Flying with kids.

**emmyb123** · 25-10-2011, 05:06 PM

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone could offer me a bit of advice.
We are due to move to Victoria next may but my children have never flown before, they are 15, 11 & 7.
Is there anything I could do to make it a little easier on them. I know it's not ideal their first time on a plane being such a long flight.
I have only ever flown once before myself so I have to admit I'm not that confident with flying.

Thankyou in advance

**annalg** · 25-10-2011, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by emmyb123

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone could offer me a bit of advice.
We are due to move to Victoria next may but my children have never flown before, they are 15, 11 & 7.
Is there anything I could do to make it a little easier on them. I know it's not ideal their first time on a plane being such a long flight.
I have only ever flown once before myself so I have to admit I'm not that confident with flying.

Thankyou in advance

Hi

My 2 are little (2 & 4) but have flown long haul a lot

. But I would say the principles of flying with them are pretty similar. Long haul flights are never that great (perhaps unless you are in 1st class!) just do what ever you need to to get through it. Do they like DVDs/games consoles? If so pack them. Ipod or alternative? also pack them. We have a portable DVD player we take on board as I think the on board TV selection is poor for little ones but your teenages may be happy with what's on offer. puzzle books, colouring, favourite toy, travel games. sweets to suck on for ears. Think carefully about seating and prepare them that there may have be seat swapping if they argue etc.

Perhaps pack a couple of little suprise things for each (comic or something) in case of really bored moments.

Most flights have a day & night time schdule that they plan the food and lighting around. Check when this is with the cabin staff at the start & make sure your kids get plenty of time to walk up & down the plane in the daytime hours. This will help them to know when the quiet time is supposed to be on the plane. Also keep them drinking water. It helps with the jet lag and makes sure they are getting up often to go to the loo/stretch their legs.

I think your kids will be fine. It will be such an adventure for a start!

Good Luck with your move

**nikkidel** · 25-10-2011, 08:39 PM

In flight entertainment seems to keep most children occupied, though ours were a little young for the selection of movies on offer, so we bought personal DVD players second hand from ebay (plus chargers compatible with planes) and our own selection of DVDs. We have 4 young children and they were fantastic. The oldest didn't sleep much on the 2nd flight but was kept happy with DVDs, and the others slept a lot and also watched plenty. The kids were grea t- it was just dh and I that were exhausted from having to watch them the whole time!

**ali** · 25-10-2011, 09:28 PM

The infight stuff now is superb, back of seat TV, computer games and loads of films to choose from. We also took a bag with puzzles, books etc, for the kids to do (mine were 7 and 11), but to be honest, they computer games were the big hit. We didn't order kids meals for them, they ate more off the adult meal than they would have off the kids ... so if you're 11 and 7 year old are good eaters then go for the adult meals for them.

**giles70** · 25-10-2011, 09:43 PM

good to know,were flying in march.preston is fine by the way were from garstang

**ali** · 25-10-2011, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by giles70

good to know,were flying in march.preston is fine by the way were from garstang

Glad to know Preston is OK, you were just up the road lol We lived in Walton-le-Dale

**Quoll** · 26-10-2011, 05:56 AM

I wouldnt be worryng too much, they are all old enough to be rational and understand what is happening to them. The inflight entertainment is usually pretty good for a whole range of ages.

I choose late night departures every time then I am so knackered when I get on the plane I am asleep before wheels up and get the best part of 8 hours kip before landing in Asia.

Keeping hydrated is the trick, dont eat too much, travel as light as you possibly can - you dont want to be dragging the kitchen sink around with you all the time - and if you have kids who are travel sick (and even if they dont get motion sickness, go prepared anyway) be sure to have appropriate medication and have it ahead of time if there is the smallest chance of them chucking.

In the end, it is only going to be 24 hours of your life and you can stand pretty much anything for 24 hours!

**tandcmum** · 26-10-2011, 07:03 AM

I think you're kids are at the age that they will be fine and they will see it as a huge adventure. Who are you flying with and have you looked online at what entertainment is on ofer on the fight youare on. For the most part i would expect the long leg of the flight from the Uk will have seatback tv's, games that sort of thing. These days you are enouraged to get up and move about the plane during long haul flights and most flights put out drinks and snacks up in the galley area for you to help yourself.

Also as others have said, pack fave nintendo's, comfort toys and a few healthy snacks for the flight too

**cuptiesmissus** · 26-10-2011, 08:31 AM

My kids are used to long hauls(usually just to Houston... 10 hr flight), but this time i'm gonna have to get creative, we're flying via Dubai to break up the flight time(its gonna be 20 hrs in total)... will be packing bags for them both with their ipods and nintendos.. hopefully they'll sleep for quite a bit of it.