Nifty Ideas: On the airplane with littler kids

Another round of fantastic nifty ideas I have discovered. You too may become inspired by these nifty things and in turn create your own. If you have any of your own nifty ideas please share them with me I'd love to learn about what is nifty to you!

Summer means travel. Going on vacation with kids? By plane? Oh pity you. The airplane is the hardest place to be with children. It's crowded and uncomfortable. Everyone can think of a better way to spend a few hours. Instead of getting stressed out there are ways to make your trip go well. Or as well as you can make out of an early morning all day long trip.

I don't want to neglect the most important and simple of child distraction ideas. A decent tablet of paper can do wonders. Pair it with some good colored pencils, crayons (we like these crayon rocks) or markers (if you dare) for them to color.

Stickers. Can't say how much I love taking stickers on trips. They are easy to pack taking up little room and if you buy them in advance you can pick out all sorts of them to hand out along your trip. These diggers look cool and these animals are great too.

Magnets. There is a lot to be said about playing with magnets. I think this Magnet art board would be great for kids 3 years old on up. Its small size makes for a great easy to pack distraction. Picking up additional magnets to toss along with this board could really do wonders for a busy toddler. All you'd have to do is rotate the magnets and you'll keep it interesting far longer. 

Doll Family. If you are going to visit your family this Hape 7 member family doll set would be a great way to talk about your visit. Give each a name and play on the plane. 

Lacing cards. These are great for little ones. You can choose from a variety of shapes that are of interest for your child. These Vehicles and animals are great choices.


Books. Reading is a perfect quiet way to spend time on the plane. Older kids can read novels and picture books are great for little ones. I go to the used book store and choose some new to us books to take along. I love anything by Tomie de Paola and Niamh Sharkey but your favorite authors would be a great start.

Stuff your kids like. This takes some thought but it will be your saving grace on a long flight.

Comments

wealhtheow said…
Airplanes are a FANTASTIC time for those ultra-expensive markers that only color on the special paper. Sam will get a couple of those on the plane, along with some small cars, some sticker books and a new cowboy doll. I'm going to put together a photo book with pictures of the relatives we'll be visiting. I'm planning on having enough toys to give him one for every hour and a couple extra. Hopefully he will sleep for at least an hour, be happy watching a movie on the computer and be distracted with snacks as well. That way I'll have some surprises left over for the 6 hour drive up the CA coast the day after our plane flight. But if we're delayed on the plane, I plan on having enough activities/treats/diapers to cover 12 hours of travel.
Yvonne said…
Those markers are such a life saver for kids who like to draw on EVERYTHING! Definitely a good plan to have more than really needed on hand.

Popular Posts