Parents Want to Know 101: Travel Tips for the Well-Traveled Family, Part 5: Traveling with Children

By Sharon Rose

Summer vacation time is here! Families with children will travel during this time to visit family, friends, and to festive entertainment venues. Since it is the most challenging, we are going to talk traveling on an airplane with children. I have heard some travel advisers strongly suggest traveling with children at nighttime so they will sleep and therefore not be a problem. I believe children should have the opportunity to travel anywhere and be wide awake so they can learn through the experience. The best way for children to learn is through exposure to the world they live in. Issues that come up while traveling with children, such as, flight delays, fidgety or boisterous behavior, cabin pressure, or a fellow passenger that has a low tolerance for children can be managed. Let’s get started sorting it out.

Safety

A few days before you depart for vacation, take some time to go over basic safety rules and strategies with your kids, some of which may already be in place in your home. A good way to approach this would be to remind them that these are rules that they are already familiar with because many are the same rules we have at home. The reminder is needed; after-all, the excitement of new places and experiences can be overwhelming, and curiosity may cause kids to set their rules aside. Go over home phone number, address, and the proper use of the 911 emergency number. Since you are away from home it is vital that your child memorize your cell phone number, as well. There is also the option of creating a safety card, and have your child keep it with him, for example, in his pocket. The card should have all vital information on it, to include, the name of the hotel where you are staying, your cell phone number, and your first name. If you don't mind writing on your child you can write your phone number on your child's arm. There is even a company that has introduced a temporary tatoos for children with a space for the parent's phone number. Your child would not be able to loose this, as with a card. Remind young ones of what to do if they get separated from you, who they can trust and about safety in numbers. Also, this is a good time to remind them of stranger-danger that you have, most likely, gone over many times. To further insure the safety of your children, if two parents are traveling with more than one child, before you leave home choose teams, with each parent as a team captain. Have each parent be responsible for their team. Divide the responsibility up. Making it a game gets the trip off to a fun start.

Young, First-Time Fliers

Prepare children who are first-time fliers for what it is like going through the security checkpoint at the airport. Everyone, including the children, should wear shoes that are easy to take on and off. Removing your shoes is just one of the strict safety measures in place at airports for all passengers, who are required to go through a security check-point. Role play with your child the way in which travelers are required to go through the metal checkpoint door frame, the way it may "buzz," and why, how the wand is used to wave over the travelers body, and a "touching" body check done by the security agents. Try to put your child at ease. Although much of the extra security check actions may not happen, you would want to prepare your child just in case it does. TSA officers will work with parents to resolve any alarms at the checkpoint. TSA has modified screening procedures for children 12 and under that reduces the likelihood of a pat-down. Taking the fear out of traveling for your child will make for a traveling experience filled with fun from beginning to end. Get all the current facts of going through the security checkpoint beforehand, in order to share them with your child. Once you board the plane, secure your child’s seat-belt and prepare to help him have an enjoyable flight. Make it fun!

Where's the Entertainment?

There may be in-flight entertainment, but don't rely on it alone. Many larger airlines have in-flight entertainment such as films, music, and even children's channels. However, there are times when it might be broken or not appropriate for your child’s age group. Also, wearing the headphones might irritate your child, in some way, because they are sized for adults. Best bet, bring your own assortment of entertaining activities for your child. Here are some suggestions:

1.   Portable video game consoles.
2. Tablet, or computer to play music, movies, or audio books.
3. Coloring books, activity books, blank drawing paper. Don’t forget the pencils and crayons!
4.   Stickers - These are useful for making designs on blank pages while drawing.
5.   Magnetic games - Buy the travel-size game kits.

6.   Books to read together.
7.   Flash-cards: ABCs, Math, Reading, Shapes.
8.   Kid's puzzle books - Sudoku, crosswords, find-a-word, mad-libs, jokes, etc. (One of my favorites.)
9. Print free from internet - games to play on paper, such as tic-tac-toe, mazes or dot-to-dots. There are many print-outs available on kids' websites.
10. A favorite stuffed animal or doll.

Don’t forget to bring along some snacks in your carry-on bag. Choose foods that are not packed with sugar and won’t melt or crumble apart and make a mess. Licorice, apples, pretzels, cereal, and granola bars are good options. Try preparing these snacks in unique ways to keep it fun. Young kids will love cereal, like Cheerios or Fruit Loops, strung onto yarn to form an edible necklace. You can also make up your own bags of trail mix with your child’s favorite combo'.

Reward your child for good behavior on the plane. Surprise and reward your child for his patience on long journeys. Wrap up a new toy and present him with it after he has proven that he has been well-behaved enough. Nothing big or expensive; check the dollar store in your area. He will feel that you appreciate his cooperation.

To make entertainment more educational, contact the tourism board or local chamber of commerce of your destination before leaving for your trip. Request travel brochures and tourist information. Arrange these in a folder for ease of viewing during the flight. Let the kids flip through the fliers and magazines while in flight to further prepare them and boost their enthusiasm. This let's the kids become vacation planners right along with you, when age appropriate.

A small challenge of flying with children is cabin pressure. Rapid changes in cabin pressure can make little ears pop, so keep drinks, baby bottle, or pacifiers available for take-offs and landings (sucking helps reduce ear sensitivity). If your child is old enough to chew gum, try that. Chewing gum to combat the uncomfortable, sometimes painful feeling of cabin pressure is something that helps me.

Traveling by air presents other unique challenges for parents with young children. Kids under age two are not required by law to be restrained on airplanes, so it's up to every parent to decide how to travel. If you decide to ride with baby on your lap, consider a flight vest that secures your child to your lap belt. These vests are not designed for use during takeoff and landing, but for cruising, when turbulence most often occurs. If your child's small size does not allow the seat belt to fit properly, you can use a child safety harness to secure your child in the seat. *Check with the airline to be sure of what harnesses are allowed. The Federal Aviation Administration recommends that small children be seated in a car seat. However, this is not the law as in traveling in a car. The only way to guarantee that your child can use a car seat is to purchase a ticket. Some airlines offer discounted fares for kids under two. If that isn't a possibility, select a non-peak flight time that's more likely to have empty seats.

*Car seats manufactured in the United States after February 26, 1985 must be US FMVSS #213 or FAA certified, with a red sticker labeled, “This restraint is certified for us in Motor Vehicles and Aircraft,” and “This child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards.” This includes booster seats and any types of harnesses.

For parents with infants, each time that you take a trip on an airplane, and for various airlines that you use, make a call to customer service to verify if a carry-on bag with diaper and feeding needs will be counted as an extra bag. Baby's needs may have to be incorporated into your carry-on, if needed.

Finally, always ask questions when in doubt. You’re ready for take off! Enjoy your flight!