Airplane
Travel Edit
Essentials for flying
with younger kids
Airplane travel essentials for young children
Flying with young children is all about being prepared. These are our tried-and-tested airplane travel essentials for kids aged 2 to 7, from leg rests and ride-on suitcases to snacks, stickers and a few little surprises to make the journey easier. In all honesty, our kids spend about 90% of the flight eating, sleeping or on screens, so we don’t go overboard with toys!
Ride-on suitcase
A quality ride-on suitcase, such as the Micro Eazy, takes corners well and gives tired little legs a lift through the airport.
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Travel essentials kit
A small kit with chewable paracetamol, antihistamine, plasters, travel sickness tablets, a toothbrush and baby wipes covers most mid-flight mishaps. Check doses for your child’s age and follow the label.
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Leg rest or hammock
A leg rest turns economy seats into fully flat beds for little ones. They come in many forms: inflatable, fabric hammock or convertible suitcase. Airline policies vary, so check their website before you buy.
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Travel blanket and pillow
A blanket tucked inside a zip-up pillow is part cosy comfort, part novelty. Children love unzipping the surprise.
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Tablet and charger
Download plenty of shows and offline games before you leave. Pack charging cables and a small plug-in charging battery, though check your airline’s rules on this first.
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Bluetooth headphones and adapter
Avoid tangled headphone cords with Bluetooth headphones. For a bonus, pair them with a Bluetooth adapter that plugs into the airplane’s headphone jack, so your kids can listen wirelessly to the inflight entertainment.
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Fabric busy books
Fabric busy books with zips, buttons and Velcro keep small hands busy for ages. Our favourite is the Curious Columbus Quiet Book range.
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Sticker books
Good old-fashioned sticker books still do the trick. Reusable stickers last the whole trip, although our kids prefer the one-and-done kind. Static clings are another great option, giving little ones something to stick to the plane window.
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Magnetic tiles travel kit
A compact magnetic tiles set lets children build on the tray table without losing pieces.
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Favourite snacks
Our kids never liked airplane food, regardless of quality, so we always pack plenty of fruit puree tubes and carb-heavy snacks to keep their bellies full.
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Treat box
A tackle box or lunch box filled with small treats keeps hands busy and spirits high. Sugar doesn’t count at 35,000 feet! And remember a lollipop for take-off and landing.
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Lightweight water bottle
We swap our usual insulated bottles for lightweight plastic ones on flights, as cabin crew can easily refill them on request.
View on AmazonAirplane travel tips for young children
Pack a carry-on that works for little hands. Give each child a small backpack with a few favourite things, so they have something of their own to reach for. Keep the snacks, wipes and spare clothes in the bag at your feet rather than the overhead locker.
Save a few surprises. New stickers, a small toy or a new show saved for the flight buy extra minutes of calm when boredom sets in.
Plan for take-off and landing. A lollipop or a drink can help with sore ears, and a favourite blanket helps when little ones get tired.
Check the rules before you go. Airline policies on leg rests, charging batteries and liquids vary, so check their website before you buy or pack.
Give yourselves time. A relaxed airport, a toilet stop before boarding and early boarding where available make the whole journey calmer.
More Family Travel Essentials
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