5 Tips for Flying With Kids
Gearing up to fly with your kids this Thanksgiving? You can reminisce about the days of flying pre-children, when liftoff meant pulling out the headphones and a gossip magazine and totally tuning out. Or you can stop kidding yourself and just figure out how the heck you (and the other 212 people on your flight) will survive these four hours in the air.
Here, our top tips for flying with kids:
More from travel tips from Parents Connect
1. Go Digital
This is when the magic of the iPod (or Droid or iTouch ... whatever your weapon of choice) comes to life. Before any flight, load up your device with as many songs, movies, TV shows and games as it can handle. You may not believe in digital babysitting, but talk to us after a six-hour flight without any of these babies ... just saying.
2. Don't Check the Car Seat
If you're flying with a lap child (under age 2) who doesn't have his own seat, it's worth it to lug your car seat all the way to the gate and check it there. If the plane isn't full, most airlines will let you bring the seat onboard.
3. Surprise the Kids
No matter how old they are, kids like getting new stuff. Before any plane trip, head to the dollar store and stock up on a bunch of cheap, never-before-seen treats for your kids. Whip them out at random times throughout the flight (preferably right before a meltdown). That should keep them occupied for, oh, say, four minutes.
4. Get Your Papers in Order
As of 2009, all travelers leaving the country (even to visit Canada) require a passport, so make sure you've got one for each of your kids if you plan to cross the border. Also, if you're traveling solo with the kids, you may need a notarized letter of permission from your partner. Check with your airline to see which documents are required. (And don't wait till the night before when it'll be too late to get them!)
5. Ease the Ear Pain
Changes in pressure during takeoff and landing are brutal on little ears. Nursing, bottle feeding or giving a sippy cup at these times will keep kids (and your aisle-mates) happy. For older kids, gum does the same trick.
Looking for more tips on traveling with kids? Check out ParentsConnect.com's Family Travel center!
 Put an End to |  Kids Asleep? PG-rated |  Grandma's Vacation |
