Going abroad with an 18 month old...

[Titch16]

Hi just wondering if anyone would like to share there experiences of travelling with a toddler? How was the flight? What did you take or wish you had of taken? Any do or donts?

I'm going to Cyprus next week & it will be our sons first flight, not looking forward to it being over 4 hours though. Also I'm 5 months pregnant so I'm hoping things go smoothly

 

[kattyj]

I took my son on a plane for the first time when he was about 2, I made sure I had plenty of colouring books etc for him and I bought a couple of new toys that he hadnt seen before so it was exciting for him and kept him amused for 4 hours.

Make sure you have some kind of sweet he can eat to prevent his ears popping or juice to drink so he keeps swallowing and try and keep him awake in the airport so he is tired for the flight.

 

[Titch16]

Thank you that's exactly what I'm hoping to do. Let him run wild in the airport so it tires him out. Hope his little ears will be ok

 

[wendynailedit]

I took my son to Cyprus when he was 15 months old! Same tips as mentioned but also make sure you don't have hand luggage you need to carry...take a rucksack. This means if he falls asleep on the flight you can carry him off more easily! I had a hand held bag and so did my husband and our 2 youngest children fell asleep...it was a nightmare! We had to rely on strangers to carry our luggage! Also, wrap up a few new toys and give him one every hour or so to unwrap...makes it even more exciting! Have fun! X

 

[mm29]

do not worry you will be fine, we managed last summer with a 6mth 18mth and 3 1/2 yr old and doing it again in july..

take some small toys,cars, animals pencils. you can take your buggy right to the door of plane and get it on way off just to keep your wee one tied in..

where in cyprus u off too i lived there for a while?

oh the wee sun tents are good for the beach

 

[Titch16]

Oh that's a good idea with gifts. We have my partners mum coming with us so with 3 adults we should be ok with the carrying lol.

I don't really know what to do about milk as he still has milk morning & evening but just cows milk so was probably just going to get it when we arrive rather than taking growing up milk with us & having extra luggage

 

[Titch16]

do not worry you will be fine, we managed last summer with a 6mth 18mth and 3 1/2 yr old and doing it again in july..

take some small toys,cars, animals pencils. you can take your buggy right to the door of plane and get it on way off just to keep your wee one tied in..

where in cyprus u off too i lived there for a while?

oh the wee sun tents are good for the beach

Going to protaros as been before & really enjoyed it

 

[mm29]

just buy full fat milk when u are there if you have a fridge, but dont stress about it, (the amount of stressing we done over milk) he prob wont be fussed for it as it will be so hot,

are you in hotel or apartment?

 

[mm29]

Going to protaros as been before & really enjoyed it

love it, great for young families.. hope you all have fun.

 

[Titch16]

just buy full fat milk when u are there if you have a fridge, but dont stress about it, (the amount of stressing we done over milk) he prob wont be fussed for it as it will be so hot,

are you in hotel or apartment?

In an apartment, with half board so haven't got to worry to much about food

 

[Titch16]

love it, great for young families.. hope you all have fun.

Thank you, really can't wait

 

[zowee]

We took our 2 year old and 2 5 year olds to Jamaica in January - my 2 year old was actually the most settled! It was a long 10 hours for the other two.

Would recommend colouring books, mini jigsaws, favourite teddy and blanket, oh and there is little tv's which have a kids channel. I would recommend buying proper headphones that go over the head because the aeroplane ones are cheap ones that fall out of your ears :/

I really flapped before going abroad with the kids but it wasn't that bad at all, most kids like going on aeroplanes - they don't know what stress or fear is!
Have a fab time :d

 

[Scissorz]

Hi just wondering if anyone would like to share there experiences of travelling with a toddler? How was the flight? What did you take or wish you had of taken? Any do or donts?

I'm going to Cyprus next week & it will be our sons first flight, not looking forward to it being over 4 hours though. Also I'm 5 months pregnant so I'm hoping things go smoothly

Hi hope everything goes well for you on the flight, just wanted to share my experience. I took my daughter abroad for the first time when she was 6 months old!! For the entire 4 hrs she cried no stop, I actually walked to the back of the plane with her and had a lil breakdown myself!! it was the same on the way home too!! Then I decided to take her again when she was 1 ( family live abroad so I go quite regularly) an she was a different child!! I did all the same as the posts above toys, colouring books etc, maybe it was her ears or the fact she was young but I was just happy I didn't have to put her or myself through that 4 hr torture again!! I've taken her a good few times now an she's fine with flying, hope you have a good time

 

[essentia]

We took our son to South Africa when he was 2 and a half months old. Two plane fights 9 hours plus connections. It was things like trying to change him that were difficult. I had to do this on the plane floor behind the air hostess curtains as there were no facilities to do this! Take plenty of change of clothes for them as well! However he was fine - just his parents that were stressed!

ps if you have young kids on a long flight, book a cot if available.

 

[nu-u]

Im going next week with my 2 yr old and dreading it, she is very active and doesnt like to sit still, i have colouring books, toys and a portable dvd player ready to take along with lots of peppa pig dvds which she loves. Im hoping she will sleep most of the way as its a 6.30 am flight. i have brought her her own little suitcase that she can take with her so she feels involved lol. Praying it all goes well

 

[zowee]

Im going next week with my 2 yr old and dreading it, she is very active and doesnt like to sit still, i have colouring books, toys and a portable dvd player ready to take along with lots of peppa pig dvds which she loves. Im hoping she will sleep most of the way as its a 6.30 am flight. i have brought her her own little suitcase that she can take with her so she feels involved lol. Praying it all goes well

Good luck :d I'm sure she'll be fine, my 2 year old is the same- always on the go and doesn't nap in the day, she slept for about 3 hours of the flight which was lush lol!

Have a great time, keep telling yourself the flight is only a small part of your holiday and you'll soon be having a great time x x

 

[Princess Layla]

Im going next week with my 2 yr old and dreading it, she is very active and doesnt like to sit still, i have colouring books, toys and a portable dvd player ready to take along with lots of peppa pig dvds which she loves. Im hoping she will sleep most of the way as its a 6.30 am flight. i have brought her her own little suitcase that she can take with her so she feels involved lol. Praying it all goes well

My son is 12 and we first took him at 11 months, been every year since, my daughter is 2 and took her for her 1st birthday going again in june,I never expect them to sit still, I get up with them have a little walk about , look out of the windows in the doors etc! in flight meals are a must as it's something for them to do lol!! We take iPad with games and some programmes etc on, we also got her a trunki, she pulls it along, it comes through as hand luggage and it's got all of her bits in! Enjoy xx

 

[Titch16]

My son is 12 and we first took him at 11 months, been every year since, my daughter is 2 and took her for her 1st birthday going again in june,I never expect them to sit still, I get up with them have a little walk about , look out of the windows in the doors etc! in flight meals are a must as it's something for them to do lol!! We take iPad with games and some programmes etc on, we also got her a trunki, she pulls it along, it comes through as hand luggage and it's got all of her bits in! Enjoy xx

We've also brought a trunki so he can have his own little luggage he can ride on or pull along. hope you have a lovely holiday

 

[Princess Layla]

We've also brought a trunki so he can have his own little luggage he can ride on or pull along. hope you have a lovely holiday

Thanks titch and you xx

 

[Lph]

We have flown with our kids every year since they were born. My son was 6 months when he first flew and slept through most of it. Mh daughter was only 3 months old when she first flew and again slept a lot. I was recommended to give them Calpol incase their ears hurt which I did the first time but that was the only time and they've been absolutely fine! He probably won't sit still for the while flight but if you make sure you've got an aisle seat you can get in and out easily. The most testing year was when we were in the middle of potty training my son and I was worried sick he'd have an accident, he was fine but we did have to keep getting up and trying!! I changed my daughters nappy in the toilet, there was a pull down changing table above the toilet. Ok it was cramped but alright. To be honest they very rarely have baby change facilities abroad anyway so you'll have to get used to changing him across your lap!!