Flying with 13 month old
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| We've flown with our daughter before, but when she was much smaller and she slept the whole time. We're flying on Sunday (ugh and it's going to be so cold) for a 3 hour flight. It is during her morning nap time so she may sleep for some of it (crossing my fingers!) but any great suggestions to keep her busy? Obviously we'll have toys and snacks but any tricks appreciated! |
Anonymous
|
Stickers are your friend. Get her a big sticker activity book.
|
Anonymous
|
Books.
Snacks that are new to her, in a new to her delivery system. If you've never used a snack catcher, this is not a bad time to road test it (no pun intended). Fill it with toddler chow mix; cheerios, pretzels, teeny crackers. Kiddie apps on your phone. Short videos on your phone. |
Anonymous
|
Does she have her own seat or will she be sitting on your lap?
Either way I highly suggest that if it as all possible you pay the uplift for preferred seating and try to get that front row seat. We used to do this on United. It was great b/c I did not have to worry about bumping the seat in front of me when I was moving around to get toys or treats, or whatever. But the better part is you have just a bit more room and you can use the floor for DC when the flight is underway. I would put my legs on the wall and create a bit of a fenced in play area. Sleeping babies are great but the mobile ones need to be contained. |
Anonymous
OP here. Stickers! I never thought of those-kind of thought of them as an older kid thing I guess-good to know  FTM mom here-what is toddler chow mix? I am definitely getting cheerios as I don't typically give them and she liked them when she had her cousins, and I in fact have a snack catcher I just bought but haven't tried! She does not have her own seat-I'll see if USAirways has the upgrade thing. Keep suggestions coming! Any videos/apps you guys suggest? She sadly does LOVE the iphone. sigh.
|
Anonymous
|
Post-it notes. Cups from the flight attendant. Friendly fellow passengers. So many snacks--a different and more exciting snack for every 20-30 minutes of the flight.
I would not bring too many toys. My kids have never had an interest in normal toys on a plane. They would much rather play with the stuff in the seat pocket, walk up and down the aisle, or play with random things like the above. I think you're much more likely to have a grouchy toddler than a napping toddler on a plane. We learned that one the hard way when booked an evening cross-country flight when DD was 13 months, and I spent the entire flight walking up and down the aisle with her. Don't expect too much--this is by far the worst age to fly with a child, especially if they've just learned how to walk. |
Anonymous
This is a good thing for the flight! There is an app called Bubbles that my toddler liked. Also Fish School from Duck Duck Moose. And Elmo apps/videos--Elmo ABCs app (there's a free light version that is fine for a younger kid) and Best of Elmo 2. |
Anonymous
| Will the child be in her own seat? |
Anonymous
|
Toddler chow is just what I used to call the mix up of snacky things I put in the snack catcher. I'd use whatever I had on hand, but cheerios, mini pretzels, goldfish, annie's bunnies, cheez-it crackers, whatever.
It's not *the* most nutritious thing you'll ever feed your kid, but it's dry, non-messy, shelf-stable, and keeps in a purse for a week without going off, and it got us through a number of low-blood-sugar meltdowns. You can also buy bananas, in every airport in every country I've ever been in (must be some sort of international aviation law). And fruit cups are nice, too (buy one after security from the coffee shop). Oh. And if you want some thing to drink for your child that's not water, you are allowed to take that through security. I took milk boxes -- just put them in a separate ziploc bag and put them in the grey bin as you go through. |
Anonymous
You can bring water for kids. They just test it at security. |
Anonymous
| no suggestion for keeping her busy but it's good to encourage her to sip/drink water during landing. Swallowing water will help to release pressure in the ears... |
Anonymous
| I agree re: sticker books at that age. If she's drinks a bottle, give to her when taking off or landing to help with ears. Snack "treats". Little surprises to take out one at a time. An iPad with short nursery rhymes in case of desperation. My son is almost 2 now and if we fly during his nap time he almost always sleeps-usually a shorter nap but for about an hour. The vibrations of the plane help. |
Anonymous
Oh, sure. I just never bother -- I bring an empty water bottle (for everyone) and fill it up on the other side. |