We started flying with our son when he was four months. He’s taken three or four flights a year every year and we only had one difficult trip, it turned out he had an ear ache.
He’s always been a good flyer, but here are a few things that you might find helpful:
If it was a long flight we tried to schedule it just before nap time or late enough at night, that we’d let him wear jammies on the plane. Once or twice it made check-in and boarding a little tricky if he was tired because he’d want to be carried, but once on the flight and after a snack, he would sleep the entire flight. This was good until he was older and then the whole flying thing was too exciting to sleep.
Sucking does help so let him have the breast/binky/thumb or even one of those kiddie fruit drinks with the tiny straw that they have to suck through.
Chewy treats, gum is ok, but caramels worked better for our son as they made his mouth water more and he would swallow more.
(Don’t forget a damp cloth or two in a zip lock bag, for clean up.)
When he was as small as yours we used to take a trail mix type treat that he liked and added a few M & M’s, he spent a good portion of the flight picking the M & M’s and other favorites out of the trail mix and handing me the raisins. Those prepacked peanut butter and crackers work great as well as chewy fruit snacks.
In addition to books, paper and fat crayons, try an inexpensive new toy or a toy that he’s only allowed when flying. Even wrapping it up and letting him carry it until he’s on the plane to open. (Although now that I think about it, I think mine was closer to 2 1/2 or 3 when we did this.)
One thing I learned was to not whip out the “special things” the moment we were in the airport or on the plane. Have them and be ready, but wait until he needs them. The novelty of the people and plane might interest him for longer than you think. I would try to let him amuse himself quietly as long as he would. The distract him with a treat or change of scenery just before I thought he was ready for a change. Additionally, not everyone on the plane hates you because you have kids. Sometimes there are other parents, grandparents and even children flying unaccompanied that will visit or play quietly with the baby. The novelty of a new face to play peek a boo with goes a long way, even if you have to share cookies with the playmate.
Teaching them something new is a good distraction to. When he was little the oldest really liked to be whispered to, he would sit so still trying to hear you whisper in his ear on the plane. He most liked if it was a song or poem he was familiar with hearing, but not used to hearing it whispered. We also taught him simple rhymes and finger plays during flying time, he loved nesting cups at that age and they work well on a plane. As he got older often we would get him a new manipulative puzzle. At some point he also had one of those books with the fabric that they play with buttoning a big button, lacing a lace through a couple of holes, large snaps, that sort of thing.
On one trip when the oldest was really toddler young we spent a good deal of flight time with him taking one item at a time out of his bag and handing it to me. I would say “thank you” and tuck it in my bag. When his bag was empty, we did the reverse. I took all his things out of my bag one at a time and handed them back for him to put back in his bag.
One time flying with a toddler and a kindergartener, they discovered a small package of bandaids in my purse while looking for lifesavers. They spent the entire hour flight, opening the bandaid wrappers (not easy for a toddler, but intriguing), and putting bandaids all over each other. It was well worth the two buck for a box of ninja turtle bandaids. Grandma had a huge laugh when the boys came off the plane with bandaids on their fingers, foreheads, shirts and ears.
Another game we played at that age was taking turns quietly naming body parts to touch. “Touch your nose”, touch your toes, where is your elbow? Where is my elbow?
I noticed you said you’ll be going this summer, that means you have a little time to help him “learn” how to behave when flying. What I mean is often it’s hard for toddlers to do things they’ve never done or been prepared to do. So save yourself and your son some frustration and start preparing him now. Find out how long the flight is and then start tomorrow teaching him how to sit in one place. Even if you never get to the full flight time. If things get hairy at some point in the flight, doing just a few minutes of “special quiet time” can be a distraction. It’s a few minutes more than you had. Do five or ten minutes a day of quiet time at about the same time of day you will be flying, when he can get through that, up it to 20 and so on. During this time, do the sort of things with him you are planning to do on the plane.
I realize this takes effort on your part. However, it can be done. I’ve done it. It’s how I taught my son’s to sit quietly through church. At the same time of day as church we’d sit quitely (with books, crayon, a baggy of dry cheerios) on the sofa for 15 minutes and then I’d up it until they could do the hour that church lasts. The older one was reasonably well behaved in church by the time he was 18 months, the younger one was still working on it at 20 months and more, even so he did better than others his age and I do think it was because we “practiced” and it was at about the same time of day that we did it at home. So they were used to having a special quiet cuddle time each day that was for sitting quietly (and wasn’t punshiment). We could look at book’s (but no talking), we would rub or pat backs, or brush the palm of their hand with soft finger tips, or “exercise” our toes (try to wiggle them one at a time). If they got so quiet they went to sleep, all the better I felt. I did not expect the boys to stay awake and listen all the way through church until the were 7 - 8ish.
Also remember that during the actual flight, it’s ok to get up and let him walk to the front of the plane and back to go to the lavatory. It’s pretty much free of sharp edges inside the lav. Your impulse might be to carry him because of the way things or configured on a plane, but I would let him walk holding your hand and use a little of that bundle of energy getting to and from the lavatory to wash his hands or face or brush his teeth or something if he’s not working on potty training. I would tell my oldest that if he walked quietly we could make two laps instead of just one.
I’ve rambled on enough, maybe you’ll find something here that helps at least for a few minutes. I think you’ll be fine, the more you are prepared the better it will go. Remember, that it’s important that you aren’t tired on the flight. Even if you have to get a sitter for part of the day prior to the flight so you can have a nice bath and quick power nap before the flight. You’ll want to feel rested and patient so you have plenty of energy for “toddler taming”.
Good Luck!
