Flying with a 3 Yr Old for the First Time

I flew once with 3 of my children ages 18mo, 2 & 4. The pediatrician told me to give them dimetapp before we got on the plane to help avoid ear infections, it also made them sleep. I would suggest you try to get the seat right behind the bulkhead as there is no one in front of you & there is more leg room. That way if he wants to get down on the floor to play you have a little room & he's not bumping other passengers chairs.

Also take travel games for his age, perhaps a MagnaDoodle, & pack snacks that are approved by the airlines as they may not have a good selection for small children. Try to teach him how to 'yawn' before you fly, so he can keep his ears open as well.

And also looking out of the window is always fun for children. Have a great time.

If he enjoys any movies you can bring a portable dvd player, that can keep my son occupied. Good luck!

I don't think that you will need the dramamine. He is an active little boy yet I think the excitement on the plane will cause him to sit still and observe. Just tell him when you get your seat on the plane that they won't allow him to get up that he has to sit like a big boy. They will come around and give drinks so let him have a coke and take him a snack if he doesn't eat peanuts. Let him look out the window and bring a few books or something that he can play with or write on or color. Make sure that he has something to drink at all times so his ears don't get stopped up... that is usually the reason for them to start crying. Since they don't allow anything on the plane anymore, just tell the stewardess when you board that you will need something immediately so he can swallow OR you can have some gummy bears or if he chews gum (which I doubt, but you never know) so he can swallow to relieve the pressure in his ears.
You will be fine. It won't be as horrible as you are imagining.

Hi Katie,

I have flown with our children A LOT. My older son, who is 5 now started flying when he was almost one years old. Things that I have learned are to have plenty of snacks and water on hand. Of course you can't buy the water until you go through security. And with flying across country, depending on the airlines you fly, you don't get anything for free anymore...unless you fly with Southwest.

I have always traveled with a travel DVD player with some movies and if I can afford it, I have also bought him a new movie or a new toy that you can give to him at the airport.

I the first several trips gave him a small dose of Benadryl just after going through security and by the time we would get on the plane, he would fall asleep and not wake up until we landed.

During a couple of trips recently I have had a couple of melt downs and just learned to let him have the meltdown and not apologize or feel bad. Often times the plane attendants will offer some help or try to distract them if they can. But I think my son's were because he was overly tired or because of us descending and his ears hurting. People will understand and if they don't then let them think what they want. I have always prepared myself with some starburst or something that would take him some time to chew to help pop his ears. They also say to have a water bottle or something that will help him if he does have a problem. We just took a trip to Oregon from NC and our baby (3 months at the time) didn't cry at all. So your son might surprise you. Just relax and try to enjoy it. Have lots of activties and surprise him with a new book, toy, or activity.

GOOD LUCK!

Entertainment in a backpack. Take a carry-on full of things to entertain, including snacks. Stickers and coloring books are fun. Even a small Leap Pad could entertain for a while. I like to take a small container of bubbles too. That can help pass the time in the airport. For the long car ride, do you have children's music CDs? Or children's books on tape? Try to be excited about the trip and likely he will be excited too. The converse is also true. It takes some work, but when he does not have to sit (during layovers) you will probably be walking or running through the airport. Also, it is really nice that they offer to board passengers with children first, but if you have a child somewhat opposed to sitting, you may not want to respond to the first call for those with children. If he is in a good mood on the plane, that is all the better for you and everyone seated around you.
Have a happy trip!

Hi Katie, I have a four year old and a one year old. My older daughter has been flying since she was five weeks old. I am from the Caribbean and my husband works there. I usually pack a special surprise backpack filled with new activities and toys just for the plane ride. A disc-man and portable DVD player are also great. Make sure he is chewing something for take-off and landing. I once sat in front of a little girl whose ears had not popped and it was horrible. She was in pain and inconsolable. I hope this helps.

Nelisa

Hi, Katie. We have a very hands-on, demanding, and playful 4-year-old who has crossed the Atlantic Ocean about 6-7 times (about 6 hours in the air each way). We were stationed in Iceland for 2 years and flew home to FL 3 times from Iceland, a 20-24 hour trip one way. Once she passed the infant stage, I learned how to keep her happy on the 6-7 hour flight from Iceland to the US. First, get Benjamin really siked about planes, and then riding on one. Make it a big deal, like it is one of the most fun things to do. Also, have several activities, books and/or toys that are completely new. I used to buy things and hide them from my daughter, and then break them out at different stages during the flight. Make sure that if he has a favorite toy or security item that he has that. Take snacks that are covenient and plenty of wipes to clean up any messes. Don't forget 1 extra change of clothes for the flight, too. I just resigned myself to be very interactive with her during the entire flight. My husband is great, and we switched off every hour or so. That worked well because by the time we switched, there were fresh ideas and games and new toys/activities, etc. to keep her happy. The way I determined how many new things I took to occupy her is that I took one new game, book or toy for each hour we would be in the air. Also-potentially even more important than anything else-take some chewing gum for him to chew during take-off and descent. The ear popping thing may really freak him out and/or hurt him if he has never experienced that before. Layovers were not too bad, just find a corner or area in the airport that is not too congested and let him run or play tag with him-something like that. That worked well for us because by the time we took off again, she was tired from running, and even slept through the take-off, avoiding the issue of ear-popping altogether. I hope this helps you, I think that I told you everything that worked for us. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail me. Good luck, and have a great vacation!

I, too, am all about the backpack 'o entertainment. I get snacks that are individually packaged, and I usually make a trip to the dollar store to get a few brand new toys that I can wrap up and give to my 4-year-old at various intervals on the trip.

When my son was younger, I would bring his carseat on board to buckle him in. That way, he knew that he was absolutely NOT allowed to get out of his seat.

If at all possible, try to give your child a window seat so that he can see what's going on outside.

Gate-check your stroller so that you can have a hand free during layovers. I would put our carry-ons and the carseat in the stroller and have my son push it. It gave him something "important" to do, and I got a little break.

I also recommend being one of the last people to board the plane. It's just that much less time that your son has to be quiet and still.

Good luck, and don't worry too much. If you're excited about flying, your son will be, too. Make sure to give him something to drink during takeoff and landing. Explain to him what is going on. I don't know if your son watches "Little Einsteins," but mine does and when we fly we pat our legs during the acceleration, and then raise our arms and say "blast-off!" when we leave the ground.

Build up your patience quota. Flying takes its toll even if it is just you. Add a child...an just be prepared for anything. When my daughter was about 3 yrs. old, we flew to Sacramento. She did well (even though she tried to turn around and walk off the plane!), but we had learned a few things from taking short trips with her. She sat in her own seat...in her car seat, which we think helped to simulate her being in a car on road trips. We also packed a backpack for her with lots of toys, Leap-pad, snacks, crayons, etc. (A mini aqua-doodle was a great distraction) We also had a dvd player, when all else failed. We sat on a three seat aisle, so that she was between my husband and myself. We flew from RDU to Las Vegas, had a short lay-over then on to Sacramento. I think having the longer portion of the trip first helped. At the airport, we walked her around a lot! Check any thing like a car seat (if you don't use it on the plane), stroller, etc. at the door to the plane. That way you will have it when you get off the plane. You don't want to have those miss the plane or "delayed" when you really need them. I hope this helps. Have a great trip!

ok, my best advice consists of 3 letters and one word DVD PLAYER!!!

I have traveled many times with kids on planes and this is the best! It is small, put the DVDs in a CD carry case to make smaller and you can take more. Make sure you take a back up battery and recharge between stops. Also make sure you have plenty of snacks and a favorite blanket is a must!

What worked for me. Get a backpack/type harnis/leash. I got the one from Target that looked like a bear. I put it on him starting days before the trip, to get him used to it. (it looking like a dora backpack helped) This way, when you are checking in and going through all the lines, you can hold onto him, and he can move around. Oh, also, get a cabeener (climbing hook) to latch onto your beltbuckle, and the handle of the leash. This way, YOU have free hands.
Take the car seat, so you can strap that into the plane. Take a backpack with snacks (non-messy) and small soft toys. The small magnadoodle worked wonders. I did not have to bother with dropped crayons (it is a game to them)

Ask the pediatrician about sleepy kids medicine for the trip. THey can tell you what medicine, and the dosage. Check it out before the trip to make sure it makes him sleep, and not
hyper.
Give him the medicine BEFORE you leave for the airport. (enough time for it to kick in) One trip, I gave it to mine late... it did not kick in until AFTER the trip was over.
As for outbursts, keep yourself calm. Talk in low soothing sounds. Hold and rock gently, sing quietly. If it is a mostly empty flight, they will let you move to an area with more unused seats.

good luck- it will be great.

Oh, on a more comedic side. When traveling with babys on formula and cereal.....
I had to travel cross country w an infant. I did not have enough room in my bags for the formula and cereals to stay in their boxes. I was NOT about to leave them behind, a little is different but I had just bought them that week. So, I put them in gallon size Ziploc bags, and labeled them.

I checked my bags at the curb. When we got home and were unpacking. I noticed a LOT of the clothes were black (like the ground around the check in). I then noticed the bags were not flat like I packed them.

Apparently when the bags were scanned, it looked like drugs.
I was sooo glad I had labeled them.

I agree with everyone else. Have lots of small toys and tons of snacks. We've traveled a lot with our son (he'll be two this month) and I usually do a little shopping leading up to the trip to find some small toys to put in his bag as "surprises" during the plane ride. Don't take them all out at once...hold off until he's tired of one thing to move on to another. Our son loves books too so I always stick 3-4 board books into his bag. I also usually take a soft ball that wads up small so we can roll it around in the airport between flights. Try to have a sippy cup with milk or a yummy beverage at the ready for drinking during take-off and landing too. Sometimes kids have trouble getting their ears to pop and this will help.

My caveat for you is that your son may yell, cry, scream at some point in the flight. You can always walk up and down the aisle some with him if there's no turbulance, but sometimes kids just melt down after having to sit for so long (and if he's still taking an afternoon nap the flights may interrupt that schedule). Just be kind to yourself and don't worry about what other people are thinking. I've sat by wonderful people on planes and have also sat by a few unhappy people on planes. Don't let that get to you. :)

Some great small toys that I've taken on the plane before:

1) Nuts & Bolts by Plan Toys (age is 2+ so this may be too young for your son - if not, it's a fantastic toy). The URL won't post, so just go to fatbraintoys.com and do a search for "nuts and bolts." The toy is called Nuts & Bolts and it's $15.

2) Mini magna doodle

3) Mini etch-a-sketch

4) Mini puzzles (there's a farm animal one and a vehicles one on this site - they have an entire section of "travel toys" too). Fatbraintoys.com - click Melissa & Doug - sort by "travel toys."

Since it's his first time in an airplane, you could also take a small airplane with you and have a great time talking about all of the activity at the airport. My son loves watching the baggage trucks, planes taking off and driving by, fuel trucks, etc. out the airplane window while the boarding finishes. If your husband will be with you, one of you could board early and set up the carseat and the other one stay in the terminal with your son until boarding is nearly done. Your son can run off more energy and you won't be stressed getting the carseat attached at the last minute.

Good luck!

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We flew overseas with our 2 1/2 year old and he did wonderfully. We were worried b/c he too is very active and never sits still. I believe the key was taking his car seat and installing it in the plane. He felt he was in a familiar place and felt very comfortable. He played, ate, and slept as he normally does on long car trips. Also, the car seat ensures he will stay put. I don't know about yours, but my son could actually unlatch the seat belt on the plane and get out of his seat. A small bag with a variety of items is also helpful. Be sure to take toys, snacks, color books, etc. Make sure a couple of the little toys are brand new items that he has never seen before. These work wonders during tense times. We also took a portable DVD player but never needed it during the 7 hour flight! Also be sure to let him run around, play, and blow off steam during layovers in a safe non-crowded area. And remember in the end, he is a toddler and most of the people around you on the plane have had kids and know what you are going through. They will understand and if they don't, it's only 8 hours of their entire life. Don't stress too much, just do the best that you can.

I flew with my son at one month. I know it's not the same, but I really liked what his Dr. said! I had asked him for some tips flying, and he said to being patient is the first thing! And second is not to worry about the other passengers. Most likely you will never see any of them again. If you can't get your little one to calm down with snacks, and toys, and all the other stuff suggested. Cuddle with him and let him blow off that steam!! Just pretend like noone else is around you! Like one lady said... it's only 8 hours of thier life! I hope everything works out for you!!

First of all just remember he is 3. He may have a breakdown because he wants to be up and about. You will probably be upset more than anyone else about it.

That being said: First if you dont have a small back pack for him get one. This will be a life saver. In the back pack let him have coloring books and crayons. Also few small toys like cars, robots, favorite stuffed animal. Anything that you know he likes. Let him choose but help him make wise decisions. Set a few things out and say pick 5 or however many will fit. You need a small warm blanket for him to cover up with or rest his head on. The plane works like a car....there is a switch on their butt that when they set in a moving seat they are out. The last and most important thing is snacks. You need snacks because flying is expensive enough and if you have to pay 2.00 for a snack size bag of chips it can add up. This way you can choose some great snacks. Granola bars, peanuts, pretzels.......anything that can fill him up if needed but not be junk. Several times when I was flying with 3 little ones our plane was late to the next flight and the planned stop for a meal had to be skipped. Then kids are cranky because they are hungry. Kids get cranky for 3 reasons....hungry, tired or bored. Just cover all these bases and it will be okay. Hope this helps!

Toys & snacks, toys & snacks, did I say toys & snacks?! :)

Seriously, just lots of toys and snacks. A plane ride isn't exactly the time to try to keep to your normal routine. If it happens, what a blessing, but getting on a plane is exciting for a 3 year old, and he will likely be so enamored with the plane that will keep him busy for a little bit. He may be able to fall asleep at some point, and that too will be a blessing.

Just have lots of toys & snacks :)

Good luck!

We have a VTech Wondertown, and our 3 yo son loves it. It travels easily and keeps him happily occupied. For the driving part, we stop at a McDonald's with a play room about every couple of hours or so. That way, our son can run around and we can get inexpensive snacks (he really likes the yogurt parfaits). We have become big fans of those McDonald's!

Hi Katie,
I travel with my 3 year old a good bit, and one thing we enjoy is playing games that don't involve any "props". For instance, we play a game where we go through the alphabet and say a word that begins with each letter. Sometimes we take turns... he'll say a word starting with A, then I'll say a word starting with B, etc. Or sometimes he just runs with it and does each letter himself, and I just chime in with hints for a word if he gets stuck. I also usually have to help him remember which letter he's up to.

Another game we play is the rhyming game. I'll say a word and he thinks of a word that rhymes with it. There is a game called "Stink Pink" that's a more advanced version of this game. At 3, I don't think he's quite ready for Stink Pink, but it won't be long! Just for future reference (or in case any other moms might find this helpful), Stink Pink goes like this: You think of two rhyming words and give everybody else clues about them and they try to guess. If the words are one-syllable words, it's called a "stink pink", two-syllables are called "stinky pinky", and three-syllables are called "stinkaroo pinkaroo". (For the rare 4-syllable, you can say "stinkarooski pinkarooski".) For instance, if you were thinking of "Fat Cat", you'd say, "Ok, this is a Stink Pink and it's a chubby kitty." Or "This is a Stinky Pinky and it's a silly rabbit." (Funny Bunny) You get the idea.

There's another game I remember playing with my brother as kids in the car... the alphabet game where you have to find each letter of the alphabet (on signs, license plates, etc.) and whoever gets through the whole alphabet first wins. Obviously this doesn't work well for being in an airplane, but it's just a good roadtrip game, and you did say you're also going to be doing a good bit of driving.

Hope these ideas help you pass the time in a fun way! Have a safe trip!

Katie, I would never recommend giving a child any kind of drug just to keep them quiet! Even though some pediatricians may even be agreeable, it is a terrible precedent and you don't want to be filling your sweet baby's delicate system with chemicals to which you don't know how his body will react. As someone mentioned, V-Tech is an excellent option for keeping your son preoccupied. It is not only full of fun game options, but it will make the time productive in that he will be learning while traveling - and the two of you can play together! This is also what is so great with the rhyming/alphabet games. Engage his mind.

Three year olds can be a handful on solid ground, but when you take them off of terra firma you have a whole new set of issues to deal with. If he gets cranky, others on the plane may complain and you don't want to alienate your fellow travelers. (Unfortunately, many people have become rather Grinch-esque about traveling with young children aboard. There have been instances where a mother and a fussy child have been put off a plane for just such an issue! At least two of these cases are still in court. But it might help to understand you will be flying in very rare air. Flying from NC to Utah you will likely go into Atlanta and/or Houston and from there to Utah. The first, short, hop, will be a fairly low-level flight and should not cause a pressure problem. But the last leg of the trip will put your plane on a much higher altitude than the first part of the journey. The cabin pressure changes (especially noticeable soon after takeoff when the plane is climbing to cruising altitude) which in turn causes the pressure in your body to change. This includes the pressure in the inner ear. This can cause some quite painful episodes for a little one. As an adult, you know to 'pop' your ears to relieve the pressure but a young child would not know, nor likely be able, to do this. So you want to keep a sipper cup handy and, when you start feeling the pressure, know that he will be feeling it too. Ask the flight attendant to put some juice in it for him and give him a cup of juice to sip on until the cabin pressure stabilizes. Don't wait for him to start fussing. By then it will be too late.

On a different aspect, although it is common for 3 year olds to be busy, you say he "very rarely sits still". For future reference, you may want to keep an eye on him for possible ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). More common in boys than girls (girls tend to have ADD without the hyperactivity and so, tend more often to go undiagnosed.) the only way to diagnose when a child is young is anecdotally. That is, parents simply telling the doctor how the child is behaving. You will be the judge as to whether your child's busy-ness is more than normal. At that point, you will have two options. Medical intervention - there are many excellent second and third gen drugs for controlling the symptoms of ADHD; or teaching him how to cope with the side effects of the disorder. (This is much easier with an older child; with younger children, chemical adjustment is, more often than not, the best solution.)

Good luck on your trip; have a safe and happy vacation; and, when you return, let us know how your toddler fared the journey!

Our latest road trip was the best yet when we used the Taby Tray. It can be used on a plane as well - as it is so difficult for children to use the tray - it doesn't reach them.

It kept our daughter busy for hours. She was able to use it for snacks as well as having a surface to play on. I love the cupholder and crayon holders, as I am not having to pick these up from the floor anymore. She even drew on it with crayon and we could wash it off with soap/water. Great for short trips also.

The tray is sturdy and very simple to attach. It works great on our stroller as well --- we use it at the mall --- makes shopping/eating there enjoyable!!!

I will be buying another when when we have our next one, as I will have 2 kids close in age to contend with!

You can get them at www.kidscornershop.com for the cheapest online. Hope this helps.