How to Entertain Kids in Long Flights

With the travel season opening again, you may be well into the summer vacation planning. You may be craving a family adventure far from home, or you may want to finally visit some family or friends who live away. Whatever the plan is, the traveling part of the trip is usually the most difficult and stressful one, especially when traveling with kids. 

If you have a long flight (or any kind of trip) planned with your kids this summer, we are here to make the whole process easier for you and your family! Here’s a complete guide on how to entertain kids on long trips:

General features to look for in travel entertainment for children: 

Quiet: When people see a young child in a boarding queue, the first thought is usually “I hope I’m not sitting next to them”. Quiet entertainment will definitely help you as well as all the people in hearing distance. This quiet entertainment can be in forms of toys without sounds or using headphones with movies.

Lightweight & compact & sturdy: All the items you pack to entertain your kids on the flight/trip should not be too heavy, take too much space in your already very limited cabin bags, or easily breakable. 

Independent Use: Ideally, your child should be able to use the items independently. If you’re going to have to struggle with the items all flight long, no one will leave that plane in their best condition. Independent use also means the items don’t include cables or batteries that can run out of power.

iPad & Headphones

A portable tablet filled with your little one’s favorite games, movies, shows, songs, and a comfy set of children’s headphones will keep your kids busy and entertained for a long time for sure! Bluetooth headphones are always a better idea than cabled ones, since most kids tend to forget that they are attached to something. 

Download some episodes of their favorite shows on Netflix or videos YouTube Premium, so they can have some quiet down-time while still being entertained and relaxed. Your kids can use the tablets for various apps as well, you can find apps for toddlers, children, and even babies!

Toys

You can bring any of their favorite toys as long as they are small, sturdy and compact! Finger puppets are a great idea for younger children, but they may require a lot of input from you as well. If you want your kids to entertain themselves, interactive books or travel busy boards (sensory toys with lots of zips, games to play, and buttons to press and can keep your toddler busy) will be great ideas. The Montessori Busy Board is a great busy bag approved by many parents with plenty of little activities for toddlers! 

Another idea is magnetic games. Board games with magnets will make sure that the pieces of the game will stay in place during your trip, and your little one can play the game for however long they want. 

The kids can also go full-on art mode and do some coloring if they like it! Use non-messy and easily removable coloring just in case they decide make the seat in front of them their canvas. 

Snacks

Bring healthy snacks like raisins, blueberries, cheese crackers, rice cakes, granola bars, cucumbers, etc. Make sure that you are packing them to stay fresh for the whole flight. You can use Ziploc bags to keep them all In place, but remember not to mix dry snacks with wets ones (cheese crackers and cucumbers in a bag all day won’t be good.) Sugar is not recommended because we don’t want a sugar rush at an airplane for sure! 

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