We are embarking on a 4 hour plane trip with an almost 2 year old toddler shortly to Darwin. Sounds like fun times right? If it’s anything like our flight to Thailand I might just jump out of that plane upon take off…. think 8 hours of torture in terms of tears, squeals, grumpiness, tantrums and NO sleep (for anyone). Not how I imagined the start and completion of a holiday but I’m going back for more anyway. Just the price for a little bit of paradise right?
This time I’m going to work a little harder to combat the toddler air troubles. Thanks to Pinterest (my part time lover) I have been playing with some ideas…. getting into a bit of DIYing for the cause.
Here is my colouring soap box. It’s compact. I can take it on the plane or just have in the nappy bag for a quick fix… I reckon it’s a little bit of genius….. check it out….
See what I did there? It’s simplicity at it’s best. Old skool soap box purchased. Sticky notes stuck into the lid of the box and crayons placed in the tray section. That’s one transportable colouring system!
And I was assisted by a little decorator
Then I made some Sticky Sticks!
Sticky sticks are actually just big, coloured popsicle sticks from the cheapest cheap shop you can find…. these cost me a big $2!
Team it up with $2 velcro which you cut into small squares
And here is the trickiest part of all…. sticking the Velcro onto the sticks!
Stick them all together and you’ve got another cheap, compactable travel toy which ideally Little Vick will love pulling apart and sticking them back together for hours (hear my optimism?)…. or he can make shapes too
Pretty rad if I do say so myself. So, I reckon I’ve got about, ah, 5 minutes worth of entertainment for our 4 hour flight, what do you reckon? Aside from a new book, and some new games on my phone, what do you do when faced with a long flight with children? Give me some comment luv about your ideas on travel entertainment… please, I’m a desperate woman……. 
Get stuck into the alcohol before take off!
Oh, I haven’t travelled on a plane for soooo long. We did it a number of times with Luca but then adding another babe to the mix made it all seem too hard. Now with three? Forget it.
Travelling with Luca was painless for one reason only – he was breastfed at the time and that was a surefire way to knock him out. I would suggest Phenergan but I sense that may be frowned upon these days…..
I totally love your DIY stuff though! Mad props for that, lady. xxx
Thanks Angie! I thought the boob would be a winner too first time round. Indeed it did put him to sleep upon take off but that sleep only lasted 30 minutes each way and he was old enough he didn’t need another feed during the duration of the flight. This time no boob at all. But he’s older right? He’s going to be all grown up and reasonable, yes? Do you like my optimism?
The sticky sticks is a great idea! I’m getting ready to travel with my 13-month-old on Tuesday and was poking around for some ideas. Last flight — I’ve traveled about every three months with her since she was three months — I cut up colored straws and strung them on a loop of elastic. It was a stroke of genius. This time I don’t think she’ll be as easy. She’s an accomplished walker, very independent, and she does NOT sleep on planes and she isn’t much of a cuddler. I’m going to need (besides the patience of Buddha) a plastic raisin tin and some pom poms to poke through the hole I’ll cut, plus the straw necklace, plus endless amounts of snackage, colored pencils (she eats crayons still) and a top secret emergency iPod with infant headphones … just in case. Six hours on a plane? Why not!
Good on your Kat! It’s a tricky business isn’t it? I always say you have to be really desperate to travel to put up with toddler troubles on a flight…. it’s a tough gig to put it mildly. I travelled to Thailand with Little Vick when he was 14 months old and I found it tricky. He was much better on our recent flight at 22 months. He understood the concept of an aeroplane much better and seemed a little more mature and settled. But the 14 month mark was hard as he was sooooo wriggly and wanting to walk everywhere every mintue. I hope your little girl is content with all the wonderful activities you’ve created. I LOVE the straws on a elastic idea…. I’m putting that idea away in storage. GOOD LUCK and thanks for visiting the site and commenting!
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That a nice and interesting idea which could keep them occupied for long for sure.