Entertaining a Toddler on a Plane

So let’s get a few things straight.  I HATE packing.  BUT, I hate being unorganized and last minute even more so I’ve started collecting and thinking about what I am going to pack on the plane for our 5 hour ride out west + 2.5 hour drive.  By this time this post goes live, hopefully everything will have gone smoothly and I’ll be sipping a virgin mojito in the Saskatchewan sun….  But it pays to be prepared.  And let’s just get something straight… everyone has horrors of kids on planes but let’s be real… it seems on every flight I’m the only one with a kid charging up and down the aisle, screaming because of his ears and kicking trying to get out of his seat.  So parents with other high energy kids, I feel ya…

Here’s my packing list from my own experience (something like 15 flights now) and the inter webs…

Food

• Ritz crackers and ritz cheese packs (both new to him)
• Rainbow goldfish (also new, let’s hope the colours don’t turn him off)
• Lollipops (for the ears)
• Raisins
• Yoghurt melts
• Graham cracker bunnies

Plus

• Fruit (thinking melon, grapes and apple)
• bowl, fork, bib, sippy cup with stopper
• bagel
• Cucumbers

Bastien probably won’t eat a proper meal for around 10 hours so I will need to fill him up.   This is a mixture of food I know he likes, crap that will keep him occupied, and some healthy stuff.  Hopefully none of it is too messy (no croissants!)  The crackers, etc. will be put in baggies.

For toys we will have a mixture of new and old.  The toys were mostly bought at the dollar store or Target so if they go missing I won’t care so much.  None of the toys make sounds, please.

Toys

• trucks, planes, tractors
• stickers
• colouring book
• post it notes
• mini Mr. Potato Head

Plus

• Books – two new and two old.  Bastien loves Mortimer & Peter Rabbit’s Mystery Thief so I think we’ll go with those two as they are thin and durable.
• Crayons – We have a couple crayon shapes that sit flat that I think are our best bet
• Various old toys – he likes his buckle toy still so that would be a good bet.

Bastien is a big button pusher/swiper so we will see how well the iPad goes, but we can only try right?

iPad apps 

• Bubbles
• Alien Buddies
• Tozzle
• Duplo Trains
• BabyTV
• Giggle Gang

Earphones

• Batman Infant Earphones

Other

• Hand sanitizer
• Change of clothes for Bastien
• Change of top for me and my husband
• Diapers, wipes, diaper bags, kleenex
• Backpack for all that stuff

Phew!

What about you guys – any tips?