The long hours of waiting at the airport in addition to the flight itself require you to pay special attention to your child’s carry-on. Here is our list of essentials to help you enjoy a calm family flight.
A multifunctional suitcase
From the age of 3, your child’s luggage is more like a treasure chest with a change of clothes and some toys. If it also turns into a horse on wheels or a bed (to use on the seat of the airplane with a seat belt), it becomes simply extraordinary.
Our choice: Jetkids Ridebox by Stokke, 119 Euros
A backpack
To be like the grown-ups, you have to have your own backpack to hold the essentials: games, pencils, books, and blankets. Invest in a creative one so that your child is proud to carry their belongings and doesn’t forget it after a few minutes. A zip model is also more suited to the hustle and bustle of air travel.
A kit for brushing their teeth
You will surely offer your child a lollipop before landing to avoid ear pain, so it’s best to pack a fun kit to make sure they brush their teeth. It’s a good excuse for them to stretch their legs and for you to ensure they don’t lose good habits.
A travel game
Pack a few travel games in their bag that will make it easy for you to play with them. Opt for toys made in a soft fabric that will be less noisy when they play with them.
Coloring
Felt-tip pens and coloring remain basic tools to occupy a child’s time during the long hours of a flight. Bring a variety of washable markers to avoid having multi-colored tattoos when you leave the plane.
Stories
Whether read by the parents, listened to, or watched, stories to fall asleep or to not notice the time are essential. Take two or three light books and fill up at the newsstand for new magazine stories.
Another option: the Lunii box. It allows you to load– via the app Luniistore– hundreds of stories to listen to on headphones.
And if your child cannot do without Peppa Pig, Pajamas or Paw Patrol, download a few episodes for them on Netflix before takeoff, which they can view in airplane mode on your smartphone or tablet.
My Story Factory, Lunii, 59.90 Euros
Netflix subscription, from 7.99 Euros
Photo credit: Jetkids/Stokke
Translation: Jacqueline Artz.
