A common question we get asked is what toys to take on the flight for kids. Travelling with kids can be a long and exhausting process. Consider taking a selection of small items, wrap them up and let your child open one every hour or two. This is a great distraction and will keep your children entertained and engaged for hours. 
Electronic devices make great distractions on a plane
- Ipad / Ipod touch
- Kids sized headphones – “Best thing we ever did is take the kids head phone shopping. Buy one that fits them perfectly, doesn’t fall off (very important or you’ll be adjusting it the whole time) and doesn’t hurt! Than at the airport buy a little adapter so it fits on the in-flight entertainment thing.
- Laptop
- DVD player
- Leap pad has lots of activities such as books, short videos, drawing, flash cards, etc, and a lot less breakable than an ipad.
Small toys make a good distraction for plane travel
- A small photo album with your family / baby / pets in it – it will keep them entertained for hours.
- Activity bags
- Baby doll with accessories
- Puppets
- Little plastic animals
- Mini book set
- Nursery Rhymes with action songs
- Stacking cups
- Cheap Playdoh / plasticine
- Fisher & Price Doodle pro – available from our friends at Little Gulliver
- Stacking barrels that fit inside each other
- Magnetic games (only in children old enough not to put them in their mouths)
- Playing cards
Craft items are perfect to entertain your kids on a flight
- Stickers
- Colouring in books
- Crayons
- Texta’s (the ones that only work on the book)
- Small stamps and a book
Non-toy items that are a great distraction
- Wipes – Get your little one to wipe down everything; tray table, window, seat etc
- Packet of Straws
Food and drinks
- Healthy plane snacks
- Cup with a lid for drinking out of
- Little cups and plates on the meal tray to play tea party
- Sandwiches, hungry kids are cranky kids
Source from the flight attendants
- Ice cubes from the flight attendant
- Food, even if you take your own, the in-flight food can be a good distraction
- Inflight magazine
Recommend packing an extra days worth of essentials in carry on bag as our luggage can get delayed or even lost
The on board entertainment for kids is so good these days, but a DVD player is a good backup if the entertainment system goes down.
Our flight attendant and mum has share 18 of her best tips for flying with kids.
