Airplane
Travel Edit
Essentials for flying
with older kids
Airplane travel essentials for older children
Flying with older children is a different game. They want independence, entertainment and a little comfort, and you want an easy journey. These are the airplane travel essentials we pack for our older kids, from leg rests and cute pillows to mini cameras, e-readers and the odd squishy.
Scooter suitcase
A foldable scooter suitcase has been such a hit with our kids, who love zooming through the airport way ahead of us. It is also handy for getting around at your destination.
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Essentials pack
A small pack with items like chewable paracetamol, antihistamine, plasters, travel sickness tablets, a toothbrush and cleaning 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 growing legs. 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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Neck pillow and eye mask
A kid-sized neck pillow and a soft eye mask help older children switch off and sleep through the noise and bright cabin lights. One of ours particularly loves a cute hooded neck pillow.
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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 & 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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E-reader with backlight
Perfect for avid readers who can get through several books on a single flight. The built-in backlight makes it easy to read comfortably, even when the cabin lights are dimmed.
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Portable MP3 player
A compact MP3 player offers screen-free entertainment. Load it with music, audiobooks and podcasts before you go.
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Puzzle book
A puzzle book full of brain teasers, mazes and word games is a quiet alternative to the endless screen time of long-haul travel.
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Travel journal
A travel journal is a lovely way for kids to record memories from their trip, draw pictures and collect little keepsakes along the way.
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Mini keychain camera
A digital mini camera gives older children a fun way to capture memories from the trip, and keeps them busy hunting for the perfect shot.
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Squishies & fidgets
Squishy toys and fidgets are great for calming nerves and restless hands, and they take up almost no room in a bag.
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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.
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Favourite snacks
Our kids never liked airplane food, regardless of quality, so we always pack plenty of carb-heavy snacks to keep their bellies full.
View on AmazonAirplane travel tips for older children
Let them pack their own bag. Older children enjoy choosing their own entertainment, from a book or puzzle book to headphones and a charged tablet, and it means less for you to carry.
Download before you fly. Wifi and in-flight screens are never guaranteed, so load shows, games, music and audiobooks in advance.
Plan for sleep. A neck pillow, an eye mask and a leg rest help on long or overnight flights, and a hoodie doubles as a blanket.
Keep them busy and snacked. Puzzle books, journals and fidgets are quiet options. Pack their favourite snacks and a lightweight refillable bottle too.
Check the airline rules. Policies on leg rests, charging batteries and liquids vary, so check before you travel.
More Family Travel Essentials
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