The Traveling Teacher: Tips for Flying with Kids

It's summer again and the kids (and their teachers! Woot!) are home! This means loads of opportunities for more family-fun time and memory-making moments. Annnnd more chances for whining, fighting, cleaning up messes, getting burnt out... well, you get the picture.

So here's our summer challenge this year: use a few tricks and tips to create a fun, enjoyable summer for both our kids AND for us. Let's go!

Challenge #2: Have no-stress flights with kids

I saw a meme the other day on Facebook that said "July is the Wednesday of summer." That is so true- we're halfway to the start of a new school year already! (nooooooo) 

I don't know about you, but between traveling to see family, taking our kids on vacation and all the little one-day summer events,  it seems like our summer fills up so fast and we are always on the go.

As we gear up for another trip next week, I thought it would be a good time to share some tips for flying with kids. With each kid we've added to our family (we currently have 4), we've tried some new strategies for making flying as a family slightly less chaotic. 

Some worked. Some didn't.

I'll just be sharing the ones that did work with you today ;) 

1. Have bigger kids carry a book bag.

You have enough to shlep through the airport, time to get a little help from your kiddos. If they are old enough, having them carry a backpack (we really like these Land End's ones) with the items they will need for the travel day. 

Some things we include in each bag:

• light jacket/hoodie in case the plane is cold
• headphones (we LOVE these soft headband style ones)
• tablet or kindle
• Ziploc baggie full of snacks (though the have to ask first before eating one)
• mechanical pencils and a small notebook for playing games or drawing
• empty water bottle to fill after we get through security
• Ziploc baggie with one change of clothes in it for any emergencies that might happen

2. Create beds or 'couches' for kids.

We looooove this inflatable footrest. Blow it up partway to rest your feet on it (great for saving parent's backs or resting short legs)

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OR inflate it all the way and it will sit level with the seat and creates a mini chaise lounge or bed for your kids to curl up on.

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One tip: hold the air hole- wait. Does it have an official name?? Oh! Valve. Hold the valve up to the air vent above your seat and the footrest will inflate in seconds. 

3. Pack meal baggies.

Airport food is insanely expensive. Instead of spending my layover time wrangling kids while standing in line at the News 'N Deli, I pack a Ziploc bag meal for each child to eat on the plane. Not only does this save us money, but it is one more thing for kids to do that will keep them entertained on the plane. 

Here are my go-to items when making a Ziploc baggie meal:

Breakfast:

• bagel
• apple
• banana
• clementines
• breakfast bars
• water

Lunch/Dinner:

• apple or clementine
• granola bars
• Uncrustables (or any PB&J- Uncrustables are just a special treat for my kiddos) 
• lemonade or propel drink powder packs to turn their water bottle into a flavored drink
• fun snacky dessert thing: gummies, cookies, etc.

4. Avoid lost bottles and cups.

After a flight that involved me reaching under the seat 40 times for run-away cups and having to ask neighbors to retrieve said cups after an especially successful roll, I decided it was time to strap those suckers down. 

I jumped on Amazon and bought one of these cup strap things and hooked it to the seat belt the next time we flew with our toddlers. Then I sat back, opened my book, and... closed my book to grab the toy that fell off my son's seat. So yeah, probably needed to buy a strap for the toy too. Sigh. 

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You could always use a strong ribbon or rope to tie toys and cups to the seat... in a pinch, I will tie a ribbon to a hair thing and put the hair thing around the cup. Usually works okay. 

5. Contain young kids with a seat belt harness.

We took 6 flights last summer with a 7 year old, 6 year old and two 2 year olds and this seat belt harness is the sole reason I am still hear to share the tale.

It was invaluable for keeping squirming toddlers in their seat during take-off, landing and those times in between when we needed them to be contained (like during meals). 

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6. Compact booster seats to the rescue!

With two kids in booster seats still, we needed to figure out a way to safely travel in transport vans and rental cars once we got to our destination.

We decided to get these foldable booster seats that fit in the small pocket of my carryon luggage. 

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Bonus: We keep them in the glove compartment of my minivan for the random last-minute friend that needs to ride home with us. 

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7. BRING THE STROLLER!

I can't tell you how VERY MUCH I love having a stroller in the airport. It gives me a place to put my cup, carries my book bag for me in the storage basket and gives my youngest kiddos a place to sleep, eat meals and just be contained when needed. 

We just gate check it and then pick it up at the door when the plane lands. 

One handy tip we learned was that if you have a 4-wheeled carry-on bag, you can use bungie cords to strap it to the back of the stroller, under the handle. The whole things just wheels around as one unit- we can even push our loaded-up stroller with one hand like this. 

Just a note: it will get a bit banged up when stored on the plane... I've never had anything break, but there are usually a few little scratches on it that weren't there before. We have an older stroller we love using for trips because we don't care if it receives a little 'airline love' when flying. 

8. And this nifty little guy is for the parents. Because our comfort matters too.

I tend to get pretty bad back aches when I sit a long time in one position- like car trips or when flying. This foot sling has been a great way to shift my position and give parts of my back a break. 

It just slips over the seat-back tray in front of your seat.

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Want to continue to create a fun and stress-free summer? Check out all the Summer Challenge posts here.

(I mean: Happy Traveling!)