Flying with a two year old

[PenguinPatter]

Hi

Any tips for flying with a just two year old?

I am really worried about how we will convince her to sleep? How will she understand that she has to sleep in a chair rather than a cot?

Has anyone taken car seat on board? Thinking this might give her somewhere to rest her head but would give us less space?

Also presumably I will have to carry her through immigration as we land 5pm local time so she will be knackered? We are flying virgin and don't think we get buggy back till luggage hall. She is very heavy though so seems like a long queue to hold her.

Any experience or suggestions appreciated thanks.

[Guest]

You can use your buggy right up to the gate and it will be returned when plane has landed.

[flump3k]

No advice as such, but I think you'll be really surprised. We took our daughter when she was 23 months and didn't even have a seat for her. I worried about the exact same thing but she was fab she sat on the seat with her brother and just fell asleep. I lifted the armrest and she put her head on my lap. I really worried about nothing. Kids are fab at adapting to situations.

[papamouse]

all I can say is don't worry

its never as bad as it seems its going to be

went in 2012 with an 18mth old and last year with a 2 yo

Just follow all the tips in here, keep them enetertained with ipad, ife, drawing books, bounce them off the adults, take them for a walk up and down the plane. By the time you factor in food and pee pees - the journey is over.

have a blanket and a soft pillow and take things like snacks in tubs and their own drinking beaker from home - good for inevitable spills. Other say change them into their jammies at sleep time makes them think its time to sleep.

but don't over stress as its never that bad in the grand scheme of things.

[Lemag]

My daughter had just turned 3 when we last went, I worried about the flight for ages but it was actually fine! She loved the adventure and was happy watching the iPad, a film or playing with some new toys I took with me. She fell asleep just as we were landing at Tampa and my husband had to carry her off (we didn't get the pushchair back until we collected our cases). When we arrived back in London my 5 year old son was asleep (even harder to carry! ) and there were free pushchairs you could borrow while you waited.

[howerd]

We went when our daughter was 15 months and 26 months. Both times were absolutely fine, she led across us when she needed a sleep, we went for walks up and down the corridor waving to everyone, and as you are on a flight to Florida there is generally other children to make friends with etc.

We made sure we had different toys for her to play with, and it's surprising how quick the time goes. If she still has naps then that can be a good break in the flight.

When she was 15 months she had 2 naps and then fell asleep with an hour to go so I carried her through immigration. She then woke up while waiting for luggage but was excited about the adventure and going in a big car. Went to bed straight away when we got to the accom and woke up at 7am.

When she was 26 months, she had a nap a bit earlier but didn't fall asleep as we thought she would. So she stayed awake until we got to the accom (again going off of excitement). However we had a 'slow' first day this time as she was naturally far more tired.

No advice really, but I'd just say, there are plenty of ways to pass the time, and the naps help.

[Picklepuppy]

The best advice i can give is stop fretting. Kids are pretty adaptable and take things in their stride providing the parents arent stressing. They feed of you and will play up more if you think things are stressful. Both of mine have flown since they were 3 months old and its got easier. Your 2 yo will have their own seat so thats half the battle.

[RM2016]

The flight will be easy I'm sure. Early start, excitement, new environment they are bound to drop off at some point during the flight. By the time you have food and drinks, pop on some kids entertainment, no doubt several toilet trips the flight will go quickly. Immigration with a tired, heavy toddler is absolute hell but if you expect the worst anything better is a pleasant surprise.

[Damn Dirty Ape]

When we took our 1 year old (think he was 15months) for the first time we didn't have a seat. We put the armrest up and stuffed a couple of pillows in the gap and he happily sat between mummy and daddy. After a couple of hours he curled up and slept the rest of the way. He looked damned comfortable there. I wish I was able to get that comfortable on flights.

At 4 and 5 years old and his own seat he was too excited to sleep until he could take it no more and drifted off... as we came into land at MCO.

Still, he was happily entertained by IFE, ipads, colouring books etc.

[PenguinPatter]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I'm not as worried about entertaining her - she's usually quite happy to sit and watch toy story I'm worried about convincing her to nap!

She usually has 2-3 hours in the afternoon in her cot and she won't use a pillow she just lies flat so my worry is how I get her to nap with all that excitement! She hasn't napped on me since she was a bit 6 months so just not sure she will understand the curl up on your chair and shut your eyes.

My understanding was that although you can use your buggy until the plane door this side they don't give them back to you til luggage reclaim at mco - I'd be happy to be wrong though ?!