Flying Tips for Kids (And Their Parents)

Long, long ago, flying used to be so glamorous that people actually got dressed in their best clothes to get on a plane. It’s not quite like that anymore. In fact, between the lines at the airport and flight delays—not to mention the l-o-o-ng time in the air—flying isn’t always such fun. Still, you’ll probably enjoy it more if you follow these flying tips for kids put together by Rob Schapiro, an international airline pilot and author of the illustrated children’s book series about Little Fly and Morgan.

Pack your own special carry-on bag. Make sure that it’s light enough to carry easily and that it has a few fun games and things to read. Don’t forget paper and pencils in case you want to draw. One of Little Fly’s favorite flying tip for kids:  Books are heavy, so download some pictures from an online coloring book and carry those instead.

Don’t get hungry. In Little Fly’s first adventure, called “Where Does Daddy Go?”, he and Daddy share some fruit that has been provided for the pilots. You probably won’t have anyone serving you fruit on a plane, but you can always take along your own healthy snack. (Another Little Fly flying tip for kids: Don’t take something soft and squishy like a banana; it can make a big mess.)

Take ear plugs. When Little Fly flies to Alaska and Tokyo, he has a good nap inside the 747 cockpit. It’s not so easy if you’re a passenger, though, so take a long a pair of soft foam ear plugs (you can get them at any pharmacy) to block out the noise. If you have a pair of noise-canceling headphones, take those instead.

Drink lots of water. Even though modern planes are pressurized, you can still get dehydrated. Be sure to drink something healthy to stop your body getting all dried out.

Try to get some exercise. It’s not easy to walk around on a crowded plane, but even if you have to stay in your seat the whole flight try to keep your circulation going. Lift your foot a few inches off the floor and circle it around and around. Or try another of Little Fly’s flying tips for kids:  raising your knees up and down every hour or so.

Plan for jet lag. Jet lag is what you feel when you fly across different time zones. When Little Fly flew to Alaska, he discovered that the time there was four hours earlier than in Boston, where Daddy and Morgan lived. So when it was 8 p.m. in Anchorage, both his and Daddy’s body clocks thought it was midnight. There’s no easy way to fool your body, but Rob’s best flying tip for kids is to try to adjust to the new time as quickly as possible. If it’s daytime at your destination, stay awake until dark—even if your body clock does think it’s way past your bed time.

Parents, for more flying tips when traveling with kids, take a look at these sites:

Moms Minivan.com
http://www.momsminivan.com/article-flying_with_kids.html

Flying with Kids
http://www.fodors.com/news/story_1154.html

Tips for Air Travel with Children http://familyfun.go.com/familytravel/places/
feature/dony27planeadvice/dony27planeadvice.html

Looking for flying tips for kids to keep your child occupied during a plane trip? Get your copy of Starfish and Spacedust now!