Travel with a 2 yr. old

[Yellowlily]

Hi there!

 

Got a couple of questions....

 

Aside from a portable DVD player, anyone have suggestions for toys/things to do while on the airplane/car/etc. to keep a 2 yr. old busy??

 

When flying, I was hoping to do a harness for the airplane for my 2 yr. old instead of carseat, anyone have any experience with that?

 

We've done babysitting before, but I can't remember (on the ship), what are the hours available or does it just depend? I remember we did evening (like 9 - 11 p.m.), but can't remember what the details are. Thanks!!!!!

[NoelsCat]

One thing that really works for us on airplanes are colorforms. My son can play with them for long periods -- they are clean and self contained. Even more wonderfully, they also stick and remove from the plane/car windows.

 

Sticker books, mini aqua doodle or magna doodles, soft cars etc -- are also good.

 

However, the DVD player is the ultimate -- I affectionally call it Mommy's & Daddy's Happy Box --

 

We have the CARE harness for the plane. Looking back I wouldn't buy it again -- it's only good for the plane -- you can just use your carseat. It's bulky -- so we tend to gatecheck it.

 

No advice about the babysitting... sorry, we haven't ever used it.

[Yellowlily]

Thank you so very much for all of the great advice!! I truly appreciate it! I laughed - "happy box"! :D Very cute! I see you are going on the Jewel soon. We sailed that last winter and it was WONDERFUL! Enjoy! I love your quote too! Happy cruising and thanks again!:)

[NoelsCat]

You too!

 

Hope you have a great flight with your two-year old, too.

[clansac]

We've never cruised with our son who is now 4 1/2, February will be our first. But we travel often and fly several times a year! I'd recommend:

 

DVD player and lots of DVDs

Stickers- lots of them

pipe cleaners or wikisticks

a shoebox lid for containing toys

small cars or other toys that you can wrap up in wrapping paper to be unwrapped each 30 min or hour or whatever

fat crayons and paper

doodlepad

books

a roll of scotch tape, or post it notes for separating over and over again

lollipops- we like dumdums because they're small enough for little kids, or safe-t-pops. Perfect for the long long security lines!

 

And my favorite- FINGER PUPPETS! You can get a really small set into a snack size ziploc bag. We got ours at Ikea and we have farm, zoo and sea animals. We used to do tons of shows for him on the plane, now he does them too.

 

If your child is done trying to eat everything, I also have travelled everywhere with two tiny playdoh containers in my purse. Perfect for restaurants or on the plane on your shoebox lid!

[Jodygirl]

Our DD is almost 2 and has already flown several times. Next weekend will be the longest flight yet though when we head to Miami for FOS!! I have the CARE harness for her and it has been great. It is a little pricey, but she and I travel alone often and I am handicapped so cannot manage the carseat for her. This is a great solution. It only takes a few minutes to install and fits easily in the carryon bag.

 

Regarding things to keep her busy, she loves books and stickers. I also take a few different snacks along. I have a video iPod so I load that with a few of her favorite TV shows and let her watch one or two of those too. We are getting a portable DVD player that you can "plug" our iPod into for this trip though since it is longer. That way we could plug it into the TV in the cabin if we need her to slow down for a bit and stay occupied. :)

 

Hope this all helps. :)

[larronry]

The good thing about the DVD players that you plug your ipod into is that when you are using your ipod you aren't using your screen so you are lengthening the battery life of the ipod and you aren't using the battery to spin and read the DVD so you are lengthening the battery life of the DVD player.

 

Nope don't have one because I use Archos and not ipod but I did read that information in a reviews of Portable DVD players.

 

 

As for crayons make sure you get the washable crayons. I also went to an office supply and got a heavier paper for my sons scribbling. I think it makes it easier when you are out and about because the paper isn't as flimsy. I have a DVD recorder at home so I recorder his favorite shows and put them to DVD for the car and for trips. (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Doodlebops right now).

 

I also like the idea of cars. In my holiday/cruise prep toy shopping this is what I've been looking at. Tonka has some slightly larger then matchbox cars at Target (last week the price ast $4.74 for a 4 pack). There were 3 varieties of this 4 pack one had a crane type thing that could be manipulated. The toy is for 3+ but for now this is in his supervised play toy stash only. Also, the smaller of the large trucks (CAT I know has them Tonka might). It's a good time now to go up and down the toy isle and look for things that can be manipulated but not make noise. Aquadoodle and Magnadoodle in the travel size are great.

 

My son is 2 as well.

[Yellowlily]

This has turned out to be an excellent and rather informative thread!! We ended up getting:

 

The harness for the airplane (it only made sense to us); however, we are taking and checking the carseat for possible van rides in between transfers (were on an actual van instead of bus last year from pier to airport)

 

Let's see as far as toys:

Travel magna doodle

Color wonder stuff

Washable crayons (found triangular size ones for little hands at Target)

Huge coloring book with multiple characters (Dora, Backyardigans, Blue)

Books

Sticker book

Color felt (like colorforms) in Dora scape

Backyardigan bobble head

Small wooden toy airplane

Crayola turtle pillow/crayon storage

 

 

I plan on putting these things in her backpack along with wipes and a blanket. Plus we have our portable DVD player and I'll pack some easy snacks like raisins, Cheerios and maybe a few goldfish.

 

Everyone have a spectacular Thanksgiving and Happy Cruising!! :D

[larronry]

What's this Crayola turtle pillow? Sounds like you went to Target and maybe that's something I want to check out.

 

I hope you checked out their DVDs they've been having some really good DVD prices lately.

[twins2go]

We have flown 13 times with our twin girls, now 27 months. I guess I would have to be called something of a seasoned pro at it now, but every flight is still a nerve-racking race against the clock! The longest flight was just after their second birthday, moving cross-country from Washington DC to Seattle. Now THAT one I was really nervous about. They did pretty well, though. Our strategy is to haul along a little of everything. Seems like you need to switch activities at least every 15 minutes to keep them happy. Other entertainment options I have not yet seen listed:

 

- Magnetic white board with magnets (like colorforms but easier for little hands to manipulate)

- Anything electronic with buttons that is normally "forbidden fruit"... Daddy's cell phone with the sleep option set to its shortest setting so it lights up every time a button is pressed, then goes dark... the iPod with the ear buds held up to a little ear... the retractable car keys...

- Laptop with software for babies. I have two programs from Giggles Baby that do a lot of different things when the keyboard is used. The laptop doubles as a DVD player too!

- New books

- LOTS of different kinds of snacks. Break out one at a time and don't let them pig out on any one type... that way they may be interested again when you break out a new one in 30 mins.

- The bathroom. I take very frequent bathroom breaks and always take one of the girls with me. This eats up some time standing in line (holding the 2 yo so she can look all over the plane), more time in the stall, then you BOTH get to wash your hands (which my 2 yo's just love to do). Then you can go again in another 20 mins. and change a diaper. Do it when the flight attendants are not trying to serve food/drinks so you can take a couple of extra trips up and down the aisle while you're up, without bothering anyone. Also, after you get out of the bathroom, linger a few minutes in the galley and look at all the stuff back there.

- Built-in airplane toys like the window blind, defunct telephone, pop-up cupholder, snack tray. In-flight magazine or other magazines are also good... page through the mag and point at every CAR you see, for example.

- When you get your drink from the flight attendant, get several extra plastic cups, also a couple of pretzel packs. Lots of fun to stack, unstack, chew, crinkle, etc.

 

Other random thoughts:

- Those CARES harness things are worthless. I bought two sets for the flight to Seattle. What a waste of $! They are really easy for the kid to wiggle out of (because there is no crotch strap), and they look really uncomfortable to boot, because the top strap goes around the seat right where the seat curves back, so it doesn't sit flush... it sticks out right in back of the kid's neck. Neither of my girls would sit still in one for even a minute - we're talking instant meltdown. It seems like a great idea but it was a big loser for us. We are flying cross-country again at Christmas and bringing both carseats on board. In the past (while still in lap-baby territory) we generally bought one seat for the girls and brought one carseat on board. Whoever was in the carseat would always nap... the lap baby... NEVER! They are a pain to haul around the airport, but well worth it in the air.

- Both DH and I use backpacks as carry-ons... only one each. My purse contents are transferred to various backpack pockets for the day, and I pack an empty purse in checked baggage. When traveling with a toddler you need all the hands you can get. Wasting one on a carry-on bag is just inefficient! Make sure the backpacks are ORGANIZED to an obsessive degree. As we all know, those darling 2 yo's turn demon on you in a split second and the last thing you want is to be digging through a bag for the crackers at the critical pre-meltdown moment. Every second counts!

- Keep away a couple of their favorite snacks for a couple of days before travel. Absence makes the heart grow fonder! When the snack magically appears on the airplane, you will have a very happy camper, for a little while at least.

- Pack the VERY favorite drink (for us this is milk), give it on takeoff and landing only. Helps with the ear popping.

- If there is a blankie/security object, bring it and save it as your "ace in the hole" item of last resort. It needs its own compartment in one of the backpacks so the 2 yo can't catch a glimpse of it until you decide to bring it out.

 

That's all I can think of for now.

 

Oh, BTW, Hi Everyone, I have twin girls and I like to talk a lot :D

[rebeccalouise]

Let your kids run around like crazy in the airport before you board the plane. Try to have the plane depart around naptimes or bedtime- but not the car ride. Feed the kids right before take off so they aren't hungry and fussy on the flight.

[Yellowlily]

Let's see, the Crayola Turtle thing (I actually got from Amazon.com)....

 

Crayola Travel Turtle

Product Features

 

• Detachable fleece trutle pillow with zipper pouch for storage
  
• Built in sturdy work surface
  
• Stuffed with crayons and coloring books

[Yellowlily]

Also, I agree totally on the backpacks in place of over-the-shoulder type carry-ons. We did this last time and it does help space-wise.

[Yellowlily]

Does anyone here bring beach toys along or skip it altogether?? I was wondering if I should bring a few or not to help save space.

[larronry]

Let's see, the Crayola Turtle thing (I actually got from Amazon.com)....

 

Crayola Travel Turtle

Product Features

 

• Detachable fleece trutle pillow with zipper pouch for storage
  
• Built in sturdy work surface
  
• Stuffed with crayons and coloring books

That is adorable. I'll have to consider that.

 

Does anyone here bring beach toys along or skip it altogether?? I was wondering if I should bring a few or not to help save space.

I picked up a shovel and a bucket. I figure I can pack things inside the bucket inside the suitcase. Bought before I found out I could check out beach toys for the length of the cruise from the ship I'm on, but I still might bring it if I have the room.

[Kerry's Girls]

I'm also a toddler twin mom who flies a lot with them. Most of my tips have been covered - we do the DVD player, magna doodles, small amounts of lots of different snacks in zip locs. My girls LOVE having their own can of pringles (something they don't get at home) and for some reason they enjoy writing on post-it notes, so I give them a pen and their own pad. I also bring a plastic bag for trash, since we make so much of it and it's easier to put it in the bag than have a pile under our seats.

 

We just did round trip from LA to Chicago in less than 24 hours and the issue finally came up that I've been warned about - being prepared for delays. We waited in the airport an extra two hours before one flight and then an extra hour on board the flight. I was glad I had plenty of extra diapers and snacks - especially when we were stuck sitting in the plane on the tarmac.

 

Have a great trip!

 

Best,

Mia

[WineDown17]

Love all these tips.. doing a 12 night european on Summit in May of 2009..

 

Starting to panic.. My youngest will be 27 months when we depart.. my oldest will be 12... The 12 YO will be great, no doubt, a seasoned cruiser.I know we will be fine, and wil adjust however we need to... heck.. 10 years between kids, i would say we are prety good at big adjustments!

 

If anyone has done transatlantic flights or cruises, is there anything else I should be aware of? Do they really need a car seat on the plane?

 

The whole car seat conundrum will be a big one I think...

 

But I have to say to each and everyone of you amazing Mommies (and Daddies) thanks for sharing your tips, and for being so understanding of the angst the rest of us have!