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What to bring on a flight with a toddler

Friday, September 9, 2022

Flights are already stressful enough, but when you know that you will have to look after another little human, the thought of flying might be completely anxiety-ridden; how on earth will you make sure that your toddler won’t get bored, angry, upset, or all of the above during a flight?

It's a challenging question that, of course, differs for every child. There are, however, things you may do to increase your chances of flying without any incidents. To make it easier for you, we have put together a list of the top items you should pack on a flight to keep your toddler occupied and out of trouble.

What should you bring with you?

  • All the snachs – Bring a snach box! This could be in the form of many little snach bags or a big container with multiple compartments. From savoury to sweet treats, and from familiar to new treats; variety is key here for switching things up and holding interest. Just make sure that they will all fit inside your carry-on luggage and that they won’t spill out anywhere!

A bento box type of container is always useful to have around the house. Monbento has a kids collection with different designs to impress your child! Their MB wonder blue Panda box is made out of stainless steel that is guaranteed to last for years and it holds a variety of snachs that differ in sizes thanks to its five compartments.

Monbento also sells separate compartment boxes to fit inside their products. These serve another purpose and can be used as extra space for snachs. These are a great option to choose because they can be packed up with any type of food ranging from veggies and fruit to trail mix and sweets.


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  • An empty drink bottle for water – Along with an empty water bottle for convenient water refills, ensure it is spill-proof to reduce further inconvenience. Keep your kids hydrated and avoid paying outrageous prices for single-use water bottles by using the numerous safe drinking water fountains that are located throughout airports.

 A water bottle like this one from Bubba is for kids and it features a removable silicone sleeve to help your little one’s grip and allow for easy cleaning. The lid is a “chug lid” that allows your child to hydrate quickly and the bottle itself is available in a variety of colours to slowly, but surely become your toddler’s new favourite drinking bottle. In the UK, you can buy Bubba water bottles online through Amazon.

  • Stuffed animal/blanket – Having an extra buddy to keep your child company will help them feel more at peace. They will feel less anxious about travelling to a new place if they have something that reminds them of home. When it becomes chilly in the airline cabins, a blanket is a terrific way to stay warm.

Jellycat is a soft toy company that sells a massive array of lovely furry friends that range from animals like cats and dogs to mythical creatures and even food items! A stuffed toy like the Amore Cat Black might remind your child of their pet at home or of their favourite type of animal. This will make them feel happy and connected to the place they think of as home.

A blanket like this one from Ikea is compact and made out of fleece, making it an easy-care material that won’t get wrinkled. It is made up of 100% recycled polyester, so there is no issue with washing it over and over again; it can be dragged around almost everywhere and made brand new again with a wash!

  • Mess-free arts and crafts – Bring art-related supplies to make sure your youngster is in touch with their creative side. You are welcome to bring crayons or markers, as well as some colouring books and plain paper, on the flight if you are confident that they won't cause any issues. If using crayons or markers can be difficult, try the paint with water books! Add one or more sticker books to your collection to unleash even more creativity.

Crayola Twistables 24 crayons

Crayola is a classic art supplies company that sells all types of colouring and craft supplies. Their Twistables Crayons are a great option for travel since they are compact  and ready to use right away since they don’t require any sharpening. 

If you think having a paint with water book would be the ideal solution, check out Anilas; specifically, their Jungle Magic Water Colour in cards. This type of activity ensures that there will be no mess; just have a small cup of water with you and dip the included paintbrush to make the book’s scenes come to life with colour!

Sticker books are not only filled with fun images and graphics, but they can also be educational. Depending on the book, it might feature funny faces that help children understand emotions or animals that can be remembered based on the sounds they make. In addition, sticker books help with visual scanning and bilateral hand coordination. You can buy sticker books at most large retail stores online and in person.

  • EarPlanes – Children may commonly complain that the flight has hurt their ears. Purchasing some EarPlanes is one way to deal with this. EarPlanes are pressure-filtering ear plugs that ease ear pain, clogging, and popping. You may or may not have heard of them previously. At your neighbourhood drugstores, pharmacies, and online retailers, you may get a set of pressure-regulating ear plugs for yourself and your child.

EarPlanes even has an app that measures cabin air pressure and will send you a notification when it is the optimal time to put your EarPlanes in. They come in adult sizes and also small/children sizes too.In the UK, you can find Earplanes at SnoreStore and Boots sells an alternative version of flight earplugs.

  • Fidget toys – It's crucial to keep kids entertained on flights since, regardless of how long they truly are, for some kids, they seem to go on forever. A fidget cube or a pop-it toy may be a terrific diversion for kids, depending on their age and level of mobility.

Sensory Land has a massive selection of fidget toys that can be purchased online: feel free to browse through the site and see what stands out the most to you! The Push Button Bubble Pop It is a type of toy that  helps your child’s hand-eye coordination, keeps them engaged and gives them an outlet to let their stress out.

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