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Flying with children

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Travelling can be tiring at the best of times, and many parents know the added pressure of flying with children. Once the novelty of being on an aeroplane has worn off, it can be hard to keep them occupied.

As well as sorting out all the obvious things such as passports (which all children must now legally have when travelling abroad), vaccinations and travel sickness tablets, you may want to bear these in mind to make travelling with children a little more fun.

Careful planning

  • When booking your flight, try to avoid stopovers and changes. Night flights are great for letting toddlers sleep, but when flying in the day, snoozing can make them restless for the first night at your destination.
  • When boarding the plane, try to sit near other families who are flying with children. Other parents are far less likely to get annoyed with children's noise.
  • If possible, take a packed lunch so your child can eat at the usual time or at least snack if they can’t wait until meals are served. Bottles of water will help your family to avoid feeling dehydrated from the dry atmosphere of the plane.
  • Your hand luggage allowance is likely to be limited - but don’t pack essential items, such as nappies or colouring pencils, away in the hold.

Entertaining children when flying

  • Letting children choose books or toys to carry in their own backpacks will give younger ones a feeling of responsibility and involvement, and will make your bag a bit lighter too!
  • Many airlines provide entertainment such as activity packs and films so the pressure isn’t all down to you, but it is worth checking whether your flight qualifies for these. Looking on the airline’s website or a simple phone call should be all it takes.
  • If your children are keen to make a scrap book, travelling is a great time to start this. Plane tickets, receipts from the shop or cafe, and other bits collected from the airport can be stuck in, and children can draw the holiday so far.
  • A favourite toy or blanket will help comfort toddlers unsettled by flying.
  • Stretch your legs regularly - it may help break up the journey for fidgety children and the exercise helps protect against deep vein thrombosis.

Comfortable flying

  • Sucking on bottles, dummies or sweets will help ease pressure on your children's ear drums when taking off and landing.
  • Jumpers will be useful as a makeshift pillow or duvet - and for returning back to the UK to find the weather colder than you hoped!
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