15+ Things to Keep Your Little One Occupied on the Plane

Also Read: 20+ Festive Cocktails...trust us, you’ll need one after the trip.

I’ve become a pro at packing for the plane and have a few unusual items (scotch tape, address labels, string) that have saved me.

Before our first trip with kids, I got some advice from a friend: “Pack extra clothes–not just for the baby, but for you.” On a long flight back from London, her child got sick and threw up. Luckily, she’d packed extra clothes for him. But then he threw up again–on her. And then again– on her husband. And then on himself again…and so on. By the time they landed, her baby was wearing just a diaper and her husband walked off the plane bare-chested in a blue blazer (he had given his dress shirt to my friend.) To make matters worse, while she was changing into his shirt in the cramped airplane bathroom, she forgot to lock the door and a man walked in on her…topless. Needless to say, I always pack extra clothes now for everyone!

HERE’S WHAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR BAG
This is my carry-on packing list for traveling with kids under the age of 5:
• clorox wipes–wipe everything down before you get settled in–seatbelt, trays, arm rests.
• sippy cups for water or juice for when the serve beverages
• pacifiers if they’ll use them
• 2 changes of clothes for the kids incl undies
• extra socks–they’ll definitely lose a few
• extra tee for me and my husband
• blankets
• lovey
• wipes
• diapers
• changing pad
• baby Tylenol
• Tylenol for you
• Oragel
• swimsuits and swim diapers so you can head straight to the pool when you arrive

Tip: Pack the extra clothes and blankets in ziplocs and release the air to make them more compact.

SNACKS
It goes without saying to keep the sugar to a minimum. And don’t forget about yourself! I am usually running around like a lunatic the morning that we leave and forget to eat. Pack fruit, nuts–protein is good!

Here are some ideas for what snacks to pack:
1. Make a few bagels with cream cheese the night before and freeze them
2. Cheerios or apple jacks-
you can also make a necklace with the cheerios like in the pic
3. Candy necklaces for your older kids–fun to wear and eat
4. Frozen string cheese
5. Frozen yogurt sticks
6. Fruit cups
7. Dried fruit
8. Almonds for me
9. Frozen Babybel cheese
10. Candy dots-they take forever to eat
11. Small peanutbutter
12. Crackers
13. Lollipops for take-off
14. Gum for me

ENTERTAINMENT
My list will look odd, but I’m telling you, my tricks work. And although an iPad can be your friend, when they’re really little even that doesn’t always keep them entertained. Plus, during take off and landing, it’s not an option!

And in My Bag of Tricks…
1. Scotch tape. Let them try to pull it off the roll; I’d put tape on their fingers and they’d giggle trying to break free.

2. Plastic placemat, address labels and stickers. I’d tape the mat to the tray table. One, it would be clean. Then, I’d bring address labels–the kind that non-profits send you so you’ll donate money–and one by one I would hand them to my daughter and she would stick them onto the placemat.

3. Roll of string. Play with it, teach them to tie, see if they can untie it, tie objects onto it like their pacifier, toys, a sock. Bring beads for older kids for them to string. or make a necklace with cherrios or apple jacks.

4. Ziploc with strange objects. My kids loved taking things out–of a box, a tissue box, a ziploc. I’d fill it with things I wouldn’t care about losing: colorful sparkly pipe cleaners, ribbons, cotton balls. Think about filling it with different textures and colors. Obviously, depending on your child, be careful about including objects that they might be tempted to swallow.

5. Crayola Wonder. OMG these saved me many times. They can color on their face, on the seat, and it won’t show up: it only works on the Crayola Wonder paper! Bring it to a restaurant or a friends’ house who doesn’t have kids and watch their reaction when your kids starts to draw on the wall.

6. Clorox wipes. Watch them go to town cleaning everything in your row.

7. “Colorforms.” Melissa & Doug make something similar to colorforms–reusable sticker scenes–that my kids loved. I’d bring a few because they’re so thin: princesses for my oldest, transportation for my middle and animals for my youngest.

8. Candy Dots: This was always a perfect treat and activity combined. I’d only buy it when we traveled. Even though it’s candy, it’s time consuming to peel the little candies off the paper. And you don’t have to worry as much about the sugar because they’re so small. Candy dots

9. “I Spy” books or just play the game. I Spy

10. The shoes on their feet. Use the time to teach them to tie their shoes.

11. Bubblewrap. They loved popping the bubbles. Bring the small bubbles and they won’t make as much noise.

12. Rubik’s Cube. Even when they were little, they liked turning it. Older kids can try to actually solve it.

13. Balloons–an instant packable ball. While you’re in the waiting area, find a space where you can play.

14. Silly Putty or Thinking Putty. They can stretch, tear, shape, roll, and squish it. Also with the new ones, they get more vibrant in color from the heat of your hands. Thinking Putty.