11 Helpful Tips on Flying with a Toddler, Challenge Accepted

When it comes to flying with a toddler things can change in an instant. You may experience every emotion possible in the matter of a few hours. But you can do it!

As we continue the How to enjoy your Oahu vacation with a toddler series we will now discuss flying with a toddler. We now know flying with a baby but flying with a toddler was a bit different.

Our flight to Hawaii went amazing! Genevieve was so well behaved. The flight going home was a little different.  As I changed my daughter’s diaper before boarding the plane I could tell we had a bit of a challenge ahead.There was crying, body thrashing, trying to run in the isles and a sudden fascination with kicking the seats in front of us. With a bit of effort I was finally able to settle the munchkin down with some nursing and snuggles. She fell asleep for nearly 3 hours and woke up rested and happy. She wanted to keep us on our toes. Like I said you may experience every emotion possible during the course of your flight. 

With out further ado here are 11 helpful tips that made our flights more manageable.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means if you buy something through my link, I may get a small share of the sale. I appreciate it! 

1. If they are still small enough for baby wearing I highly recommend this route.

Going through security is much easier having your munchkin on you! The last thing you want to do is chase a baby through security. My carrier of choice is the Tula. Then after you have gone through security be sure to let them run around to get their wiggles out.

2. Have toiletry liquids ready.

Have your liquids prepared in a zip lock bag. Make sure they easily accessible. Then AFTER going through security pack your liquids into your bags. This will save you time and make going through security much easier.

3. Check your car seat.

If you are checking other pieces of luggage I recommend checking your car seat at the same time. If you are only doing carry on you can check your car seat at the gate. Be sure to check out How to pack for your beach vacation for more details on checking your car seat and to receive a money saving travel hack.

4. Use your stroller to hold your bags.

We like to use our stroller to hold our bags while going through the airport and then check the stroller at the gate when boarding the plane. It is really helpful to have our hands free.

5. Go to the bathroom.

Before getting on the plane make sure that the munchkins diaper is fresh and make sure you are able to use the restroom before you board the plane. You don’t know how long it might be before your next chance lol.

6. Disinfect your seat.

I highly recommend having some disinfectant wipes handy to give things a quick wipe down. You just never know what germs are lingering from who ever sat in the seat before you. We recently found these ones and love them. I now keep a pack in the diaper bag at all times.

7. Bring food for the whole family.

On our first flight I thought I had a lot of snacks ready. We could have used more! Thankfully we picked up some lunch in the airport ahead of time. It is important for mom and dad to be fed as well as the munchkin. The last thing you need is hangry parents dealing with a hangry toddler. Flying home we brought even more snacks and packed our dinner with us on the plane.

8. Stay hydrated.

In how to enjoy your road trip with a toddler I share the importance of staying hydrated and the same applies when it comes to flying. Make sure you all have water bottles handy. We bring this one everywhere.

9. Bring lots of fun things to do.

One of the hardest parts of flying is keeping the little one entertained. I went to the dollar store and purchased some new toys to play with on the plane. I offered one toy at a time and tried to make it last as long as possible before introducing a new one. The favorites were the magna doodle, putting stickers in a coloring book and a new doll to play with.

10. Technology is your friend.

We let the munchkin play with games on our phone off and on through out the flight. When Genevieve began to get bored with her toys and the games on the phone we put a show on the tablet. She snuggled in to watch and ended up falling asleep for an hour. We saved this for last and it payed off.

11. Most importantly remember that you will never see these people again.

During our flight home Genevieve was done with flying before we even began. At first I was worried and a bit nervous but I reminded myself to stay calm and just focus on the munchkin and what she needed. I also realized that I will most likely never see these people again. This realization was extremely freeing for me! As long as I was doing my best that is all that mattered and people could think whatever they liked.

Flying with a little one can be a challenge but you can do it!

What are your tips to flying with a toddler? I am always looking for new ideas. If you would like to receive a packing checklist and a bonus money saving travel hack be sure to check out how to pack for your beach vacation with a toddler.

If you found this post helpful then be sure to check out:

How to Pack for Your Beach Vacation with a Toddler,  includes a printable packing list and money saving travel hackWaimea Valley, don’t miss out on this family funGluten free options for your Oahu vacation3 of the Best Kid Friendly Hikes on Oahu3 of the Most Amazing Kid Friendly Beaches