7 Tips for Entertaining Kids in Flight
It is suggested to read the following two posts first before reading these 7 tips.
http://www.jetwithkids.com/blog/how-to-entertain-kids-in-flight
Remember to keep a child’s perspective in mind at all times. Respect the magnitude of stimulation for them.
http://www.jetwithkids.com/blog/traveling-with-kids-a-childs-perspective
Ok, NOW I can offer the entertainment tips:
Oh wait – one more thing: sitting in an enclosed space for long periods of time with toddlers and preschoolers is not easy. Nobody ever said flying with kids was easy… but then again, nothing about parenting is easy! Patience, creativity, and preparation are required for a successful flight.
1. In-flight restraint is necessary for all passengers, even when not convenient. During take-off and landing, the airplane is like a race car traveling 200+mph down the runway. ALL passengers should be secured even if there are tears. This is when those super surprises (items that distract) need to be given if compliance is an issue. Yes, this can prove challenging, but restraint in a moving vehicle (200-600 mph) is the safest option.
2. Monitor children closely for signs of hunger, thirst, sleepiness, anxiety, or illness. The whole flight process is energy draining and little bodies are most susceptible. Gas pains (all gas bubbles expand in flight), ear pain or fullness, teething, etc. can happen quickly and unexpectedly. Many times kids act out because they don’t feel right and are unable to express this (and don’t even realize it). Healthy snacks, patient parents, soothing voices, calm music with noise-canceling headphones, personalized spaces, etc. all can make a huge difference in the behavior of a child. I have found that noise canceling headphones are great to decrease the “noise” of those jets, people talking, babies crying, etc. My son has fallen asleep easier when I calm the environment down.
Don’t pull out the toys or surprise bag until you have observed your child closely. When is the last time they ate, slept, or pooped?
3. Use the airplane safety card! My son is still entertained after 5 years of seeing that card – simply because there are weeks in between flights for him and it is a different “story” every time!
4. Interact with your child. Read to them, talk to them, show them photos on your digital camera.Involved parents will notice when it is time for a snack, rest, activity change, etc.
5. Read favorite books and books about the flight experience. Airplanes are fascinating – enjoy the experience with your child. It is essential that children are prepared for the flight experience before flying. I highly recommend the Shae By Air DVD Toolkit FOR toddlers as well as airport and airplane books to familiarize them with the process and expectations.
6. Video, music, and audio books can be a great tool for distraction and entertainment. Of course, this needs to be monitored and headphones need to be used. But even if a child isn’t allowed to watch videos at home, sitting in a carseat for hours on end is an unusual circumstance. My iPhone has games, educational videos about science and nature as well as the animated cartoons. It also has classical and children’s music as well as some of my son’s favorite audio books. Most recently my son used iPhone apps designed especially for traveling kids! Don’t be quick to judge. Instead allow yourself a breather and an exception to the rule. This does not mean it’s time for you to take a nap. Monitoring a child for restlessness and the need for activity change is still important.
I have also discovered with my son and my nephew animated videos tends to make them more hyper. I encourage videos such as Shae By Air, Discovery Kids or a show like National Geographic. It’s great when the videos are actually educational as well as entertaining!
7. Toys, activities, games, etc. need to be appropriate for flight and shared spaces. Entertaining a child is important. But also just as important is to respect those sharing the same enclosed space. Toys that make noise, videos without headphones, games that result in hyperactivity – not a good idea. There are plenty of activities that can be played quietly without bothering anyone all the while entertaining a child.
I have also found that simple things such as packing double side tape to place photos on the back of the seat in front of my child was not only entertaining to talk about with him, but was a deterrent for kicking the seat in front of him.
Sitting in one place for long periods of time is not natural to toddlers and preschoolers. However, an involved parent will use creativity, patience, and surprises to stay two steps ahead of little travelers.
Keeping all of this in mind, here are some products we found for in-flight entertainment: http://www.jetwithkids.com/product_plane_entertain.html
Did you enjoy this post? Subscribe to receive FREE updates!
Comments on this entry are closed.