8 Must Have Items for Airplane Travel With Kids

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Well there we were.  At the airport about to take our first vacation with the kids.  We were traveling from California to New Hampshire, so not a quick flight.  We could already see the looks people were giving us as they hoped we would not be on their flight. I mean, who really wants to sit next to two toddlers for several hours on a plane?

And I don’t blame them.  I used to be that person who would cringe when I heard a crying baby boarding the plane!

Preparing for Their First Flight

We did our best to prepare the kids for their first airplane ride so they wouldn’t be scared.  Our kids love books, so I bought them My First Airplane Ride and read it to them every night before our trip.  Pretty soon they were super excited and started asking me every day if we were going on the airplane.

Now I was pretty sure the kids would not be scared on the plane, but I was still nervous as we boarded, not knowing what to expect.  I was hoping the kiddos would sleep for most of the flight, and that the people around us would take pity on us. I prayed they would not get too angry if our children were loud or kicked their seat.  Another concern was that their little ears would hurt during the ascent or descent, so I made sure they had something to suck on to help that.  My one year old had her pacifier, but I also brought their sippy cups, bottle, and suckers to make sure they sucked on something.  It seemed to work as they did not cry at all or complain of their ears hurting.

Well, the trip ended up being successful (even though our one year old didn’t fall asleep until our plane started it’s descent… of course).  The passengers who sat in front of us even stated that they did not even realize there were two kids sitting behind them (as I breathed a sigh of relief).  There were things we brought along that made our airport experience and flight much more tolerable.  Here is our list of must have items for airplane travel with the kids.

1. gb Pockit Stroller

This stroller was a lifesaver at the airport!  Not having to lug our one year old around the airport made all the difference in the world! Our hands were kept free to find our identification, get everything situated to go through security, and find our boarding passes.  It was also handy to drape our jackets, and those blankies that have to go everywhere with our little ones.  This stroller is so compact that when collapsed, it fits under an airplane seat, so it can be taken on the plane instead of being checked at the gate.  I literally wheeled our baby down the aisle of the airplane directly to our seat. (yes, it is that compact that it fits down the aisle without hitting anyone sitting along the way).  It collapses easily in seconds with the press of a button on each handle, and unfolds just as easily.

Click the photo to learn more about the gb Pockit Stroller.

2. Babyboom all day” Diaper Backpack

This diaper backpack was so much easier to carry around than a diaper bag!  Since it’s a backpack, it’s completely hands free (a must at the airport)!  There are several pockets to store all of your essentials.  Pockets unzip down both sides to store diapers.  One side also has a pocket for baby wipes, with a hole for the wipe opening so you don’t even have to take it out of the pocket!  The other side has an insulated pocket for a bottle or snacks that need to stay cool.  There is a small pocket on top (but very deep and holds a bunch of stuff!), and another small pocket that unzip on the front of the backpack.  There is a lot of room inside the backpack and two more pockets to hold smaller items. 

It also comes with a diaper changing pad to protect your baby’s bum from germs during diaper changes! This backpack held all of our essentials for our trip on the plane, and was the only carry-on bag that we had to bring!

Click the photo to learn more about the diaper backpack.

3. Nenos Kids Headphones

We downloaded movies on our iPad for the kiddos to watch on the plane.  These headphones paired with the iPad perfectly.  They are comfortable and made for kids!  The volume is regulated so it will not get too loud for their little ears, and they plug into each other for multiple users so there is no need to buy a splitter!  They fold up for compact storage, and come in a multitude of colors to choose from.  They fit our one and two year old perfectly, but can also extend for older children.  The cord is durable and almost like a shoelace type material instead of plastic.  Our toddler wore his for most of the trip and the movies kept him occupied and quiet.

Click the photo to learn more about the Nenos headphones for kids.

4. Snacks… lots and lots of snacks (and bibs)

We brought easy, non-messy snacks, such as individual packs of goldfish, teddy grahams, and fruit snacks.  (We also brought some suckers for my two year old to suck on during take off and landing to help his ears).  Snacks probably kept the kiddos occupied 75% of the time. 

Because our one year old is teething and very drooly, I still brought some disposable bibs for her. we used the Bibsters brand.  They are durable, have a food catching pocket, and velcro around the neck.  Plus they can be thrown away after use!  They fold up compactly so you can fit a lot of them in a ziploc bag without taking up much room in the diaper bag.  These also became a life saver on a recent road trip when our one year old got the stomach flu in the middle of a nine hour drive.  It literally saved me from seven clothing changes and washing the car seat multiple times!

Click the photo to find the Bibsters disposable bibs.

5. Fuelbaby Bottle

This bottle is so AMAZING that I had to add it to the list even though our kids do not drink formula any longer.  With this bottle, you can prepare the formula before you leave home, and simply mix it when it’s time for baby to eat.  The bottom of the bottle unscrews from the top portion.  Just scoop the formula into the bottom, seal it with the agitator ball, and screw on the top portion of the bottle.  When it comes time to mix it, just push in the button on the bottom of the bottle which releases the agitator, and shake to thoroughly mix!  It also has an anti-colic air system to minimize gas and discomfort. 

Our one year old doesn’t want to give up the bottle, so she still uses it even though we only fill it with milk or water now.  She preferred the nipple of this bottle over the other bottles we tried with her, and it really did minimize her gas and discomfort problems.

You can find the Fuelbaby Bottle here: Baby Bottle

6. Brica By-My-Side Safety Harness Backpack

My toddler loves this little backpack!  And it is super cute too.  It’s just his size, and he feels independent carrying his own things (the headphones fit in here too!).  The bonus is it comes with a detachable harness that can be attached to make sure your toddler is safe and with you at all times in crowded places like the airport.  (And no, I didn’t used to agree with putting my child on a “leash”, but he actually loves it and it gives us peace of mind knowing he can’t run off if we aren’t paying attention).

You can find the Brica safety harness backpack by clicking on the photo.

7. Folding Travel Potty Seat

If you have a potty trained or potty training toddler, then you understand how important this is.  It is difficult to get your toddler to “go” on a public toilet that isn’t comfortable for them because they are scared of falling in, and that they are not familiar with.  I also don’t like putting my child on an unsanitary toilet.  This potty seat is the answer to this problem!  It folds up to a compact size and comes with a carry bag, so you can bring it with you wherever you go!  The seat is sturdy and just the right size for little bottoms.  Plus it fits easily in our diaper backpack and can be quickly pulled out to use at the park, in a restaurant, or on the airplane!  Our toddler is no longer scared to use a public toilet (at least as long as they are not self-flushing).

Click on the photo to find the folding travel potty seat.

8.  Amazon Fire Tablet for Kids

These tablets are awesome for keeping kids distracted on an airplane!  You can download movies, tv shows, apps, games, and books to watch and use while offline.  It is super easy for kids to use, and the kids version is already parental controlled so they can not download anything inappropriate!  Plus this saves space, as you can put your kids books on the tablet instead of having to pack a bunch of bulky items!  Our three year old watched is movies and played on his tablet the entire plane ride, making for a much more pleasant travel day!  Plus it comes with a virtually indestructive foam case, in case you kiddo drops it!

Click on the photo to learn more about the Amazon Kids Fire Tablet.

Hopefully these help you the next time you take an airplane trip with your kids!  To see more must have items for vacationing with kids, check out our post 5 Must Have Items for Vacationing with Young Children.