Traveling with kids can be quite the adventure. Trying to balance between kids’ and fellow travelers’ comfort is no easy task. Especially on a plane.
Flight attendants have see it all. Especially with parents struggling to keep their kids relaxed and interested during a long flight, House Beautiful notes.
So, who better than a flight attendant to give a bit of advice? That’s exactly what Lauren Guilfoyle from Emirates does.
She gives a few nifty ideas. One of them is to schedule the long flight close to the child’s bedtime. This way he or she will be able to sleep through a sizeable portion of the flight.
Another good idea is to pick the seats just behind the wall of the plane which separates different classes. Big planes usually have those walls. They have more room for the legs and thus you can make a small play area in front of you.
Of course, plan for the entertainment. Some airlines have special extras for kids. Emirates for example has the Fly With Me Animals line of stuffed animals and blankets. The entertainment center also often has plenty of kid movies.Guilfoyle also says that sweets or milk help during the take-off and descent to equalize ear pressure and lower the uncomfortable-ness of kids.
“When the Crew knows you’re traveling with a child, they will check in more often to make sure everyone is comfortable,” Guilfoyle says. So talk to the cabin crew about it the first chance you get. “I love having children on-board,” Guilfoyle says, adding, “When I have downtime, I check in on the parents. Sometimes they need a helping hand or a short break. I’ll help occupy their children while they get a little rest in!”
Also, mix-up activities, Guilfoyle says. “Don’t depend solely on games or videos—pack a small puzzle, coloring book, or interactive toy in addition to devices or in-flight entertainment systems, and use time between shows or movies to try something different,” Guilfoyle says. And take walks up and down the aisle every-now-and-then to stretch.
Another cool idea is to have a surprise new toy on hand. Give it to your child during mid-flight. This way the kids won’t get so easily bored with the other toys and will have something new to add to the fun.
