Kids on a Plane Trip
Question: We will be taking a long plane trip with our 10-month-old daughter and 3-year-old son this spring and we're kind of worried about how they'll handle it. Do you have any suggestions on how to make the trip go smoothly?
Answer: Travel with infants and young children can be both exciting and difficult, but the confines of an airplane pose some special challenges. Given the different ages of your children, different strategies will be needed to keep them comfortable and occupied during the trip. Here are a few ideas that will help.
Pressure changes often cause ear pain for small children, especially during takeoff and landing. Since sucking or chewing help to relieve the discomfort, a bottle for the baby and a chewy snack for the 3-year-old would be in order.
Often the steady drone of the engines puts young children to sleep, so be sure to dress the kids in soft, loose clothing and bring along a special blanket, teddy bear or small pillow.
Some children are frightened--or at least overstimulated--by the noise and the occasional bumpiness. Telling your son in advance what to expect, then describing each step as it happens, may head off problems. Ask your librarian to suggest a book about airplanes to help him get into the fun of it. When you board the plane, perhaps the flight attendant will let him meet the pilot and look into the cockpit. Most airlines have pilot's wings to pin on young travelers.
For both children, bring a bag of small surprises to bring out one at a time over the course of the trip. Things to include are nonsticky finger foods, beverages, paper and crayons, small toys and books. For your 3-year-old, listening to stories or music on a cassette player with headphones could entertain him for a long time. Or, if you have a small tape recorder, let your son tape his own story describing the plane trip as it happens--or making up a wild adventure as the trip goes along.
Although planes don't allow for a great deal of movement, feel free to take your kids for a walk up and down the aisle as long as the seat belt sign is off and no food or beverage service is underway. Or, while seated, engage your son in a game such as "Simon Says," using head, arm and leg movements.
Finally, if your children do get cranky (and most kids do at some point in a long flight), don't let yourself worry too much about the reactions of other passengers. Many have been in your shoes and will understand how difficult it is for young children to sit quietly for long periods of time.
Editor's note: Dr. Martha Farrell Erickson, director of the University of Minnesota's Children, Youth and Family Consortium, invites your questions on child rearing for possible inclusion in this column. You may fax them to (612) 624-6369 or send them to Growing Concerns, University of Minnesota News Service, 6 Morrill Hall, 100 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455.
