Parent’s Guide to Flying with Happy Kids (Without Electronic Devices)-Guest Post

Guest Post by Sun Search Holidays

Whether you’re planning a late summer getaway, or already making plans for a mid-term break one the major challenges to holidaying with your family is flying with children. You may find yourself with bored children, no internet to help you out and another few hours left on board: the ultimate nightmare. While on a flight to Italy or Greece you want to be thinking about the stunning sights and beautiful beaches awaiting you, you do not want to be worrying about how to keep your child entertained for the next few hours.

Planning
Planning is key to making your journey as pleasant as possible. Make sure you plan activities for the flight and pack everything you will need to keep your child entertained. This can also relate to the time of the flight. It can be a good idea to plan the flight around your child’s sleeping schedule so they take a nap on the flight, ensuring you, and those around you, some peace and quiet. But, don’t bank on it, your child is in a new environment and probably excited for their holiday so they may not feel comfortable dozing off on the plane. Also, make sure to think practical, pack all the things you will need first. Snacks, formula, maybe a blanket or jumper, some kind of sucky sweets or lollipops to help prevent their ears hurting when taking off or landing, simple things but without them you could find yourself with a grumpy child.

Books
Books are a very simple, effective way of keeping children of all ages entertained. Whether you pick them up in the airport or prepare a selection before you go, they are the perfect activity. There are many different kinds of books that can work for different age groups. You could read your child a story, this is particularly good if you time your flight to be around bedtime, it could relax your child and help them settle down for a snooze. Older children can read their own books. Allowing them to look through the book shop in the airport and choose a new book can also be a great way to keep them busy while in the airport. Audio books can also be very useful, simply download the book before you fly and then your child can listen to a book being read to them without disturbing any other passengers.

Activity books are another excellent way for your children to have fun while they fly.  Filled with stickers, puzzles, coloring and games that can be a simple way for children to play, and they take up very little room in your bag. These can keep being used on the holiday too, when you need to sit in the shade for a while, or when you’re in a restaurant waiting to be served.

Games
It isn’t often a child spends a few hours sitting still, without playing any games. So they will need games of some sort to play while on a flight. There are some important factors to bear in mind when choosing what games to bring: the smaller the better in terms of space in bags, small bits are likely to fall on the floor and could get lost and ruin the game, if you have more than one child games they can both play would be best.  A lot of board games have travel versions which are miniature and magnetized to ensure you do not lose pieces. Long flights can act as a great opportunity to teach your children a new game or introduce them to one of your favorites.

A deck of cards are perhaps the best option, and, like activity books, can last the whole holiday. The variety of games you can play means they take up very little space, but act as a number of games. Another type of card game, Top Trumps, can also be a great game for two children to play. And, should a couple of cards disappear, Top Trumps does not lose its functionality, which could happen to a regular pack of cards.

There’s just a few simple tips to keep your children entertained while on flights, to make your journey as relaxed an experience as it can possibly be.  If you have any other tips or tricks you use, comment them below and let us know.

Sun Search Holidays is a nearly 20 years old family owned business based in Dublin, Ireland.  The company works for all the major travel providers with the best deals and the lowest prices to make your holiday amazing.