Tips for travelling with a toddler

It was a 7-hour long plane journey from Dubai international Airport to London Heathrow Airport with a toddler flying for the first time! Learning from my experience of flying with a 16-month-old, here are a few tips to make your flight journey with a toddler as smooth as possible.

Surprise Gifts, and lots of them! 

Before flying, I did my mummy research and
one of the top tips given were to pack

plenty of little gifts for your toddler to discover on the plane! Pack them in shiny wrapping paper and watch your toddler’s face light up in anticipation. The toys or activities need not be expensive, but do try to have a varied range of things for your toddler to enjoy such as toys, picture books, and stickers. I must say, from experience, don’t take a bouncy ball, as it can be quite a nuisance trying to retrieve it from down the aisle every ten minutes!

Baby Crib

Though Baby Z was too long to fit horizontally or sleep in the overhung baby crib provided, it worked as a perfect snug fit for him to sit and play with his little toys, as myself and my husband counted down the minutes to landing.

Clothing

During the flight, make sure to dress your toddler in comfy and warm clothing. I dressed my toddler in tracksuits, a t-shirt, and a jumper. We had a change of more formal clothes for him to wear right before we landed, so that he looked super smart for his grandparents once we arrived in London. This included a pair of jeans, a collared shirt, and a warm navy blue jacket.

Milk

There is always something that parents are bound to forget on their travels and for us it was his cartons of fresh milk. Thankfully, the flight attendants were kind enough to offer a glass of fresh milk to Baby Z, which he glugged down within minutes. So if you are forgetting something, do not hesitate to ask the flight attendants. They will be more than happy to help in any way they can!

Your Partner

Flying alone with a toddler can be quite challenging. If possible, make sure to travel with company so that you can take on the job of entertaining your little one in turns. It will keep both of you sane and at least you will have someone to moan to when the going gets tough!

Snacks

Make sure to pack plenty of snacks with you for your toddler, whether the flight is 7 hours or even just an hour long. Bring along your toddler’s favourites and don’t worry too much about its nutritional value (within reason of course). For my toddler, I packed blueberries and wafers, which went down a treat!

These are just some of the tips I learned on my first flight journey with a toddler. I hope it has given you a few helpful tips. If you have any additional tips, this mama would surely like to hear them, so please feel free to pop your suggestions in the comments section below! Thank you!

By Zeyna Sanjania