10 Tips for Flying with a Toddler: Making Plane Travel Stress-Free for Parents and Little Ones
Flying with a toddler can be a daunting experience, especially if it’s their first time on a plane. Even if your little one has flown before as a baby, flying with a toddler is a whole different experience! It’s more stressful in some ways, less in others. We’ve been flying with our son since he was 7 months old. He’s flown many, many times since then but I can still remember the anxiety preparing for his first flight after he’d learned to walk/started having those oh-so-fun toddler tantrums.
Questions like “Will he fight sitting down for that long?”…“Is he going to have a tantrum mid-flight?”…“Will he have too much energy he needs to burn while we’re in the air?” continually swirled around in my head leading up to our first trip once Carson officially became a toddler.
I scoured the Internet and picked friends’ brains, and thankfully, our first time flying with our toddler was a success! With each new flight, we felt more comfortable and continued to have success flying with a toddler. Now, I don’t really stress at all…just kidding, I still stress some, but it’s minimal compared to what it was!
With some careful planning and a few helpful strategies, you too can make the experience enjoyable and (mostly) stress-free for both you and your little one. Here’s ten valuable tips to ensure a smooth journey, regardless of your toddler’s age or length of the flight. Time to buckle up and get ready for takeoff!
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- Prepare Your Toddler
Talking with your toddler about all the steps to flying on an airplane is simple, but so many of us don’t think to do this. It’s so simple, yet so effective in helping prepare your toddler for flying on a plane. You can (and should) do this over time, starting weeks before your trip and continuing randomly up through driving to the airport. This is a strategy we also use with things like going to the doctor, or any new experience. It helps put a toddler’s anxieties at ease to know what will happen before it actually happens.
My favorite ways to prepare a toddler to fly is through books and pretend play! Below, you will find five or our favorite books related to airplanes/flying. In terms of pretend play, that’s an easy one and can go along with simply talking about what your toddler can expect when flying. Let your toddler experience each step by role-playing them with him/her! Make it fun and silly, use props if you want, add sound effects, etc. All of these will help prepare your child, and again, will help calm uncertainties he/she has.
Book Recommendations
For more details, click the link to each book or see them all here!
*On The Plane Shine-a-Light
*Peek Inside How A Plane Works
*Wind-Up Plane Book
*That’s Not My Plane
*Lift and Look Planes - Plan Ahead
Flying with a toddler (or any kid really!) requires thoughtful preparation. In a bag that you’ll use as a personal item, pack essential items such as diapers, wipes, snacks, extra clothes, entertainment, and any comfort items your child may need. The best thing to do to keep these easily accessible is to have a well-organized bag. You want to make it convenient to retrieve them during flight!
The last flight we took, I was so proud of myself for using these mesh zipper pouches to keep things more organized. I put snacks in one, entertainment items in another, and his change of clothes in a third one. I was kicking myself for not thinking of this sooner; it was a game-changer for flying with our toddler and for the travels themselves. - Toddlers+Snacks=Harmony
If you’re the parent of a toddler, you know that snacks are life! Sometimes I feel like half my day is spent getting out snacks for our son, haha. Hunger and thirst can make anyone irritable; I’m definitely guilty of getting hangry.
Come prepared with a variety of snacks your toddler enjoys. We love bringing granola bars, his favorite crackers, and cutie oranges. Avoid sugary treats… no-one wants a toddler energy spike on a plane!
Don’t forget to bring a reusable water cup/bottle to keep your toddler hydrated throughout the journey on the airplane and during your trip in general.
I also always pack a couple of these Zollipops: Clean Teeth Pops. These are great because my son never gets lollipops at home, so it’s an extra special treat for him on the plane. It keeps his mouth occupied and is also especially helpful during the ascent and descent to pop his ears from the pressure. I love how these ones don’t have sugar and have dental benefits.
- Burn that Energy
I don’t care what time of day your flight is…before you board, let your toddler burn that energy we know they have! Let them explore the airport with you. Walk around, discover different areas near your terminal, and watch planes take off and land. Point out the parts of the airplanes you see, ask your toddler what colors are on each plane, or even have them count how many planes they can see. Working their mind before flying is a great way to exhaust them! This pre-flight adventure/fun will help with getting some energy out, and also makes the airport a more familiar and exciting place. - They See Me Rollin’…That Stroller
A lightweight travel stroller has been our saving grace. It has been perfect for getting around easily in the airport (through security), we’ve easily gate checked it, and then we grab it as soon as we’re off the plane to make getting to our rental car much faster and easier. We love how lightweight it is compared to our daily, more bulky, stroller. We also wanted something that didn’t cost an arm and a leg in case it did get broken during a flight. We bought this for Carson’s very first flight and have used it up until recently since he’s gotten too tall for it.
You might be wondering what we use now that Carson has outgrown this stroller…a hip carrier came to our rescue! The one we purchased isn’t available any more, but this carrier is super similar. I love these carriers, and honestly wish I’d purchased one sooner, because they help relieve waist, wrist, and back pain from just carrying him without something like this.
Carson enjoys riding it in a variety of different ways, so we can switch things up if he’s getting antsy being held. It also made going through security easy, as I just popped him off, we walked through, and then I re-attached it to myself before picking him back up. The pocket options are also a major win for me; they make it so easy for me to have quick access to the things I need before boarding, like my phone, ID, and chapstick!
- Diaper Double Up/Pull-Up Prepared
Right before boarding time, do one last diaper change/potty break! During this, if your toddler is still in diapers, i recommend adding a second diaper just in case. If your toddler is potty trained, I’d recommend putting on a pull-up for the flight. You never know what might happen, so it’s best to be prepared.
On one of our most recent flights, we ended up not being allowed out of seats for the majority of the flight due to turbulence, so I was very glad we had a pull-up on for Carson to use! - Dress Comfortably
Choose comfortable clothing for your child that allows them to move feely. We tend to opt for pajamas because not only are they comfortable, but many times they help signal it’s time to sleep. Carson has ended up falling asleep on at least 90% of the flights we’ve taken!
You’ll also want to dress them in layers since airplane cabins tend to fluctuate in temperature. We typically have Carson in a t-shirt and pants, and then bring a long-sleeve shirt to add if our flight is colder. Also, consider slip-on shoes for easy removal during the flight when they want to kick back and relax. - Create a Travel Surprise Bag
Before the flight, prepare a small surprise bag filled with a mix of new and favorite toys, books, or activities. You can even wrap each item to add an extra element of excitement if you’d like! Throughout the flight, when you notice your toddler getting restless or bored, surprise them with a new item from the bag. The surprise itself will bring about a sense of anticipation during the journey, and then the actual item will hopefully keep them engaged.
We don’t buy new things anymore since we fly so often, but we do still pack a bag of some tried and true products.These are also great for eating out during your trip!
Some of our favorites include: two or three of his favorite toy cars/trucks, small play-doh containers, a pop-it (great for fidgeting and also for making small play-doh balls and putting them in), Water Wow books, small animal figurines, an LCD writing tablet, and a piece of colored paper with stickers to put on it.
- If All Else Fails… Technology to the Rescue!
Yes, you read that right… Even though we don’t do screen time at home for Carson, I come prepared with a headphones and a tablet. Before our trip, I downloaded a few Blippi episodes from Amazon Prime on my own device to have as a backup for Carson. He’s never used this until our last trip, which coincidentally consisted of our longest flights (to California from Florida). I’m really glad I had it because we had a delay on one of our flights (on the tarmac) that lasted over an hour. He was content with everything in our travel “surprise” bag during that whole time, but by the time hour two came, he either needed sleep or something that would allow him to just relax-Blippi came in clutch!
Thankfully, since we don’t use this at all when we’re home, it was such a special treat for him to use solely on the airplane. He never asked for it in the car, during our trip, or even once we got home. - Stay Calm and Positive
Children are sensitive to their parents’ emotions. Remain calm, patient, and positive throughout the flight, even if unexpected challenges arise. Your attitude will greatly influence your toddler’s mood and behavior. If you’re staying calm and positive, they will feel secure and confident during the journey.
Flying with a toddler doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. By following these ten tips, you can ensure a smoother, more enjoyable flight for both you and your child (and those around you). With the right preparation and a little patience, flying with a toddler can become an exciting adventure that sets the stage for future travel experiences.
Are there any tips you’d add to my list that have worked really well for you when flying with a toddler?! I’d love to know. 🙂
Bon voyage!
Are you traveling with a baby?? If so, check out my post on how to survive a plane ride with a baby here.
