My friends keep asking me: ”how did you manage the flight alone with two small kids”. Or ”you alone in a plane with the two, I admire you”! I do understand these questions. Few days before flying I am really stressed and nervous. I also keep asking myself why on why I had decided again to fly without my husband.

I also wanted to fly only with a hand luggage with clothes for the 3 of us. This is why I had to choose carefully what kind of toys I can take so that everything would fit in one suitcase and one backpack.

Plus this time we started the potty training for the 2 years old exactly 3 weeks before taking the plane which made me wonder how I will handle it (so instead of waiting for my toddler to let me know, I was taking her almost every hour to the bathroom and all went perfectly fine).

In order to keep my 2 and 4 years old busy and entertained on the plane here`s a list of things that made our flight easy and that I will surely take for another one:

1. A set of coloring sheets and 4 pencils (each in a different color). They kept my kids busy for about 45 minutes and they do not take much space in my bag and doesn´t weight at all.

2. Stickers – reusable stickers pad. My kids were entertained for about half an hour. They could play with them as many times as they wanted. And it din’t not need a lot of space in my bag either.

3. I also found a small bag with blocks that I could also fit in my bag. The size of the blocks was also adapted for a two years old. Another half an hour busy.

4. Play dough is also a good idea. However I was afraid of the mess they could make with it on the seats so I didn’t give it in the end.

5. A new toy bought minutes before boarding had a lot of success. Yes it was pricy but seeing their happy faces and playing with it most of the time is pricless especially flying with the 2 of them by myslef.

6. Don’t forget their favourite toy they usually sleep with.

 

  

Apart from the different forms of entertainment, some other factor are very important while travelling by plane with kids:

1. Choosing seats: When I travelled with my kid until the age of 7-9 months, the rows just behind business class are the best because it is the only place for the baby cot. There is more room for legs. However when you travel with bigger kids you should notice that the armrest can’t be lifted up. My kids usually lay down on my knees to sleep and on the seats with stationary armrests it is imposible. Also when travelling with one kid under 2 years old (travelling on lap) and 3 years old I used to ask if the seat next to us could be blocked (if the plane is not full) and I must say that I was mostly lucky and the three of us were travelling on 3 different seats. You should also ask the flight attendants for pillows. More experienced staff used to bring me ones without being asked.

2. Food. I always take some extra food on the plane. Things they like and that I am sure they will eat. Hunger as well as the lack of enterteinment for the kids is mother’s enemy on the plane 😉

Remember that if you fly alone with 2 small kids, whose behaviour is hard to predict you have to be rested and calm. Otherwise they will feel that you are stressed and will behave very bad. I know it’s easy to say. However few years of regular flying  have thought me that if I am tired and stressed the kid will feel the same.

If you have some other great idea I’m keen to hear from you 🙂