Flying with Kids and Carry on Bags
As a parent, I know the stress that accompanies traveling with children. However, there are ways to make it less stressful. I wanted to share some of the things I do to make flying with kids easier. Also, I have traveled with children younger than 2 years old, so I will talk about that as well. I will have to say that most of my flying experience has been aboard Delta Airlines. As such, experiences may be different for other airlines.
Kids under 2
When you travel with a child younger than 2, you have the option of buying a ticket for the child or they can be a lap child for free. When you buy a ticket that means the child will have their own seat. A car seat is allowed and doesn’t cost extra. Check with the airline to know what the restrictions may be. Also, it’s important to remember you still have to call the airlines to inform them you will have a child on your lap. The airline will take down the child’s name and birthday and A ticket will be provided with the child’s name on it.
When flying with kids, you have to decide for yourself what makes most sense for your little one. The first time I was on a plane with a child was with Ezra, he was 4 months old at the time. He traveled as a lap child. I was worried how safe it would be, but I knew he would want to be held most the time.
It turned out just fine. On take off he fell asleep right away. Ezra woke up to eat, but was asleep almost the whole trip. I made sure to hold him tight on the take off and the landing.
When I have traveled with a nursing baby, I make sure to bring some extra bottles of milk in a small cooler. Each time I’ve done this, a TSA agent will take the bag off to the side. They test the milk with some kind of paper strip and ask a few questions about the contents of the bottle. But, I have never had any problems bringing milk on board a plane.
On our last flight, Alexandra sat on my lap. Although she was free, I was allowed to bring an extra carry on for her. In other words, I had two carry on bags at no extra charge.
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Be Prepared
Before any trip, I always make a list of things we need to take on the plane. Flying with kids can be stressful. But, if you are prepared it will be easier to get through those stressful moments. I made a free printable that will help. The printable is a list of things to put in a kids carry on bag.
Kids carry on bag
When we went to Disney World, each kid had a backpack as their carry on. Delta airplanes have TV screens on the back of each seat. Although, our last flight from Seattle back to home did not have screens on the seats. Possibly, because it was a smaller plane. The screens have free movies and games on them to keep everyone in the family entertained. For this reason, I made sure to include headphones in their carry on bags.
Headphones – Ezra, my 3 year old kept putting the headphones on my head, like it was a game. He was still entertained by the movie even though he couldn’t hear the sound. Zachary and Candon enjoyed picking a movie to watch and playing the games. My kids prefer the headphones that go over the ears verses the earbuds.
Snacks – The most important thing to have in a carry on is snacks. I made sure to buy a bunch of snacks to keep them satisfied during the flight. I like to include a variety. Things like, applesauce pouches, fruit snacks, crackers, granola bars, and pepperoni sticks. I also included poptarts for breakfast since we left so early. My kids don’t normally eat poptarts for breakfast but I like to use them when we travel. They are quick and easy when you are on the go.
Swimsuit – Another thing I included was swimsuits. We were using Disney’s Magical Express when we went to Disney World. As a result, they pick up your luggage for you at the terminal. It usually takes a few hours for the luggage to arrive at your hotel room. I wanted to swim in the pool soon after we arrived. Therefore, I made sure they had swimsuits in their carry on’s. Obviously, if your family vacation doesn’t include swimming, it won’t be needed for your carry on.
Travel Pillow – My kids carry on bags were getting pretty full and I almost left this out. But, I’m so glad I put some in the kids backpacks. Ezra slept a lot during our flight and his head was resting on the arm of the chair. Those seat arms are really hard and uncomfortable. Therefore, if Ezra didn’t have a pillow, he wouldn’t have slept well. Ezra and Alexandra slept the majority of the time. I think there is something about flying that makes little ones sleepy.
Dramamine – My kids get motion sick so this is a must have that I keep in my carry on. I make sure to give each of them some before our travels begin. If the flight is long enough they might need another dose. For that reason, I keep it with me on the plane.
Barf Bag – Airplanes have barf bags usually in the seat compartment in front of you. Unfortunately, on most of the flights I’ve been on, there haven’t been any. When we flew to Florida and back home again we were in 4 different planes. Out of all those planes, I only found one barf bag. I’m sure if I asked the flight attendant they would have been able to get me some. But, I honestly didn’t even think about asking when I was on the plane. I do like to have a barf bag in my carry on, just in case.
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Travel Games – Some kids might not be interested in watching a movie, so it’s important to have a few other activities to keep them entertained. I have found a few travel games that looked fun.
World of Disney Eye Found It Card Game
Matty’s Toy Stop Deluxe Classic Peg Games Wood Puzzles
Gamie Magnetic Board Game Set Includes 12 Retro Fun Games
Educational Insights Kanoodle | Brain Twisting 3-D Puzzle Game for Kids, Teens & Adults
Flying with kids can be stressful but if you are prepared it will be a much better experience. Make sure you have everything you need on the plane. I hope the carry on checklist helps to make packing easier.
Thoughts
What do you put in your carry on? What has been your experience with kids on planes? Let us know in the comments below because it really does help our readers out? Must haves for flying with kids?
