Any tips for a 2yr old on a long plane ride?
 

I'm very nervous about the plane ride to Germany. We have a 2 year old and flying non-stop from Dallas might takes it's toll on him, us and fellow passengers. I recieved some good tips in a different post with a diffeent subjet title and thought I might be able to get more tips if it had a message title of it's own. We have purchased a mini dvd player to take along and entertain - battery will only last us 2 hours...which leaves 7. We would love it if he slept, but being a particular sleeper he may just stay awake the whole way. Yikes! So please, any advice would be helpful. Thanks.

Benedryl works wonders. Just don't overdose.<BR><BR>Passengers will put up with a lot if they see parents "working." Any parent who says quite loudly, "No, we will not play with the trays and no, we will not kick the seat of the person in front of us on this trip," will score big points. <BR><BR>Think of something entertaining to do with trips up and down and up and down and up and down the aisle (until the Benedryl kicks in). Suggestions: Let's see if we can find people who look like Grandma.<BR><BR>My kids were very "treat" responsive. I would pack little snacks--Goldfish, Teddy Grahams, etc.--in tiny containers for them to open as breaks between games, coloring books, and reading books.<BR><BR>Too bad you have a "he"--I often did "makeovers" on the flight. That took, let's see, about 15 minutes off the clock. At 2-hour intervals.<BR><BR>Heck, J. M., I'm sweating just thinking about your flight!<BR><BR>Just so you know, my kids were never easy travelers at 2 (though we were ultra careful they did not disturb others then and we "worked" as mentioned above), but they were wonderful at 31/2 and they are dreams to travel with now at 11 and 16. If the flight is rough, just think about the long-term effects!<BR>

We took a two year old across other pond. We gave her a little new doll, took small books, several activity things. She slept most of the way both ways, BUT, she could not get comfortable enough in her seat so she had to stretch across our laps. WE were uncomfortable all the way!

Been there, done that. Take lollipops to suck on during takeoff and landing. Pack extra batteries for when the first ones wear out. Pack snacks and juice boxes so you don't have to wait for the flight attendant when he gets hungry or thirsty--he won't die of malnutrition if they're not 100% healthy this one time--just make sure they're his favorites.<BR><BR>On any long trips when my children were this age, I always packed "mommy's desperation bag"--some new toys hidden away that were doled out at difficult moments, so they had something fresh to distract them.<BR><BR>Once an hour (as long as he's awake), get up and walk up and down the aisles. It's hard for little ones to stay seated for so long.<BR><BR>A parent's magazine once said to keep in mind that, once the novelty of flying wears off, children are basically being asked to sit quietly in a crowded room. If you keep that perspective--from your child's point of view--in mind, you'll do fine.

Your tips are great!!! Lots of ideas I haven't thought about. Thanks a bunch. I like the snack idea and the "new toy" trick.

Don't forget that toddlers love hidden things... I would pack tupperware containers stacked inside of one another with little goodies inside... McDonalds toys he's never seen, etc. I used to go to the dollar store and pack inexpensive items (not noisy ones though) that made great surprises.... Stickers can be fun if they are put into a book. Don't forget to bring on board his favorite thing to sleep with. And changes of clothing including his PJ's. Good luck!

Depending on how much you travel and how much your child like watching Barney and the likes, it may be worthwhile investing a portable DVD player. Very helpful in the hotel room in the evening as well, after a long tiring day.

I have done the long haul from Siena to San Francisco 3 times since my 4 year old was born and the one thing I know works is to wrap "presents" to be opened once an hour or 1/2 hour. Last trip I brought 36 of these presents just incase the 1/2 hour rule didn't work. The presents were puzzles, washable pens with paper, playdough, etc. Small portions of each. It was a life saver.<BR><BR>Oh important, if you order the child's menu, make sure they do not include candy. On Alitalia last year they gave 4 candy bars in the child's menu. Thank goodness daughter was playing with a puzzle and didn't see me swipe them. There is nothing worse than a child on a sugar high cooped up on a plane.<BR><BR>Oh and as someone else said, be a working parent. Make sure that you do not let your child run the aisles, kick the seats, etc.

Along with the DVD player, don't forget headphones. That way your little one can hear his movie w/out disturbing other passengers. You might also consider books w/cassettes.

We took our one year old to Europe this summer. We picked up a couple of new toys which we gave him on the plane. In terms of video, several airlines now have personal seat back players that allow you to pick the movie when your battery runs out. (You may also want to buy a second battery. Eventually most DVD player batteries need replacing anyway after 500, or so, recharges. Might as well get one now.)<BR><BR><BR>You may also want to request the bulk head row. We did this with our son and were able to set up a little play area on the floor in front of the window seat.

Hi there,<BR>Yep...I can understand why you are nervous. I have done this several times and it is hard work! We used the hour rule with treats. I also bought very little toys etc. to unwrap. It gave them incentive to behave, a new distraction and was a life saver. They don't need to be expensive things. I also brought bubbles and made sure that it was OK with my fellow passengers when I brought them out. They were fun and the other passengers enjoyed them as well!<BR><BR>Psych yourself up and don't let the little things get to you. If you remain calm and in control, chances are he will behave better also.<BR><BR>Good luck,<BR>Jan

Other than to bring children to meet overseas grandparents, why do people travel with young chilcren? They can't possibly appreciate anything so young, it's a lot of work for the parents and it's not so great for other adult passengers. They would be better off left with family back home until they are older.

Laura, children can appreciate their new surroundings very well. As for other adult passengers, if the parents are parenting, the children should not be a problem. Too bad more of the adults who fly do not have their parents with them to reprimand them for their bad behavior.

I have to tell you.....if I'm trying to sleep on a flight and I have a parent saying very loudly, "No don't do that, no, don't do this" and tramping up and down the aisle playing a game, I'm going to be pretty annoyed. It would not go a long way with me. Quietly entertaining a child (and being prepared) with a mind that most people on the flight want to sleep, goes a long way with me. A side note on going up and down the aisles: sometimes turbulence on a trans-oceanic flight can sneak up on you. After, a partcularly tramatic bounce a few years ago, the only time I'm without my seat belt is when I'm in the loo. In that instance, the drink cart hit the ceiling, imagine what a 2 year old would do.<BR><BR>And please......do diaper changes in the rest room. I had a woman in front of me change her kids diaper on the tray table. I thought I was going to be sick......especially when she ate off of that tray table later.

Take fluids. The "presents" worked well. Take him on a tour of the plane. Try to wear him out in the wait at the airport (so he sleeps, assuming it is an overnight flight). We found the trip back (during the day) more difficult, because he didn't sleep. Bring a mixture of old favorite toys and new ones. Bring lots of new and old books, too.

Aha, the non-parents speak up. As for some of your very inaccurate comments. My daughter is only 4 months old & is constantly 'checking out' her surroundings, etc. & already loves being outside. If you don't have advice (as asked) please keep your uninformed opinions to yourself. One thing is we always try to use miles to get bumped up to 1st or Business class, much more space. We all hope they'll just sleep but that never seems to happen. Good luck & don't let the nay-sayers bother you.

I agree -- unless it is to visit Grandma or an emergency I really can see no reason to travel internationally with a 2 yr. old. We told our child that she could travel with us on long flights as soon as she could entertain herself with a book or something like that for 13 hrs. straight. She took her first international trip with us in grade school. (And by the way, was old enough to appreciate it) Let's face it, a 2 hr. old is barely capable of appreciating Disney World.

I've done the Seattle to Frankfurt trip 3 times alone with my son. I still cringe when I think of the first 2 times when he was 19 months and then 2 years. The last time at 3 1/2 was much easier! <BR><BR>Two things that worked really well for me was a little tube of mini M&M's. I doled them out to him one at a time and that was good for 20 minutes of entertainment in that last horrible hour before landing. The other thing he really LOVED was a small fan I got at the dollar store that had a light and small vinyl blades. He couldn't hurt himself, the batteries lasted the whole trip and he had a blast turning in on and off.<BR><BR>I tried the Benadryl trick the first time but even though he slept with it great at home it just got him going on the plane. I just couldn't seem to push him over the edge into sleep no matter what I did. In 22 hours of travelling he slept 1 hour! Children's Nyquil seemed to work better the second time and he slept for 3 hours.<BR><BR>If he's a button-pusher, try taking a small strip of duct-tape and putting it over the light buttons before he ever sees them. That way he won't be constantly turning the light on and off disturbing the other passengers. Also, I always start a flight by nicely apologising in advance to the passengers in the seats in front of us because I know that no matter how hard I try, he's going to kick that seat at least once. They've always been gracious and told me not to worry about it, escpecially after I ask them to let me know if he's doing something to disturb them.<BR><BR>What really made a huge difference on the last trip was to book a window and aisle seat and upon arriving at the airport explained to both the check-in agent and the gate agent that I was travelling with a toddler and was it possible for them to block that middle seat. We got the empty seat both times and what a blessing!<BR><BR>One tip I can give you, and I'll probably get blasted for it, was to take a narrow 6 foot leash for him on the first and second trips. I didn't use it on the plane, but when stuck in the airport it was great. Since you can't leave luggage, strollers, etc, etc, unattended and I didn't have help, I was able to attach the lead to his overalls (most comfortable clothes for travelling, BTW) and sit with our stuff while he had a six foot radius of safe walking space. It sounds a little barbaric, but he enjoyed wandering and getting the between and after flight jitters out and most importantly it was a safe way for him to move about.<BR><BR>And for those of you wondering why on earth I'd travel alone that much with a toddler, my husband was stationed in Kosovo for a year and couldn't get enough time off to travel all the way home. The second time, we ended up moving to Germany, so I didn't have much choice. <BR><BR>So, good luck, get a good night's sleep the night before, and most importantly keep a sense of humor!

Bless you Linda. My husband was in the military in the 70's and I flew a lot of MAC flights with dependents with children. It looked like a nightmare. Your tricks are all very smart with safety for your child and the comfort of other passengers in mind. Good luck!

I read this on another board and it worked well for me: scotch tape and small pieces of coloured paper to stick together. In fact just a piece of tape can be fascinating to some kids!<BR>Ignore the "ugly" posts above about not travelling with kids because they are a pain to other travellers or won't take in what they see. Some parents don't have anyone they can leave their children with even if they wanted to go on an adults-only trip.

To those who keep questioning why this woman is taking a two year old on such a long flight - keep it to yourself. What business is it of yours WHY she is doing it? The fact is she IS doing it and needs help. Sheesh.

Although I'm not a parent, I have been a nanny, and when I traveled with the 3 and 5 year old boys, I used almost every trick mentioned above. And they do work!<BR><BR>When we got on a plane, people would literally GLARE at me (I even got the occasional "Oh, no!"). EVERY TIME, when we deplaned, people would stop and compliment the boys on their good behavior.<BR><BR>The only other suggestion I have is to practice using "inside voices". Kids' voices travel very well (no pun intended), and parents tend to be so distracted by addressing the issue at hand and distracting the child that they often don't seem to notice, or think that the loud voice is less of an issue than the wiggling. <BR><BR>And - how can I say this nicely, I do MEAN it nicely - the same goes for you, too! Frequently the children on a plane are at a low whine, but the parents are even louder in disciplining them! :)<BR><BR>(As a timely side note: I laughed out loud when I read the recent Fodors Weekly Poll asking what people had used the airline sickness bags for. Once as a nanny when I was flying with the mother and her two boys, she had packed a large bag of popcorn. She realized it would be hard to share, so asked me to gather up a couple of those air sickness bags. I was reaching across the kids, grabbing a couple, and noticed that the people around me were giving me terrified looks - I realized they thought I must be preparing for some immediate, drastic onslaught of child illness!)

I fly back and forth to Europe 4 or more times a year with my 2 year old. And I fly from LAX which is even further than you! I have learned to take an afternoon flight (4 pm onward) so after having dinner on the flight and reading some books, she is ready to go to sleep at 8 pm as she does every night at home. She sleeps 12 hours a night anyway and wakes about 7:30 am, in time for breakfast. We play toys and read for the duration of the flight (either into Milano or Berlin). I have had to take morning flights too and learned a clever trick: I buy little trinkets (small book, cards, spinning top, jacks, etc) that I wrap up each one (11 or 12 pkgs) and she opens one up each hour. It keeps her occupied and busy and she is thrilled with a "surprise." It is really quite easy to manage if you coordinate your efforts ahead of time. We are going back to Italia for Christmas and I am looking forward to it!

Dear Jm,<BR><BR>That scotch tape tip and some others are in a story on this site at http://www.fodors.com/features/nfdis...00911_f_flying

As to responses that the non-parents are complaining (my earlier post regarding not taking young children on long trips)--I am a mother and would never want to drag my young child thru Europe--children get tired and cranky after a long day. <BR>Also on our previous trip to London the poor child seated in front of us was sick, coughing and threw up all over the seat--the area smelled during the entire trip. Why did these parents take a sick child on the plane! Anyway, J.M. I hope you are fortunate to have a much more pleasant experience, it's smart to keep them very occupied--so they will get tired and sleep.

A flight attendant told me about a parent that had a young child on a long flight, and they took a laptop computer with a DVD player, and many young videos. Apparently it helped a great deal.

I took a laptop on our last flight just to use the DVD player. The problem was that the seats had no powerports and the battery only lasted about 55 minutes with the DVD (boy, that thing sucks power like you wouldn't believe!). The other problem was that we lost a chunk of our battery reserve by having to power it up for the security checkpoint. Considering these things, and how much it weighs, I don't think I'd take it again just for this unless my seat had a plug-in or I had two extra batteries. I did use it to download all of my digital photos at my destination though so lugging it around was worth it in the end. If I could have afforded it, I would have taken a small portable DVD player instead.

I did Paris-Sydney via Singapore with my three year old and survived! It wasn't so bad. In flight entertainment is a must, if you can get it. Lots of sticker/rub-on transfer books. Playmobiles. Trading toys with other small children on the plane. Reading brand new stories. Lots of snacks (ie granola bars). Benadryl worked welk for me but try it first at home--some cough medicines can speed kids up! Have a great trip!

I would check about the DVD player. On my recent trip to Europe, you couldn't have anything like CD players, laptops, anything. You could only have a tape player. Made for a lot of cranky adults. =) I would have a back up plan for that in case.

back to the original question: check him through as luggage!