Ear Problems - Babies
With babies you need to bring something they can suck on to help regulate their ears during the course of the flight, especially during ascent and descent. Airline flights can be quickly spoiled by a little one with an earache.Some ideas to try: Bottles of juice and/or water, pacifier, jello jigglers with extra Knox gelatin (this is messy but the kids love it!), or any Gerber baby type snacks. They dissolve quickly in the mouth eliminating a choking hazard. Be sure to read the safety precaution on the label before buying.
Our favorite Gerber snacks are the stars (lots of flavors), fruit snacks (these start dissolving almost instantly) and baby cereal bars.
Ear Problems - Toddlers and Older Children
Toddlers and older kids don't always understand how to regulate their ears by just swallowing, so a little help is sometimes required. My sister-in-law, who is a nurse, uses Starbursts for her daughter because they take a long time to chew and a lot of salivation occurs to keep my niece swallowing. Some other ideas are fruit snacks, gum and hard candy (for older children).Electronic Games
Handheld games are extremely popular for older kids and can keep them quiet for hours. Bring a long a set of earphones so your child's favorite game doesn't interfere with the comfort of others. A long plane ride might be a good time to invest in a new game for a special surprise. (See Travel Surprise below.)Mess Clean Up
Keep a bag of wipes, hand sanitizer and disposable bags for dirty diapers nearby. Baby wipes can clean up almost anything - even on carpet. Hand sanitizer is a must for traveling with kids and those disposable bags are good for containing messy stuff besides diapers. Don't forget to bring your favorite brand of stain remover wipes or pens for those times when the baby wipes just aren't enough.Potty Trained--Almost
This is one of my best mother tips in general, but is especially great on vacations: Put a pull-up over their underwear. I can't stand doing extra laundry, so anything that can spare me an extra mess but still gives kids the feel of needing to stay dry is number one for me.Seating Arrangements
If you're traveling with a group or a large number of family members, it might be fun to let your children choose which adult they want to sit by. If they don't see Uncle Bob very often and want to sit by him (and Uncle Bob is ok with the idea) then relinquish parental control for a few hours. It's a great time to talk and tell stories with people you don't get to see every day.Snacks
Snacks, snacks and more snacks! As sad a statement as it may be, snacking keeps children busy and entertained. So pack your kids favorites for your long journey. The healthier the better!If you're on an early morning flight try some cut up apples or bring a banana or two. A fun trail mix with some granola, their favorite cereal and dried fruit can be a refreshing change from sugary snacks. Good old fashioned PB&J's are hearty sandwiches and can usually take a beating pretty well.
Whatever you choose, throw in a few of the mainstay favorites along with some healthy choices. Then you won't feel so bad seeing them eat through the entire flight. BONUS TIP: Don't put their snacks in their special backpacks or bags. While it's great for them to be in charge of their games or coloring books, you may not want them in charge of snacktime. I always travel with a big carry-on bag with all the goodies I need for my kids for the flight. Then I have control over who gets what snacks and when. I can still offer them choices (so they retain a little independence) but it's within my limits.
Sticker Books
Reusable sticker books are great for early elementary age kids. You can find them in your child's favorite TV/movie character or interest. And because they're reusable you can create new scenes, stories or just mix them up for fun.Travel Surprise
My mom is the not only the "Queen of Organization," but also the "Queen of Surprises." Almost every trip we take with her has some surprise for everyone (my siblings and me as well as our kids).I've found that if I put a small surprise or two in my kids travel backpacks it's like Christmas Day - a new book to read, page of stickers, small toy to play with, activity book with puzzles and mazes or (if they're really lucky) a new movie to watch.
We hope that some of these tips for traveling with children will make your next vacation to Hawaii more enjoyable for everyone.
