Airplanes are not just a mode of transportation, they are “home” to our family for hours at a time.
However, airplanes are unfamiliar, overstimulating, dirty, and unwelcoming. By taking the time and effort to “personalize” the family space and experience on a plane, a child has a much better chance of finding some relaxation and sleep.
Basic needs such as eating, sleeping, and pooping must be addressed and the uncomfortable environment of an airplane cabin can make it feel impossible for the needs of young travelers to be met.
JetWithKids 2010
I have found personalizing our space/row with familiar photos, a soft blanket and pillow, and providing headphones with soft music or a relaxing show, can make all the difference in helping my son to fall asleep or relax. When my son is tired, if I make it cozy and soothing, he is calmer and falls asleep easier and faster.
Talking to a child about the flight process before the day of travel is essential. Discuss sleeping on the airplane in their seat and involve them with packing favorite bedtime books or pajamas. Do not assume children understand what they can expect or what is expected of them!
7 Tips to Personalize Your Space with Comfort:
1. Bring a pillow and blanket. I have used the PlaneComfort Pillow and Blanket combination and love it. The blanket is wide enough to cover 2 airplane seats, and the inflatable pillow has a soft pillow case that can be fun to inflate! I have also used the fun Zoobie Pets pillow/blanket combo.
2. Make it comfortable to relax even when restrained in the seat. I prefer to use the CARES harness where my son is able to pull his legs up and move around easier than if he were in a car seat.
For infants, a car seat is the safest place on the plane (not held on the lap). Car seats also offers a secure and familiar place for little ones to sleep. A blanket draped lightly over the top (allowing air flow) may help to darken the environment.
3. Dim the noise. Use noise canceling headphones – great for blocking out overstimulating activity and noise that may prevent or disturb sleep. These are also nice to use with an iPhone, video iPod or DVD player – fellow passengers will appreciate headphone use also as they won’t be subjected to listening to a toddler’s entertainment.
4. Adapt nap-time/bedtime routine to fit the surrounding. Read bedtime books, quietly hum or sing bedtime songs, eat a bedtime snack, etc. all to make the routine as familiar as possible. Children behave best when they know what is expected of them.
5. Dress for (sleep) success. Change your child into pajamas at the airport or on the plane if flying during bedtime/nap-time (layer with a sweater and blanket as plane temperatures vary).
6. Provide smart options for food and drink. Hunger and thirst will prevent relaxation or sleep. Avoid sugar before and during a flight. Offer nutritious meals and snacks and avoid soda or juices loaded with sugar (or you may have a hyperactive, overtired child on the plane and upon arrival).
7. Have children wear “Flight Pants”!
Even if potty-trained, consider “flight pants” for children when traveling by air. My son never needs to use the lavatory when I offer, but as soon as the turbulence appears or we begin descent (a 25 minute process to land -then another 20 minutes to get to gate with seat belts off and make it to the lavatory!) he HAS to go NOW. I have learned over the years, flight pants are necessary! So we decorate pull-ups to be “flight pants” like the astronauts wear and eliminate wet seats and miserable kids!
8. Avoid Planning a Flight To Coincide With Naptime:
This may work beautifully for some, but for me… well, my son NEVER slept on his own when I planned a flight purposely over nap time. EVER. Flying is fascinating and STIMULATING to children. So what happens? The “window” is missed (or never appears).
Then I was traveling with an overtired, overstimulated, crabby boy. So I learned to try and plan flights for awake and happy times.
When that wasn’t possible, I used the above tips to make it easier for the stimulants to be blocked out and sleep to come easier. Of course the longer flights covered both day and night so we adapted.
9. Always stay one step ahead of the child. Is the response time slowing? Look for signs: a longer blink, a stare, rubbing the eyes, etc. are all signs the timing is right for some rest. Help them accomplish the goal of a nap or rest.
*Whenever I was frustrated or desperate for my son to sleep, he would sense this and go the opposite direction. Kids are VERY sensitive to our stress. Take a few deep breaths and calm yourself before attempting to calm a child.
10. Adjust sleep schedules for time zones:
Although jet lag experts may advise to set your watch for the destination time and adapt immediately with sleep, some children will nap earlier or later than ideal. Travel is exhausting for all. Monitor your child and when they need to sleep, allow them that rest. An overtired child will become hyper and irritable and sleep will be impossible- FOR ALL.
One last tip: Avoid using medication such as Benadryl to sedate a child when traveling.
Travel Guru Rick Steves once asked me, “Anya, can you REALLY say you NEVER medicated your child on a plane to help them sleep?” Yes, I REALLY can say that. I am a nurse and understand that drugs are powerful and the last place I want to be is at 37,000 feet with an unplanned drug reaction.
*Caution: Avoid medicating children for sleep or sedation on flights. There is a risk of a paradoxical (opposite) effect! The quietly sleeping child you visualize actually may be stimulated by the drug and now be a hyper, overstimulated, overtired nightmare. Plus a groggy child may be more irritable and edgy when the drug wears off and travel then gets old quickly for ALL.
Sleeping on planes IS possible and my son has done it many times over the past 6+ years of world wide travel.
However, this has always required extra effort on my part to “turn down the stimulants” and make it cozy and comfortable. One more reason I like the last row of airplanes- our little corner was a quiet, private corner of the plane that we personalized to fit our family.
Sleep well little traveler!
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*This post was originally posted back in 2007, but has been updated and reposted because it is relevant when planning travel.
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