Author Topic: Tips and tricks for a lengthy plane ride?  (Read 3036 times)

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Offline Jiinx

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Tips and tricks for a lengthy plane ride?
« on: October 24, 2010, 13:58:26 pm »
Hi all!
 I haven't taken her across timezones since she was 5.5 months old...she was quite easy to put to sleep and entertain. Fast forward to today - she doesn't walk and doesn't enjoy toys much. Any ideas on what you took or how you passed the time on a plane ride or how you managed to put them to sleep..any thoughts are much appreciated :)

So far all I can think of are snacks and a lot of prayers ;D ;D

I'm going to Hawaii so she's going to be insanely tired when we arrive...oh boy.
*Sarah*





Offline aisling

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Re: Tips and tricks for a lengthy plane ride?
« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2010, 13:27:22 pm »

Offline Jiinx

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Re: Tips and tricks for a lengthy plane ride?
« Reply #2 on: October 27, 2010, 15:21:31 pm »
ais, I hadn't seen that link. Thank you. I'll take a peek at it during her nap today.
:-*
*Sarah*





Offline okinawamama

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Re: Tips and tricks for a lengthy plane ride?
« Reply #3 on: October 27, 2010, 15:27:35 pm »
Are you buying a seat? I think that is the biggest key to success after LO's are able to walk. Once my son was mobile, he wouldn't sit in my lap for extended periods of time, plus he understands that when he's strapped into the carseat he can't get out, so he doesn't even try. He also won't nap in my arms, so if he didn't have a seat he didn't sleep (and even in a carseat I can only get him to nap 30 minutes anyway).

For us, we use a DVD player pretty often, I bring tons of snacks, books toy cars and those special markers that will only color on certain paper.

Good luck! Enjoy Hawaii!!
toddler A 3/16/2009
baby B 4/20/2011

Offline momtonb&ab

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Re: Tips and tricks for a lengthy plane ride?
« Reply #4 on: October 27, 2010, 16:04:33 pm »
the link Aisling gave is great - the one thing that was a really great distractor was the painters tape.  the roll was fun to roll around on the table and hold in their hand, the tape held drawing paper to the tray when colouring, and just sticking the tape to things was fun!!!!   cheapest greatest toy.

if you are flying from Toronto you will likely have seatback TV so get your LO a pair of the earphones that have the band to go over the head (since the ones the airlines give you don't stay on the little ears) and there is lots of kids programming on the seatback TV.  treehouse has quite a bit to watch.  we also brought some toys - old favourites that had been put away for a while mixed with a couple of new ones like an etchasketch.   works wonders.  and dont' worry about the people around you - they rarely care if a little one gets whingy. 

i have flown 6+ hours several times alone with our guys since they turned 2, and we flew 12 times with them DH and i together before they turned two.  it can be done, some flights are easier than others but overall we have never had any big problems. 

Offline Tweakster

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Re: Tips and tricks for a lengthy plane ride?
« Reply #5 on: October 28, 2010, 19:24:12 pm »
plus he understands that when he's strapped into the carseat he can't get out, so he doesn't even try. He also won't nap in my arms, so if he didn't have a seat he didn't sleep (and even in a carseat I can only get him to nap 30 minutes anyway).

This is going to be our tactic for our trip to UK in March.  It was bad enough last time when he was just over 9 mths and cruising.  By then he will be almost 2 and have been walking for like a year.  No way are we going to try to hold him on our laps.  Painful.

What airline is it Sarah?  Seat back players are great - they can easily see them and gives them something to focus on for at least 10 mins here and there.  And lots of tours of the plane.  And saying 'hi' to all the people trying to sleep lol

Brand new toys that she's never seen, stickers (similar to the tape idea), and yes, praying is good too.
The tweaking never stops!

Offline Jiinx

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Re: Tips and tricks for a lengthy plane ride?
« Reply #6 on: October 28, 2010, 21:58:22 pm »
...painters tape ? check!
...snacks galore ? check!
...new toys ? (bought a medical kit..and aqua doodle) check!
...butterflies swimming in the pit of my stomach ? check!


thanks ladies. I think we're prepared ..in terms of snacks and toys and entertainment. Um..the rest is up to her ;D

It's American Airlines. We don't have bulkhead..unless that changes and we go early and we get it, but we're on a two seater and I'm more than prepared to sit on the floor to have her sleep on the chair. The flight is full, apparently..but maybe I'll find a lone seat or two somewhere!
*Sarah*





Offline teilvnav

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Re: Tips and tricks for a lengthy plane ride?
« Reply #7 on: October 28, 2010, 22:17:14 pm »
I would just like to say... you have all frightened me. We are flying in January, and didn't buy DS a seat since they are free under 2 yrs. Quite honestly, if we had to buy him a ticket we wouldn't be going. We fly from Thunder Bay to Calgary with a very brief layover in Winnipeg, then a few days later from Calgary to Vancouver, and then after a week (here is the torturous part) from Vancouver OVER Thunder Bay to Toronto, and then back to Thunder Bay after a 4 hr layover in TO. That day, we will be leaving at 11:30 am local time and arriving at 11:30 pm local time. Ugh.

Off to check out that link now... and if anyone wants to send me some Valium (either for me or for Nathan, LOL), that would be great.
Amy


Offline okinawamama

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Re: Tips and tricks for a lengthy plane ride?
« Reply #8 on: October 28, 2010, 22:28:39 pm »
I think every child is different. AMbrose is pretty spirited and trying to contain him for any ammount of time results in a kicking screaming fight right there in the seat, and as you can imagine, the people around us are NOT happy (especially the person in front of us who's seat is getting kicked relentlessly by my tantruming toddler).  I fly with Ambrose almost every 10 weeks and there are TONS of people on there who successfully hold their child the entire flight, and everything goes great. I didn't mean to frighten you, you know your kid and their limits best :) , just sharing my experience.
toddler A 3/16/2009
baby B 4/20/2011

Offline teilvnav

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Re: Tips and tricks for a lengthy plane ride?
« Reply #9 on: October 28, 2010, 22:42:13 pm »
Thanks Stephanie! We don't have a choice, we are taking Nathan to meet his great-grandmother and she can't travel here. Oh well, we'll see how it goes!
Amy