5 Ways to Get Through a Long Haul Flight With Kids

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5 Ways To Get Through A Long-haul Flight With Kids

Nothing is more exciting than a family holiday. Days by the pool, evenings on the beach and just about all the fun there is to be had in between. 

Before that though, it’s every parent’s worst nightmare – the travelling

Even a short hop, skip and a jump over to Spain is enough to make most parents nervous but what if you’re off somewhere further afield? 

Fear not, there are loads of ways of getting through a long-haul flight with kids and here are just a few tips to take on board (no pun intended). 

Plan, plan and plan again 

Before you even set off, there’s plenty you can do to make the general travelling process as painless as possible. Things like making sure all your booking information is printed off and all passports are up-to-date is vital. It’s everyone’s worst nightmare to turn up at the airport and not have a crucial document with you, so triple-check everything. 

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Similarly, how are you getting to the airport – are you driving or getting a taxi? 

One of the best ways to travel to an airport is by train. For example, if you’re travelling from London Victoria to Gatwick Airport there’s a direct train you can hop on. Arriving via train means your kids have more room to get out some pent-up energy before being dragged around the terminals. 

Entertainment Central

As any parent will know, it’s no good just packing one or two things to do. Kids get bored at a rate of nanoseconds, so don’t expect them to be entertained by the same book for hours of end. 

Obviously, you’re a little restricted when it comes to how much you can take with you through the airport, so keep things lightweight and compact. Most long-haul flights will have in-flight entertainment, so don’t worry about taking tablets with you to watch movies. 

Instead, try to take a few smaller games and activities, like colouring, for when you’re about to take off and or land. 

If you’re not comfortable, neither are they 

Sure, you might want to be wearing something more suitable for the weather at your end destination, but do your kids? 

If you’re off somewhere warm it’s tempting to forgo a jacket or coat to save yourself carrying it around. However, we all know what England is like and your kids are unlikely to be happy standing around outside an airport at 5 am in the overcast and chilly English weather. 

Make sure they’re suitably dressed for a long-haul flight by getting them in a pair of comfy leggings and a t-shirt for example. This should also help them when it comes to sleeping on the plane (if they sleep at all). 

Keep it moving 

No one likes being sat down for too long, especially kids. 

When flying on a long-haul flight, make a point of getting your kids out of their seats every now and then. Simply walking up and down the isles a few times should help get rid of those fidgety and itchy feet symptoms you will inevitably spot. 

We need back-up 

It’s a sad reality of being a parent, but back-up is absolutely essential. 

Whether it’s food, clothes, entertainment or just about anything else, you’re going to need it. 

We all know how expensive airports and in-flight food is, so make sure your kids have had a good meal before arriving and you have plenty of emergency snacks safely hidden out-of-sight. As well as this, remember to have at least one of their favourite cuddly toys to hand to prevent the likely tantrum that will happen at some point throughout the journey. 

Travelling long-haul with kids needn’t be a challenge. If you go in fully prepared, there should be nothing your kids can throw at you that you can’t handle … in theory!  

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Angela Milnes is a Qualified Early Years Teacher who has specialised in Preschool and Kindergarten teaching. She has a wealth of experience teaching young children and is passionate about kids crafts and having fun as a family. Angela has also taught cooking skills and loves to share both family recipes and easy crafts here on The Inspiration Edit. Follow her on Pinterest!

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