To be completely honest with you, flying with a kid between the age of 1 and 2 is a challenge. Before this age, they are mostly adorable blob babies that can nurse/drink from a bottle during takeoff. They generally like to be held and nap often. And are just more chill on average. After turning two, kids can do things like skip naps without so many meltdowns, be potty trained, and communicate better.

The time between 1 and 2 can be pretty challenging especially on flights because kids at this age:

• want things but can’t always communicate them well
• can walk and are pretty restless to sit during flights

Here are my best tips for flying with a 1 to 2 year old: 

1. Let them run around before.

This really helped my kids get the “wiggles” out before we boarded the plane. We let our toddler run around at the gate and explore (as long as he wasn’t bothering anyone). Our little ones have loved looking out the windows at the planes taxing and the airport employees. Another tip is to board as close to last as possible so your little one has less time sitting on the plane.

2. Have 30-minute shifts (if you’re with a partner).

If I had to boil it down to one big thing, this would be it. Splitting the flight into 30-min shifts for me and my husband was a lifesaver! Not to say you can’t help each other during your “off-time,” but it definitely helpds to have one of you “in charge” at one time. And it is really nice and necessary to get a break. Doing the 30-min shifts made it easier for all of us.

3. Have food and snacks that take a long time to eat.

We fed my son things like Cheerios (one at a time!) and that was fun for him and also passed the time. Having lots of little snacks like that is good for the flight and easy to prepare beforehand.

4. Bring wrapped toys from the dollar store.

We bought a bunch of little new toys from the dollar store before our trip and didn’t let our son see them until we were on the plane. He loved playing with the new toys and we didn’t use them in our trip unless it was on the plane. This kept things fresh and exciting for him! We also only pulled them out one at a time after he got bored with the previous one to maximize the effect 🙂

5. Try to have naps in the plane, not before.

This can be difficult if your flights are at the wrong times, but having them sleep in the airplane makes things easier for you and them! If that means delaying your kiddo’s nap by an hour (sometimes even two), we recommend waiting until you get on the plane before getting your little one ready to sleep.

We have so many more customizable tips for you in our Traveling with Kids course. Check it out today to see how it can help you on your next family vacation.

6. Have them chew and/or drink for take-off. 

Hopefully your child’s ears aren’t bothered too much with the take-off and landing. If your child still takes a bottle, have them drink during take-off so it works their jaw and hopefully pops their ears for the altitude adjustment. If your child isn’t drinking from bottles anymore, you can try gum or small snacks for the same effect. You can also do some big exaggerated yawns when they’re looking at you to help them do the same.

7. Walk or crawl around during the flight.

We have had some really long flights (12+ hours!) with our kids! When our toddler is really restless, we take some crawling (or walking) trips down the aisle. We let our child go in front with me or my husband following close behind. We do this in the middle of the flight because most people are sleeping or settled in and not walking the aisles as well.

8. Flight attendants are your friend.

We had some really helpful flight attendants. We tried to be really friendly to them as well and they were always willing to help us out, getting extra water or blankets for our son. They even moved our seats so that our son had his own seat between us since there was an empty seat! They can really help out and usually notice before you ask, but don’t hesitate to ask them for help.

9. Have fun! 
When your baby cries, try to soothe them but don’t stress. Sometimes we would worry about bothering other people on the flight but I think most people are more understanding than we think. And if not, who cares? You probably won’t see them again.

10. Be generous in your thoughts towards others. 

This sounds like it might be more applicable for strangers flying with you but it’s truly important for every person to be generous in their thoughts.

I remember a 5-hour red-eye flight when my kids and I were towards the back of the plane. I was with my then- 5-year-old and 3-year-old. There was a lady across the aisle from us who also had two kids, a little younger than mine. Those kids were going absolutely bonkers! Plus, the mom had clearly had too much alcohol before take-off. At one point, one of her little kids was screaming so loud, a lot of people in the rows ahead started looking back with pretty frustrated looks.

While the mom tried to calm her son, the other little kid wandered over by our aisle. I know how hard it is to fly with kids so I gave the little girl a sheet of stickers from my kid’s activities. If I hadn’t flown with kids before, it would have been easy for me to judge this mom for not having it together and not being sober on a flight with two little ones! Partway through the flight though, she confided that her husband had just died unexpectedly and she hadn’t broken the news to her two small children yet. She wept for the last few hours of the flight. My heart just broke for her. We never know completely what someone else is going through. Rarely if ever, have I regretted being generous in my thoughts about someone else. This quote from Steven R. Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change is one of my favorites:

“Our paradigms, correct or incorrect, are the sources of our attitudes and behaviors, and ultimately our relationships with others.”

Hope you enjoyed this post! When someone shares their unsolicited advice, you can remember to Please Wear Chunky Mittens. What’s the most helpful criticism you’ve received? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.