Stay Sane with Little Ones On a Plane!

Traveling by air may get you there quickly, but it can present its own set of challenges, are we right, parents?? Are you hitting the skies this summer or fall with your tinies? We have a round of the Easy Baby Travelers team's tried and true suggestions that we KNOW will help you survive those hectic trips and keep you feeling happy and sane in the air! Without further ado, here is our top round-up!

Magic Ink Books - These fabulous little game-changers are absolutely the best for flying. Not only do they help keep your busy littles occupied during the trip (fun for hours), but they also won't ruin the airplane pull-down tray or your kiddos' clothes! Huge! We like the Crayola Mess-Free Markers and also the Melissa and Doug Water Wow ones... once the water ones dry, you can start re-painting the same images again! We recommend having a variety on hand to use for longer flights so that the images stay fresh!

Tablet - Keeping kiddos travel-ready can sometimes mean bending a little on the screen time! We always have a tablet loaded with our littles' favorite movies and shows, prepped with restrictive headphones. Since little kids' ears can be damaged if music or shows are turned up too loudly in their headphones, we specifically purchased pairs that restrict volume so that everyone is happy and safe!

Dried Fruit - ... or other snacks! Having plenty of little noshes is key to keeping littles happy when the pressure starts to change. We personally love dried fruit like mangoes (no sugar added) because even little teethers can gnaw on them safely. The flavor and nature of the dried mango helps baby produce saliva, leading to more frequent swallowing... and voila! Baby's ears are popping naturally!

A Baby Carrier - Sometimes flights overlap with naptimes and that is completely unavoidable. Having a good baby carrier is key for when your tiny needs to catch some ZZZs in the air or in queue at the airport. It's simple to pace the aisle if need be, and the familiar presence of your body can help them to feel at ease in an unfamiliar environment! Bonus: choose a carrier without metal in the design like these ones and you may even be allowed to carry your little through security in it!

Easy Baby Travelers - Yeah, we know... this is totally obvious! We pack ours with back-up clothes and diapers. On our most recent flight, Luke had to have a diaper change twice and Phineas needed a new outfit after he spilled some pouch on his pants. It came in so handy to find everything in a flash and you only have to take what you need to the postage stamp-sized bathroom to change your littles! Shop the whole collection here.

What other things do you find necessary for long and short flights with kiddos? Let us know in the comments or tell us over on Instagram!