International Air Travel and a Toddler

I was (as you well know) FREAKED out about flying with a 2.5 year old for 10+ hours.

Turns out, I worried for no reason.

Things I brought for entertainment and general child care:

• color wonder markers/paper
• crayons/my little pony coloring book
• my little ponies x2038272
• iPad
• mini magnadoodle
• finger puppets
• wooden dress-up bear puzzle
• gummies, granola bars, applesauce pouches, peanut butter crackers
• diapers/wipes/boogie wipes/cold medicine/Tylenol
• 2 lovies, binky, blanket and jammies

Gianna was sick when we left, so the boogie wipes, cold medicine and tylenol probably got the most use out anything!

Security checks were a non-issue, I was able to walk with her or behind her every time.  Except on the way home in Amsterdam – she stayed in her stroller and I got a pat down….but whatever.

On the way to Italy – we had a lot of flight issues [delays, missed connections, missing tickets – you name it, it happened to all 13 of us]. the two year old? took it all in stride while the adults fretted and got nervous about the fate of our trip.

She was pretty easily entertained, even if that meant allowing her to walk around the delta terminal at JFK with no shoes on looking like a hot mess.

By the time we got on our international flight – she was asleep in no time.

She earned herself a “real Rapunzel Barbie” in the Amsterdam airport from her Aunt Jacqui.  Headed on to another airplane destined for Venice, finger puppets that I picked up last minute from Target’s $1 section were the BIGGEST HIT EVER.  We told stories with our puppets and when she got tired of my ridiculousness – she played on the iPad with Daddy before she fell asleep.

The way home? She was totally ready and prepared for what to do.  She sat in her seat. Buckled her own seatbelt and waited for the airplane to go higher.  The long flight required some creative my little pony antics and a lot of magnadoodle coloring – just a little iPad entertainment.  She slept a good chunk of the 9 1/2 hours though.

The moral of the story? Kids are totally awesome travel companions – much better than some adults!  Also – airplane pillows make a great little airplane bed for small people.

Gianna fell asleep on literally, every single plane we were on.  Probably because it was really late on the way and out of sheer exhaustion from the week on the way home – but still!

A few random tips:

• Bring toys when you fly, but only take them out one at a time – the element of surprise is a big factor in entertainment value.
• Gummies are great for take off/landing – much less sticky than suckers.
• Plane food is pretty gross. Pack a few snacks.
• Drinking lots of water on transatlantic flights is a game changer. Dehydration is for suckers.
• We did NOT have a car seat or any other sort of child harness – she still did awesome. And slept on our laps/between us in her own seat. No issues.

I never ever ever imagined it would be such a smooth experience, just goes to show that those little people are even more awesome than they appear!

more vacation excitement on deck, but for now, jet lag is kicking my big butt so I’m going to sleep!