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The air necessities: 39 tips
Preschoolers
1. Before our last vacation, my sister, a flight attendant, suggested that I prepare my 3-year-old son for the airport security line. So while we were waiting, I told him that he would have to put his backpack, his stuffed monkey, and his Buzz Lightyear and Woody action figures in a box so that the airport police could take a picture of them. Then he would have to walk through a special magic doorway and he would get everything back right away. Talking about it beforehand really helped to ward off a meltdown when it was time to let go of his most beloved stuff! So my tip is to prepare your kids in advance for what could otherwise be a very unsettling experience. — Caroline from Dayton, Ohio
2. One of our favorite bring-alongs is those small bottles of bubbles that come in packs (the kind that kids get in goodie bags at birthday parties). Whenever we’re waiting in a long line, I blow bubbles for the kids to pop. All of the parents around us always think it’s such a great idea because it keeps everyone entertained. Their kids always call me “the bubble lady.” — Jennifer from Owassa, Okla.
3. We recently took our 4-year-old to China, which involved several connections through some of the busiest airports in the world. We laminated a printout of our flight numbers and contact information (in both English and Chinese) and put it our our child’s pocket. For shorter trips, we have written our flight numbers and cell phone numbers on hospital bracelets that my kids were wearing. — Chris from Grand Rapids, Mich.
4. As a professional speaker, I spend many hours in airports. It amazes me how many parents insist that their toddler or preschooler sit in a stroller or a chair waiting for the flight. Since everyone will be constricted on the plane, it’s better to keep active in the airport. My daughter and I like to play the “one sip” game. We walk through the airport from drinking fountain to drinking fountain, taking only one sip at each. The idea is to walk as far as possible with your child. We also always board at the very last moment. Why get on the plane early and have to wait an extra 20 minutes while everyone else boards? — Silvana from Nashville, Tenn.
5. Once my child was about 2, I started packing a small, kid-size backpack for him to carry on his own. Inside, I put his favorite stuffed toy and small Ziploc bags containing various "activity sets": Perhaps five crayons and a small pad of paper; two little pots of Play-Doh and two shape cutters; and inexpensive action or animal figures; a travel-size Etch-A-Sketch or magnetic sketcher. My son loved having his own bag. As he got older, he learned to pack his own travel bag with things to keep himself occupied. — Lori from Sugar Land, Texas
6. Let your child fingerpaint on the plane. Crayola's Color Wonder fingerpaint sets (no water needed) work only on special Color Wonder paper and won't paint on skin or clothing. Mess-free and magic. — Editor
Big kids
1. My son just loves doing word search puzzles. Before we go on a family vacation, I make up customized word search puzzles for him to do in the car or on the plane, using words about our trip and destination. DiscoverySchool.com’s Puzzlemaker makes this simple and fast. You just type in words that you want included, and the program generates a word search puzzle that can be printed out. Easy and fun! — Kirsten from Eau Claire, Wis.
2. We sometimes let our 12-year-old daughter invite a friend along on our vacation. We always get a letter of permission from her parents that notes our travel dates and general itinerary. The letter also gives us permission to get the child treated in an emergency and lists any important medical information (such as food allergies). We've learned the hard way that it's also a good idea to have the name and number of the child's pediatrician and a copy of the family's health insurance card. — Paula from Meribel, Wis.
Do you have a great tip about flying with kids? Send it to us!
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