While air travel is fun and exciting for most adults, many children find the experience stressful. New places and new experiences can be difficult for children to comprehend and can bring on tantrums, tears, and confusion. Some might even suffer from flying anxiety, brought about by turbulence or simply taking off.
Fortunately, things don’t always have to be this way as there are solutions to this dilemma. With a little thought and effort, your children will feel comfortable flying and maybe even look forward to traveling.
Here are five easy tips to make air travel more comfortable for children:
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1. Pay Attention to Their Sleeping Schedule
Are you planning to use your cancelled flight compensations but still don’t know which flight to book? Aside from the rates, consider your children’s sleeping schedule when booking a flight.
For instance, if your children sleep soundly at night, consider booking a night flight, especially for long travels. If your children take naps during the daytime, look for a daytime flight. The more time your children spend sleeping during the flight, the more hassle-free the trip will be.
2. Book Seats Together
Riding an airplane is already stressful for children, and being seated alone can worsen the experience. Being in a new environment with plenty of new people will probably scare your children and prevent them from enjoying the flight.
Ensure that your children’s next flight will be memorable (for all the right reasons) by booking seats together. Aim to book seats close to each other, so your children will feel at ease knowing that you’re sitting beside them. If possible, have your child take the window seat. Having access to breathtaking views during the flight will surely entertain your children!
3. Educate Your Kids About Airport Security
The idea of being checked by authorities, going through metal detectors, and taking off jackets isn’t always fun for children. For some, airport security can be frightening and confusing. In worse cases, the experience might even cause children to throw a tantrum.
Prevent any of these things from occurring by educating your children about airport security weeks before your flight. Tell them what to expect during the check and why it’s crucial before boarding a flight. You can even get into details on how government offices and security officers keep everyone safe when traveling through these security checks.
4. Bring Some Movies
When children get bored, they tend to be rowdy during the flight. If they’re not getting the attention they want, they’ll likely throw a fit and cause inconvenience to other passengers.
Another way to make air travel comfortable for kids is to bring some movies. Download some of your children’s favorite movies on your smartphone or iPad, so they’ll have something to watch during the flight. Don’t forget to bring some headphones to prevent disturbing other passengers.
A good movie will surely grab your children’s attention for hours, which means that you won’t have to hear your children shouting “I’m bored!” several times during the flight. If you’re going to be up in the air for hours, say more than five hours, opt to download several movies in advance.
5. Plan For Other Quiet Activities
Keeping your children occupied during long-haul flights is more challenging. You need to think out of the box as movies often won’t suffice.
Bringing other quiet activities is a must to entertain your children during long-haul flights. You can bring several drawing papers, coloring books, and markers to keep them busy for hours. If your children are into stickers, let them bring a couple during the flight.
Make these activities more fun for your children by encouraging them to draw whatever they see on the window. When going home, have them draw the best memories they had on your trip. These pictures will serve as great souvenirs and will look great when displayed in your home!
Your Consistency Counts
Keeping your children comfortable during air travel is easy and doesn’t require you to spend more money or follow complex strategies. Consistently follow all of the tips mentioned here whenever you’re riding a plane, and it won’t be long before your kids will love air travel!
Read also: Top Tips To Remember When Traveling