on their website. There are exceptions when traveling with children (such as modified screening). Check Traveling with Children on the TSA website for the latest information. You can also visit www.tsa.gov to view all rules and regulations.
7 - If traveling with a stroller, your child will need to be removed from the stroller when going through security. Be sure to remove EVERYTHING from the stroller. And, as a parent, you do not realize how much junk you keep in your stroller organizer until you go through security: used hand wipes that you meant to throw out a month ago, open bag of goldfish that your toddler screamed about needing and then only ate one, the phone charger from your phone two years ago that you cannot even use anymore, and the list goes on and on. My advice, take a moment before your trip to clean out the stroller. It will save you so much time.
Avoiding Meltdowns on the Airplane (yours and theirs)
8 - Forget your no-electronic rule. Seriously! Get your child a tablet, load it up with their favorite movies or shows, and let them watch. At the very least, you’ll get 30 minutes of uninterrupted silence. Pro-Tip, load it with enough entertainment that will last 2-3x the length of the flight. For example, if the flight is 3 hours, load 6-9 hours worth of shows or movies. Toddlers can get bored very quickly. Having multiple options are key to survival.
9 - Test your devices in advance. Speaking of tablets - be sure to test ANY headphones you purchase for your child in advance. I know parents who swear by headband headphones. My daughter hates those - and I found out the hard way. Do not be stuck on a long flight with absolutely no way for them to actually watch the movies you promised. This goes for tablets too. Triple check that everything you downloaded will work when you are no longer connected to the internet. Depending on the airline, WIFI can be spotty. Do not rely on it to download or stream.
10 - Bring a blanket. Planes get cold and toddlers go from zero to meltdown very fast! This might seem like a bulky item, but you’ll regret it when you are thousands of feet in the air and the only option is to pay for a blanket that your toddler will never use because “it’s the wrong color” and then scream about being cold. An additional perk - it’s always great to have their favorite blanket in a foreign location in case they get homesick.
11 - Bring a refillable sippy cup / water bottle (depending on your child’s preference). Obviously if your child is the master at drinking from a disposable water bottle, you can skip this one (also, teach me your secrets!). For the rest of us, managing a water bottle with an untrained toddler during turbulence is not a pretty sight. As soon as you finish going through security, make a b-line for a shop or food stand to purchase water, juice, or whatever you prefer. Then continue to fill up your child’s water. Most (not all) but most airports will have refillable stations so you do not have to pay $10 for a bottle of water.
12 - Bring a backpack just for them. Put in that one stuffy they cannot live without, coloring books (don’t forget the crayons, BELIEVE ME), snacks, and any other type of activity that will distract them (see above list). Don’t expect they will actually carry their own backpack because toddlers - but parents can dream. Sometimes, your flight is delayed and all of these entertainment items come in handy in the airport as well. Keeping them distracted is always key!
13 - Give them some sort of snack during take off. We usually do fruit snacks. When little ears pop, they will tell you about it - FOR DAYS.
14 - Have an airplane potty plan. If they are potty trained, always encourage use of the bathroom when there is no line. Do not make the mistake of waiting until they tell you and there is line down the entire aisle because as we know, you have about 3 seconds of warning before you need an entire wardrobe change. Depending on your child’s comfort level, bring a foldable travel potty seat for them to use in the restroom. And, be sure to warn them or let them leave the bathroom before you flush. It can be extremely loud and scary for some children.
15 - Pay extra to choose your seats in advance (if applicable). I know how tempting it is to pick the cheapest flight options - which (usually) do not allow for you to pick your seats. There are no rules that an airline is required to sit your child with you. While most may be accommodating and aid you, it may not always be possible (especially if you are traveling during high travel seasons like holidays and school breaks). Save the stress and pay to choose in advance.
16 - Bring backup clothes. Even if you are checking luggage, always be sure to have at least two changes of clothes for your child easily accessible. And by clothes, I mean head to shoes. Flights can be long! Children are messy (toddlers especially). You do not want to arrive at your destination with a toddler wearing nothing but a diaper because they peed through the only extra set of clothes you brought. or, because your two-year-old sat on fruit snacks for the entire flight (and failed to tell anyone), and they melted, causing his pants to be stuck to the airplane seat, and you have to put him in his older sister’s extra pants which are far too long, so he spends the entire arrival screaming about how his pants are lost forever. (True story - oh the joys of parenthood!).
There you have it. Tips and tricks to help you surviving your next flight. Just keep in mind, it will not be a total disaster. You got this! And, even if it is - at least you’ll be on vacation when the flight is over. Unless it’s the return flight - then you’re on your own. Just kidding!
Happy travels!
