We have two plane trips in our future. Both are about 6 hours, but one is mostly nighttime, while the other is mostly daytime. He hasn't flown since he was an infant, so this will be all new for him. Here is what I have assembled for our almost 4 year old.

For him to carry in his backpack:
*viewmaster and assorted reels
*a few tiny spiral notepads with some golf pencils and crayons
*chalkcloth set (rolls up, with a few pieces of chalk)
*a few DK sticker books
*pocket mythology book
*special storybook
*uno
*lacing cards
*a few snack sized boxes of raisins
*packet of graham crackers
*some music cassettes...I am still looking for a children's walkman
*also still looking for compact set of colorforms

For me to carry for him:
*change of clothes
*special blanket he needs to sleep
*going to buy children's dramamine, just in case

Veteran travelers, what do you think of this list?

Thanks!
:)
Tara

I would add juice boxes or drinks and a hat and mitts. My kids got very cold during our last flight and it was in September. Maybe also a simple watch- a good way to do some introductory time telling, and a few print and color maps on which you can help him trace the route you are taking?

Hope you have a great trip! :)

A book about airplanes and how they work/are put together!

I know he's little (almost 4, right?) but see if he can chew gum. Seriously. I know, some people think it's ick but he's too big for a pacifier and his ears will probably be popping on takeoff and landing.

I flew 2 yrs ago, two 3-hr flights & two short hops on a little plane. By the last flight my ears were so messed up from the different weather out west & all the ups & downs that I spent the last hour of the flight listening to loud static in my ears! I couldn't hear the landing instructions or anything...I wasn't okay till I was off the plane a good hour. Luckily my newborn nursed through that and she was just fine.

I polished off my soda & lunch way before that last hour so I had nothing to drink and no other way to deal with it, I was just miserable, LOL. Maybe a juice box if you're not okay with the gum but those are small, my girls finish one in about 20 seconds.

Great idea on the airplane book, I love that!

Have fun on your trip!

Tara,
The Brainstorms in our mall had magnetic sets like this: http://www.geniusbabies.com/mrmrpohetrma.html They had several sets (not all characters) in a 9x12 size and a 5x7 ish size, if i remember correctly. The smaller sets were under $5.
I was thinking about getting those instead of colorforms when we fly east for winter holidays.

Also think about what he'll eat for a meal if he doesn't like what's served (or will you be bringing that?).

I always bring juice boxes, but Daniel prefers drinking from a cup when the flight attendant brings drinks. So, I've started just bringing water - far less mess anyway as the boxes often squirt the first time due to the pressure change or something.

You could also bring child scissors and a glue stick and hack up the inflight shopping magazine. :) I think scissors are allowed again, depending on the point.

~amey

Wow, those are some great ideas! We will be flying w/ the boys this Thanksgiving again and I am going to steal some of your great ideas! The only thing I would add would be more books, but my kid could go the whole plane trip just reading books. ;) Have fun!

I have flown 3 times so far with DS, each times we flew 8-9 hrs there and 8-9 hrs back.

KEEP IN MIND>>>>>>>>>>NO SCISSORS! you may get arrested because it is a violation to carry scissors, nailclippers or anything that resembles remotly a wepon. You may want to call you airline to double check if you are not certain.......but I know for sure the scissors (even kiddy scissors), Knifes and nailclippers are not allowed ;)

Anyway, you have it all pretty well covered. Do you have some small binoculars? That helps maybe at the airport while you are at the gate to look out the window.
I may have missed it, but bring a change of clothes for Both of you (if you have a child that has accidents at times you may want to bring him two changes of clothes just to be on the save side)
I always give Jeremy a decongestin like to make sure his sinus cavities are clear. And with 8-9 hrs of flight it always helped him to sleep.
OH, when you book your seats.......get the ones in the from right behind the divider. Those have the biggest legroom and you have noone infront of you who would lean the seat backwards and take up room.
Brings comfy thick socks for him and you.........i always take our shoes off for the long flights. Does he have a favorite pillow? I always bring a big one for DS.
Make sure you and him drink A LOT of water during the flight........it is known that flights can get ppl dehydrated fast.

Oh, and no shoes that need to be tied. I always have had to take my shoes off and put them on the conveyor to be x-rayed. Not sure if they only do this on international flights or on national ones too.
If you can........travel with suitcases that have wheels.......some airports have very terrible carts if you can find one lol!
On the flights I am on we always get as many juices and drinks etc as we want to get........not sure if your flights has that or if you should bring some for you and DS.

OH, last butnot least........make a name tag and put it on a nice strong string and when you guys are inbetween flights you may want to place it around his neck......if you don;t like anything around his neck.......maybe you can find a lil something that you can attach to his belt. Write the name and all info on it but make sure to place it backwards on him.....noone should be able to read it unless he is lost. (just like you never openly place anything on your suitcase like your addy........always place the adress card in those lil adress holders that go on the suitcases backwards. It is a known fact that burglers like to read the tags to see which house will be empty for a while ;) )

I THINK that is all for now..........if I remember something I will post it later.

Evi

fyi, blunt tipped scissors ARE allowed. Here's a list of what you can and cannot bring. http://www.tsa.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/Permitted_Prohibited_10_16_2003v2.pdf

And personally, I hate bulkhead seats because while there is no one in front of you which is a legroom plus, you have no easily accesible storage - everything has to go in the overhead bin. I prefer being able to get my stuff (and since DS doesn't need legroom, bags can go there). We get out new things/put stuff away alot.

I had forgotten about shoes: you most likely will be asked to remove them. You will also have to remove belts. My dad was alomst doing a strip tease when he can out since he had to remove his jacket, empty his pockets, take off his belt and shoes, etc. Lands End all weather mocs have steel shanks, apparently, and set off the metal detector (they used to only make you remove boots and heels).

~amey (edited to finish a sentence and add my name - silly helping DS)

You will probably be asked to make your cell phone and laptop work if you're bringing those.

And! You should NOT put unexposed/undeveloped film in your checked bagggage. The new way they're screening things can expose/ruin it. Also, don't lock your luggage as screeners are doing random searches (they leave a statement from the TSA if they do - they searched my bag that had all my cloth dipes and wipe warmer the last time I flew LOL), and will break you lock to get in.

Tara ~ where are the "mommy knock-out drops"??? :D

How about gum? That really scared ds when his ears would "pop" and we really couldn't explain to him what was happening. We would just tell him to swallow over and over or drink something.

And by the way, I am HAUNTING your sight because DH hs agreed to a metro bag for my birthday -- AHEM! You are not allowed to fly ANYWHERE without making me a bag LOL!

Emily

Originally posted by ~Heidi~
Tara ~ where are the "mommy knock-out drops"??? :D


Okay, Heidi, what are these, and where can I buy them?
;)
Tara

Originally posted by emilytoys
And by the way, I am HAUNTING your sight because DH hs agreed to a metro bag for my birthday -- AHEM! You are not allowed to fly ANYWHERE without making me a bag LOL!

Emily

I'm adding two more messenger-style bags tonight; just finishing them up now and need to take some photos.

I have a few more in progress, but they aren't going to be done tonight. If those are not done/posted by the beginning of the week, check again at the beginning of November.

Anything in particular you're looking for?
:)
Tara

Your list looks good--and you've gotten some great suggestions! I would add more food--a hungry child is never a happy child! Filling things like granola bars, crackers and a baggie of cheerios. And something to drink--a small water bottle or juice boxes.

Oh--and I don't really think that there is much of a difference between a children's cassette player and a regular one. The children's ones that I have seen are definately more colorful, they have larger buttons and sometimes a volume regulator, but they do not appear to be any sturdier or better-built. And they always seem to have a much higher pricetag. I have always gone with regular cassette players without any complaints/problems.

Good luck--I'm sure your trip will be lots of fun!

Sounds like you've got some great suggestions. We honestly haven't ever taken as much stuff as you have listed (LOL) I always take plenty of small snacks, they seem to last longer :-) and drinks. We've always taken playdough w/ us and that has been played w/ most of the time. We always purchase 2-3 new books for the trip so they are new and they look at them lots. I'll usually take a little notebook and that's it. We've never taken extra clothing and haven't needed them. Good luck and have fun.

Great ideas!!! I love them! I am definitely going to make a collage from the airplane mag when we travel at Christmas. You can also make puppets out of the air-sickness bags ;)

I would bring more books, and more snacks. Erik is younger, but both of those are big hits.

tara-i've flown alot with kids cross country, and would add a couple of things to consider:

some sort of wipe to wipe down your seats and trays so you don't all end up sick from the germs

an umbrella stroller for easy on off if you have to change planes--they'll stow it for you as you get on and bring it to you first thing as you get off

new stuff he's never seen before. now, with the boys the age they are, we get them a new game for their gameboys. when younger, we would get a little stuffed animal, stuff to color, a new book to read, plenty of junky snacks we wouldn't normally allow etc.

and i think it does get cold, so remember to grab blankets and pillows early. also, if you're flying into dc or another restricted area, remember to have them use the bathrooms when they can. that approach into dc can be torture with a kid who needs to te te.

have fun!

Originally posted by amey
fyi, blunt tipped scissors ARE allowed. Here's a list of what you can and cannot bring. http://www.tsa.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/Permitted_Prohibited_10_16_2003v2.pdf

And personally, I hate bulkhead seats because while there is no one in front of you which is a legroom plus, you have no easily accesible storage - everything has to go in the overhead bin. I prefer being able to get my stuff (and since DS doesn't need legroom, bags can go there). We get out new things/put stuff away alot.

I had forgotten about shoes: you most likely will be asked to remove them. You will also have to remove belts. My dad was alomst doing a strip tease when he can out since he had to remove his jacket, empty his pockets, take off his belt and shoes, etc. Lands End all weather mocs have steel shanks, apparently, and set off the metal detector (they used to only make you remove boots and heels).

~amey (edited to finish a sentence and add my name - silly helping DS)

You will probably be asked to make your cell phone and laptop work if you're bringing those.

And! You should NOT put unexposed/undeveloped film in your checked bagggage. The new way they're screening things can expose/ruin it. Also, don't lock your luggage as screeners are doing random searches (they leave a statement from the TSA if they do - they searched my bag that had all my cloth dipes and wipe warmer the last time I flew LOL), and will break you lock to get in.

Thanks Amey for the updated info......they did change things since last year when I flew with DS last time. I saw on the bottom of the form that it was just revised on the 15th...maybe they finally realized noone would do any harm with nail-clippers or blunt tip scissors ;)

About the bulkhead seats, I just always liked those seats because I always had a carseat for DS and it was kinda nice not to have anyone mad at me who was sitting infront of me (they could not lean their seat back with the carseat in it), so I rather sat there instead.
And the last two trips, the Flightattendends let me use their closet for DSs diaperbag (which is where I keep everything I need during the flight).

Again, thanks for the update, i def will keep this in mind for next year.


Evi

Thank you so much, everybody. :) I'm going to add more snacks and some juice boxes. My mom also gave me a bunch of little toys so I'm going to stash them away as well. I'm not as worried about the flight over there because it's overnight and I think he will sleep for at least half of it. The flight back is all day long. :rolleyes: I'll probably save half the goodies for that leg of the trip.

Thanks again for all of your suggestions and advice!

Tara

bumping since this has good advice!

I have added a paint with water book and some pages from the free Brighter Visions kit I got!

Ugh, I do not want to fly *today*!