If you take just one piece of advice for flying with toddlers, please let this be it. Creating airplane activity bags for my children has transformed how I fly; my children get so excited about receiving them and if I am honest, I enjoy collecting little bits for them before any trip.
Airplane activity bags are full of items aimed at keeping your toddlers occupied during a flight.
Buying a bag of toys for your children for each flight may seem a little excessive but it does not need to cost a lot or be a mission and I usually recycle a lot of the same toys as we fly so much and my children have the memory of a fish. Also, if you have ever flown with a bored toddler, you’d buy them a unicorn if it kept them quiet!
Before I discuss the types of toys I like to put in my children’s airplane bags there are a few things to consider.
Although my son and daughter have different interests and abilities, I try to make the bags as similar as possible to avoid sibling wars in the sky.
If we are going on a long-haul flight, I tend to add quite a few new toys or activities to keep their interest. I also wrap them up to add to the excitement and anticipation.
Whereas for short haul flights, I only add a couple of new activities to the staple items I always put in.
I also like to hold something back for the return flight. These Poundland activity bags work well as there are different elements in them such as puzzles and colouring which makes my children think there are lots of new toys for the journey home.
Adapting some of these items can work well for road trips also. Here is some more information on car activity bags and tips for long journeys with children.
All the items are very low cost. Firstly, because it is very likely they will lose it on the plane. Secondly, because I’ve just bought them a holiday! It is not their Birthday or Christmas, so I don’t want to raise a Veruca Salt.
I also like to consider the type of holiday we are going on. For Disney trips, I will include little Disney themed toys. For sun holidays, I will include little character fans or water toys that can also be enjoyed on a plane.
The following example bags are for my 2-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter.
I will try to say where I buy each item, if my baby brain remembers, but they are mostly from cheap outlets like Home Bargains, Poundland and Temu.
Crafts for toddlers on a plane
My daughter loves anything crafty, and colouring will keep her occupied for hours on a plane.
I always include a new colouring book, new set of pens, and stickers. A new set of pens is a bit excessive as they rarely make it to take off but my children often get excited by a them and they are so cheap!
We like these sticker sets from Temu where you stick things like facial features on characters or toppings on pizzas.
Reusable sticker books also work well and I have used the same ones for the last few flights we have been on, even though most of the stickers are missing after a few flights.
These scratch art sets from Poundland went down a treat on our last flight and they were also a favourite past time for rainy days in the hotel.
My son isn’t as interested in colouring and tends to play 52 pen pick up on a plane so I have found a magnetic style pad like this more useful for younger toddlers. Etch a sketches also work well.
He is at that fun stage of drawing the exact same blob 27 times and me having to guess what different object it is. Spoiler alert: it is a dinosaur.
As I said before, I will still include a colouring set for him in his bag to stop sibling squabbles.
Construction toys for toddlers on a plane
To really fit the gender stereotypes, my boy loves making things and building towers.
We purchased some magnetic tiles for our first cruise and they are now a fundamental in my son’s plane bag.
I’ve also added these magnetic cubes which he will spend ages building towers with.
On our most recent flight, he was next to a smaller baby who was equally as infatuated with them that the parents asked where I got them so they could buy him some. The answer to that was of course Temu.
Magnets are also good toys for if you are going to self catering accommodation, as the children can play with them on the fridge.
Fidget toys for toddlers on a plane
I like to consider my children’s interests and include a couple of fidget toys to occupy them onboard.
These pop toys and extendable animals are items that are always in their bags though they still seem surprised when they unwrap one.
Now my daughter is a little older, she likes a pop toy with numbers and shapes on and enjoys being tested on them.
Additional items to keep your toddler occupied whilst flying
Particularly on long haul flights, I do like to add some new items that the children will get excited about.
I found these little activity packs from Poundland that went down well but be warned there are lots of little items inside so are only a one time use item. As I previously said I always like to keep something back for the return flight and that is usually these bags.
As my daughter is getting older I have started adding more educational items. This Where’s Wally type book keeps her occupied for quite some time.
We also like those wipeable learning numbers and letters books now she is starting school.
Books can be a good item to take onboard, especially for babies or older children that are starting to read.
Though I tend to pick items that have longevity or more than one use.
My son enjoyed these sticky pad suction toys which he also enjoyed sticking to our glass balcony once on holiday.
Technology for toddlers on a plane
Though there is a huge stigma attached to toddlers and tablets, our children love their tablets and they keep them occupied on flights for hours.
I liken them to an epidural. There is shame around it but a flight is much more enjoyable with tablets. Just like labour is more enjoyable with an epidural. I think everyone involved with both scenarios would agree.
The apps we use are forever changing with our children’s interest but at the moment they really enjoy the Duplo apps of their favourite characters like Bluey and Peppa Pig. Simple colouring apps often keep them occupied as well.
We will also download their favourite films or TV Shows when it is time to wind down and aim for a nap.
Flying with babies and toddlers is daunting. Alcohol… I mean preparation is key. I have survived many flights with toddlers and have curated my top advice and tips for flying with toddlers. Or feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.