Long Flight with 4 yr-old and 18 month-old

Has anyone flown with an 18 month-old? I am finding this age to be wonderful but also challenging - as they start to come into their own and definitely show their dislike for something....and my DD is non-stop - I wish I had her energy!

I am flying to Cairns from NZ next week, going via Sydney (about a 2-3 hour stopover) before going on to Cairns.

I just wanted to see if anyone had any ideas on how to keep them entertained? I am quite sure my DS will be ok with a movie on or some colouring books, it's my younger one I'm worried about! haha. A little worried also as I remember flying long-haul (14 hours!!) with my DS when he was about 2 - that was a nightmare - thank goodness I had my parents with me or I don't know what I would have done! (And I was 5 months pregnant too!)

Also, feel free to share some amusing stories with me on past experiences on flying with kids!! tongue

We just came back from a 3 weeks holiday with DD who's 15 months old. Total flying time one way was 20 hours. I'm just so glad I wasn't alone LOL.

I think one of the best things you can do overall, is to expect the worst. I know it sounds horrible but when you do and most of it doesn't happen, then you come out of it all thinking, that's wasn't so bad after all! Before going on this holiday, I expected not to sleep at all during all the flights while looking after DD or running after her on the plane, or for her to spill juice or food on me or on DH, or for her to need a nappy change every 2 hours because she has bad diarriah or whatever. When all of this doesn't happen and all you have to do is put up with her for other silly things you'll come out thinking it was a good trip grin

As for entertainment, I took along her favourite videos and they were really good to have. We took our laptop with us so that kept her happy most of the flight. I found she didn't want to eat much on the plane, instead she wanted to have more milk, which I was prepared for as well. Just give her whatever makes her feel happy and comfortable, as long as she's not harming herself. And if you need help from the air hostesses, let them know they love to help out - we travelled with Emirates - but I'm sure they're like that on most airlines grin

I like that you had that outlook on the whole trip!! grin Thanks for the tips! My DD does like movies......here's hoping she may sit still long enough to watch one!

Im sort of going through the same thing, flying in a couple of weeks with my 13 month old. My main concern was her ears, but have been told to take sipy cup, dummy. Im going to get some sugar free lolly pops too. As for entertainment your younger one will prob sleep most of it? Im hoping this for my baby. smile

Im sort of going through the same thing, flying in a couple of weeks with my 13 month old. My main concern was her ears, but have been told to take sipy cup, dummy. Im going to get some sugar free lolly pops too. As for entertainment your younger one will prob sleep most of it? Im hoping this for my baby. smile

Good luck and hope you have a smooth flight! I am taking the dummy for DD too - she is a bit reliant on it! I might run them around the terminal while we are waiting and try and wear them out too -but not going to get my hopes up with that one! haha..

Hopefully it is a smooth flight for you, and you are able to roam the aisle. I have found with DD this is all she wants to do, so we are constantly walking up and down. Other passengers stop and talk to her which helps. Every airline is different with their "help". Emeriates are amazing, the others don't do much at all!!! (Virgin is ok). Take loads of snacks/milk/toys to keep them entertianed, but don't expect to be sitting for long!!!

Enjoy, (it really isn't that long) smile

I was quite worried about the "ears" thing as well, but DD no longer uses a dummy and I didn't want her to get used to it again just for the trip. To be honest though, during take off and landing, she was so calm it surprised me, and most times she would actually fall asleep! So I don't think it applies to all kids, I guess just see how you go for the first flight - we had 6 flights in total - and judge by that. It's usually a hereditary thing, so if you or your partner have problems then your little one might do too. Best of luck smile

Hi there

2 weeks ago we flew from Adelaide to Paris with a just turned 4 yr old (the day before) and 17 month old. You can see my blog for our journey.

Honestly though, it was fine. We had no real dramas at all. The ear thing was not a problem at all and my 17 month old even fell asleep while landing. she woke up when they chucked it in reverse, but fell back asleep again.
I found what kept her entertained was looking out the window,standing up and looking at the other passengers, books(just the ones you get on the plane) , travel etcha a sketch, the remote control, just general attention. We never even walked the aisle and we were on planes for 20hours. After the flight we were then on a train for another 3 hours. My 17 monthold is normally EXTREMELY active. We have trouble confining her the house, let alone a small area.

I guess my best tips are, let them sleep when they need- an overtired kid is not a happy one.

bring basic things to entertain them such as a water bottle they can screw the lid on, a cup of ice, colouring in, but isn't going to mean you are carrying a lot.

nutritious food for the days leading up to it and the flight. a kid hyped on sugar or salt or a kid having sugar salt withdrawals is going to be miserable.

I actually found the flight to be really fun and relaxed! I was dreading it, I was terrified of flying and panicking about how the kids were going to be and it was genuinely great even with the normal kid stuff such as spills etc.

go, have a great time and whatever will be will be.

All the best!

Hi there

2 weeks ago we flew from Adelaide to Paris with a just turned 4 yr old (the day before) and 17 month old. You can see my blog for our journey.

Honestly though, it was fine. We had no real dramas at all. The ear thing was not a problem at all and my 17 month old even fell asleep while landing. she woke up when they chucked it in reverse, but fell back asleep again.
I found what kept her entertained was looking out the window,standing up and looking at the other passengers, books(just the ones you get on the plane) , travel etcha a sketch, the remote control, just general attention. We never even walked the aisle and we were on planes for 20hours. After the flight we were then on a train for another 3 hours. My 17 monthold is normally EXTREMELY active. We have trouble confining her the house, let alone a small area.

I guess my best tips are, let them sleep when they need- an overtired kid is not a happy one.

bring basic things to entertain them such as a water bottle they can screw the lid on, a cup of ice, colouring in, but isn't going to mean you are carrying a lot.

nutritious food for the days leading up to it and the flight. a kid hyped on sugar or salt or a kid having sugar salt withdrawals is going to be miserable.

I actually found the flight to be really fun and relaxed! I was dreading it, I was terrified of flying and panicking about how the kids were going to be and it was genuinely great even with the normal kid stuff such as spills etc.

go, have a great time and whatever will be will be.

All the best!

Heya,

I've been looking into this as well as we are travelling to the UK in Sept with a then 20 month old boy. Should be fun tongue and after speaking to lots of people including our travel agent the suggestion that kept coming up was wrap up a few new presents and give them to them at regular intervals to keep them entertained. Also don't be afraid to let them wander round the plane as a) people will love the distraction from the flight and cool as someone else said the flight attendents LOVE to help with littlies.

Hope this helps, let me know how it goes.......i'm forever wondering what our trip in sept is going to turn out like grin

Have a good flight grin

Hi we are flying to the UK THIS saturday with nearly 5yr old girl and just turned 2yr old boy. I have sort of got over worrying about the flight, what will be will be. I am a "over organised" type of person and have been doing my homework for nearly 6mths on this trip. I have gifts wrapped up for both children. Activity books, colouring books, barbie clothes for the older one, and cars, calculator (yes true, I was told by a friend her 2yr old was facinated with it for hours), colouring book for him too, and I have been training the youngest to sit and watch Chuggington etc dvds (naughty mummy lol), we are taking the portable dvd player plus Air NZ have the kiddies programmes on thea own screens. I also have phenegan and have tested it twice now. We fly out at 11.15pm so hopefully the kids will fall asleep without the phenegan. Then we stop in HK for 2hrs then straight on to London. Fingers crossed all goes well. My husband is great at keeping them entertained for hours, he has way more paitence than me smile

Any last minute would be great. I will let you know how the flight goes smile

Heya,

I've been looking into this as well as we are travelling to the UK in Sept with a then 20 month old boy. Should be fun tongue and after speaking to lots of people including our travel agent the suggestion that kept coming up was wrap up a few new presents and give them to them at regular intervals to keep them entertained. Also don't be afraid to let them wander round the plane as a) people will love the distraction from the flight and cool as someone else said the flight attendents LOVE to help with littlies.

Hope this helps, let me know how it goes.......i'm forever wondering what our trip in sept is going to turn out like grin

Have a good flight grin

iPADS!! Multifunctional, kids can draw, watch movies etc etc. Ours is a life saver! we have disneys baby einsteins on it and our 6 mth old loved it during a 6 hr flight laugh