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Toddlers on Airplanes

Traveling on an airplane with a child can be both exciting and difficult. It will be exciting because your child will be experiencing new sights and sounds and their excitement will be contagious. It will be difficult because air travel poses different problems to toddlers than it does to adults. Among the many different problems you might face, ear discomfort, hunger and boredom will probably be the most difficult. Luckily, a little preplanning will help you and your toddler to have a safe and exciting flight.

• Give your child a dose of Dramamine. If your child has shown signs of carsickness during long drives, or if this will be your child's first airplane ride, giving them a dose of Dramamine one half hour before the flight will reduce their chances of feeling any air sickness. The Dramamine will also make them a little drowsy, which will help if you want your child to sleep for part of the flight.

• Bring plenty of gum or a pacifier. The act of chewing gum or sucking on a pacifier will help your child to open their middle ear chamber and relieve discomfort cause by air pressure changes during take off and landing.

• Pack plenty of snacks. The current practice at most airlines is to offer its passengers peanuts or a cookie, plus drinks, during a flight of six hours or less. Since most toddlers eat frequently throughout the day, one package of peanuts will not be enough to satisfy them during the flight. Good, take along snack options include individual bags of chips or pretzels, animal crackers, dried or fresh fruit, boxed cereal and granola bars. You might also want to bring a sippy cup, even if your child no longer uses one at home, to make drinking their beverages easier.

• Pack an activity bag. Of course, you will want to let your child pack their own backpack filled with their favorite toys for the trip, but you might also consider packing an activity bag of your own. This way, if your child gets bored or needs to be entertained, you can pull new and exciting activities out slowly over the course of the flight. Good items to include are new books, inexpensive toys, a box of crayons and some paper and a deck of cards.

• Ask about a tour of the cockpit. Most airlines still offer cockpit tours to children during non-busy flights. These tours usually include a tour of the airplane, a stop in the kitchen area to meet the flight attendants and a chance to meet the pilot. After the tour is over, many airlines offer a sticker or a set of pin on wings that makes the child an honorary pilot.

• Pack an extra set of clothes for your child in your carry on bag. Messes and accidents happen, especially when your child is overly excited, so it is a good idea to have an entire change of clothes handy. It might be a good idea to include an extra pair of shoes and socks, also.

• Bring your toddler's favorite blanket or pillow. For times when your toddler does get sleepy, it will probably make it easier for them to relax if they have a familiar pillow or blanket with them. These items can also be used to clam any fears they may have during the flight.

Most importantly, remember that airplane travel is new and exciting for toddlers, so expect them to be a little hyper and distracted. Try to remain as calm as possible yourself, and let some small rules slide until they are better able to focus on what you want.

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