Top Tips for Long Haul Flights with Kids

Long haul flights are nobody’s idea of a good time (or at least, not if you fly in economy class like us! I’m sure they’re a dream if you can afford to fly in business class!). But they can be particularly tricky if you’re taking a long haul flight with kids.

The good news is that there are some hints and tips that you can try that will make the whole thing a little easier, and that’s what i’m going to share here.

Please note: These are my tips for taking a long haul flight with toddlers, young kids, and older kids. Taking a long haul flights with a baby is a very different (some might say easier!) prospect, that i’ll cover in a separate post!

Pack A Goody Bag

There’s nothing smaller kids love more than new toys: often any new toy, it doesn’t matter how big or small! Nowadays my boys are content with their hand held consoles and a puzzle book.

But when they were younger I would head to the nearest discount store and buy:

• Play Dough
• Small figures (farm animals and dinosaurs were a big hit)
• Colouring kits
• Fidget toys
• Stickers
• Fun snacks

Little treats that would keep them entertained at intervals, and break up the journey for all of us.

As an added bonus, and to make the whole thing a little more exciting, I would also wrap them up in wrapping paper. Then at intervals throughout the flight (usually whenever they were feeling restless) I would give them another parcel, and they would happily open it and play with the contents inside. This really helped my kids to associate long haul flights with happy experiences too.

Top Tip: Avoid anything noisy, too messy, or with small parts that can be knocked on the floor. We love magnetic puzzles and magnetic games for this reason. There are some great ones in The Works for £2-3 each at the moment.

Be Prepared

When you’re rushing around checking your travel documents and packing your suitcase, checking the kids backpacks is probably the last thing on your list. But make sure you do. Being prepared will make the trip go smoothly, and kids (even big kids) often won’t pack all the right things in their backpacks.

Check that they have packed reading books, activity books, games consoles, and toys (even my 12 year old will pack some Lego figures and blocks to entertain himself when he can’t look at a screen any more). Card games are good for this reason too. It’s definitely easier if your kids are screen zombies, and we never have time limits on electronics when we fly.

Top tip: Although airlines will provide cheap in ear headphones these aren’t very comfortable, especially for children. Pack your own, comfortable children’s headphones so that they can watch the in-flight movies, play with their game devices, or listen to music.

Comfort Is Key

One of the best ways to make a long haul flight easy for kids is to make sure they’re comfortable. Put them in comfy clothes (jogging bottoms are better than jeans, cozy hoodies better than knitwear) and choose layers because the temperatures on planes can be so variable.

We always pack cosy socks too, and a compact blanket. Not every child likes them, but my boys both love their eye masks and neck pillows too. We also let them take their ‘special teddies’ for comfort, and for a chance of a nap!

For younger kids (and if your airline allows) you could invest in a plane bed. Flyaway Kids Plane Beds and Seat to Sleep are two examples that have great reputations. These can be particularly helpful for night flights, as they will help you to keep your toddlers and younger kids in their normal sleep routine.

Top Tip: Pack a change of clothes in your children’s hand luggage. It doesn’t matter how old they are, spills and accidents can happen. And there’s nothing worse than spending a long haul flight sat in trousers covered in sticky juice!

Bring More Snacks Than You Think You Need

Hungry kids are angry kids. And bored kids are hungry kids! Bring snacks, then when you think you have enough snacks, pack some more.

It can be tempting to pack easy, high sugar snacks (sweets and chocolate) and some of these will definitely be well received. But not too many, to avoid a sugar high. Cereal, vegetable sticks, hard boiled eggs, and rice cakes might not be conventional plane snacks, but they’re all good options!

Top Tip: On the subject of food, make sure you order kids meals from the airline! You would think this would be as standard, but it isn’t. They also stop offering kids meals at a certain age (for some airlines it’s 10, others 11) but if you have fussy kids you can still order them the plainer kids meal.

Pack Medicines (Especially Calpol)

We learnt this one the hard way! A perfectly healthy small child getting on the plane can quickly turn into a sick small child, and there’s no pharmacy in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. We had packed all the meds you could think of, but we’d packed them in our hold luggage. One toddler with a raging temperature later, and it was the worst flight of our lives.

Now? We always take a rudimentary medical kit in our hand luggage with us. Calpol is a no brainer (you can get sachets, rather than the big bottle), and I also take plasters and antiseptic wipes for my accident prone boys. Cough medicine is a good idea too, and if your child suffers from motion sickness then anti sickness bands and anti sickness medication could be a real life saver.

What about you? What do you pack with you when you fly with kids? Have I forgotten anything important or do you pack anything else that you think we should take on our next flight? I’d love to hear your hints and tips!

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