Tips on Entertaining Toddlers on Long Flights

The idea of taking your toddler on long flights is no doubt a source for much anxiety and worry. After all, toddlers rarely sit still for more than a few moments at a time, which inevitably provides quite the challenge when you're stuck in a plane. Here, you will find some ideas for entertaining toddlers on long flights to make your next trip much more enjoyable.

Entertaining Toddlers on Long Flights: Booking Seats

Though booking your seats takes place long before your trip, there are some important points to remember to make your trip even more successful.

First, if you are given the option to choose seats and there are two of you flying with a child who does not have to sit in your lap, book two seats and leave the seat between you open. Most people will not want to book a middle seat. If someone does, you will simply have to change seats once you're already in the plane, which shouldn't be an issue.

Second, book your seats in the back of the plane. The droning of the engine will drown out any tantrums your toddler may decide to throw mid-flight. The only people who will be able to hear you will be in your immediate vicinity and chances are, they booked seats in the back because they have small children too.

Third, if your child is required to have their own seat, or if you can afford an extra seat even if they aren't, book a seat for them. Bring aboard an airline approved car seat (most car seats are), and strap your toddler in. This is often the easiest trick in not only entertaining toddlers on long flights, but keeping them contained. Sometimes, being confined to the car seat takes the excitement and adrenaline out of the flight and will help them take a nap. (Naps are also especially likely because of the engine humming in their ear if you're sitting near the back.)

Finally, consider scheduling your flight during a red-eye or at the very least during naptime, so you will provide yourself the best possibilities that your child will nap, leaving less time that you have to worry about entertaining your toddler on long flights.

Entertaining Toddlers on Long Flights: The 30 Minute Method

After you book your flight, begin keeping an eye out for small toys and snacks that would entertain toddlers on long flights. The dollar store is one excellent place for this type of toy. For every thirty minutes that you will be flying, wrap up a toy or snack in a package and place it in your carry-on. Because of space issues, you'll want to find smaller toys, or toys that inflate. Great toys for entertaining toddlers on long flights are balls or rattles that make noise when you shake them, blocks (like Duplos, you can bring just a few), small dolls, fake cell phone (e.g. cell phones with candy in them, though you can take the candy out of course), handheld light up fans with foam "blades," teething rings, miniature books, and many of the items listed as inexpensive toddler stocking stuffers. Not only will the toy succeed in entertaining toddlers on long flights, your child will enjoy unwrapping them as well.

Entertaining Toddlers on Long Flights: The Toy Chain

Depending on the flight, it is likely that you, your child, and your spouse may make up an entire section of your row. This makes entertaining toddlers on long flights even easier. One great way to keep them occupied is to create a Ring-A-Links chain. Purchase a number of Ring-A-Links, as well as toys that can be linked to the rings. Once you're in the air, begin linking the chains together. You can link them around the tray table, the seat belt, or different places on the car seat and dangle toys from the links. Allow your toddler to play with the toys, link them, unlink them, create a bracelet or necklace, anything that will entertain your toddler on the long flight. Toys that can be linked to the chain can make up some of the toy options in the above mentioned Entertaining Toddlers on Long Flights tip.

Entertaining Toddlers on Long Flights: Movies

Bring along your own portable DVD player or rent one on the flight, but do not take a toddler on a long flight without bringing along movies. Though toddlers don't have quite the attention span to sit through long movies, there are some excellent ones that will likely keep your toddler entertained on long flights. Brainy Baby IQ offers a number of movies that are mostly visual, as well as the Baby Einstein series. Finding Nemo is an excellent movie for entertaining toddlers on long flights because it is visually pleasing and fun for adults to watch as well.

Entertaining Toddlers on Long Flights: Blanket Fun

Chances are, your toddler's cherished blankie will be one of the first items you stash into your carry-on. In addition, the airlines will provide a limited number of blankets for passengers to use. Because you will be traveling with a small child, you will be allowed to board first. In your hurry to get seated, be sure to snag a blanket or two, because it may come in handy for entertaining your toddler on the long flight. Your blankets can be used to play peek-a-boo, or you can hide toys beneath it and have your toddler lift the blanket to find it. Another fun blanket activity is to tuck the blanket behind your upright tray table and pull it over yours and your toddler's head to make your own little fort or hiding space. I have personally witnessed blankets being used to entertain a toddler for hours on a long flight.

Entertaining Toddlers on Long Flights: Snacks

Throw all nutrition worries out the window if you're hoping to entertain your toddler on a long flight. Pack all sorts of snacks and have them at the ready: Gerber fruit snacks, cheese puffs, crackers, cheerios, Goldfish crackers, anything that your toddler will gobble up. I once witnessed a family entertaining a toddler on a long flight with a single gummy worm. They used it as a toy first, and the child enjoyed staring at it. Then, they let him gnaw on it and it took him quite a while to gum it down. So, when entertaining toddlers on long flights, try to think of snacks that can serve as a belly filler and entertainment. Finally, don't forget your toddler's sippy cup and some boxes of juice for the times when the flight attendants are busy.

Entertaining Toddlers on Long Flights: The Bathroom

If you think about it, airplane bathrooms are pretty cool, especially from a toddler's point of view. If your child gets restless sitting and there isn't a line, one excellent possibility for entertaining toddlers on long flights is to bring them into the bathroom and let them play around. Turn on the water, flush the toilet, turn the air on full blast in their face, make faces at each other in the mirror. At the very least, it's a change of scenery and may buy you a few extra minutes of no tantrums from your toddler.

Entertaining Toddlers on Long Flights: Walk, Walk, Walk

There will be a time when all else fails and the only way you can entertain your toddler on a long flight is simply to let them walk. Fortunately, as long as there isn't a reason why you can't be up and around the cabin, most flight attendants and fellow passengers are quite tolerant of parents entertaining toddlers on long flights by walking around the cabin. Let your toddler walk up and down the aisles, stop to say hi to the folks who smile at you, walk back and make friends with flight attendants. Walking will not only be entertaining for toddlers on long flights, but will also burn a little bit of energy as well.

Traveling with children is stressful, especially when it involves several hours on an airplane. But, with these tips on entertaining toddlers on long flights, there's a good chance that some of the stress of traveling will be alleviated. Remember, when you're on the airplane, no one can hear your child (or his toys) as loud as you can and if they can, they're probably sympathizing with you. Safe travels and good luck!