Traveling with children by plane may seem daunting for some families, but with a bit of preparation, it can become a valuable learning experience for the entire family. Airports and traveling is an excellent opportunity to teach children about following rules and directions, understanding the importance of cooperation, and developing resilience for extended travel days. 

A well-prepared flight can also be a fantastic time for engagement and entertainment. This isn’t just about handing over a screen; it’s about curating a collection of activities that keep little minds engaged and refreshed, while sparking creativity and curiosity. This blog post explores my favorite tips and entertainment ideas designed to make air travel with kids not just tolerable, but a genuinely enjoyable part of your family’s travel experience.

In this blog post: 

• Best tips for for navigating airports and airplanes with kids
• Low-tech airplane travel entertainment ideas for small children 
• Low-tech airplane travel entertainment ideas for older children 
• More engaging activities for kids from Treehouse Schoolhouse

Best tips for for navigating airports and airplanes with kids

Traveling with kids is exciting and challenging at the same time! Here are some tips I gathered as my family prepared for travel this summer.

• Talk with children in advance about being at the airport and traveling by plane. Explain to children that it is important to stay close to adults while traveling, and that there are important rules to follow when sitting on the plane, like wearing your seatbelt and staying in your seat during certain times. Explain that at the end of the day, they may be extra tired but need to be able to walk and help out anyway until you make it to your destination.
• Check your bags and consider skipping the stroller. Sometimes strollers are necessary, but breaking down strollers in long security lines or prior to boarding can be tedious and cumbersome, especially if you are holding or keeping track of little kids. If possible, use a baby carrier or encourage toddlers to be “big kids” and walk as much as possible. 
• Print boarding passes for kids. You may be surprised how much children love having a ticket to hold, keep up with, and scan while at the airport.
• Find an area where kids can expend energy by running around. If you are early for your flight or have time on a layover, find an empty part of the terminal where children can run or play and get the wiggles out. Some airports even have designated play areas for kids. Similarly, take a lap around the terminal to look at planes or art installations before you wait at your gate.
• Let children pick out a snack at the terminal. It can be fun to let kids pick out a snack item at the airport while you are waiting. On a day that requires a lot of waiting and following directions, it can be a nice treat for kids to be able to make one or two of their own choices.
• Use the restroom early and often. Travel days can be long and unpredictable. Make frequent stops to the restroom with kids throughout your travel day, encouraging them to use the restroom (even when they say they don’t need to) and wash hands often.
• For in-flight entertainment, pack minimally and bring consumable items. When kids are playing or coloring on airplanes, it is easy to lose objects in between seats or when the plane is in motion. Know this going into it and don’t sweat it if you lose items or toss them when you are done. The less you have to carry and keep track of, the better.
• Sit near other families on the plane. If you are choosing your seats, it can be a good idea to sit near other kids on the plane. Sometimes it can provide entertainment for kids, and parents can be very considerate and helpful to other parents and kids during travel. You never know when you may need an extra helping hand.
• Have a drink or lollipop for kids to have when the plane takes off and lands. Help little ears pop by encouraging them to swallow with a beverage or lollipop. We love these dye-free lollipops. Some reusable, air-tight water bottles with straws can be messy for travel when the cabin is pressurized. I prefer to ask for drinks with lids and straws during the in-flight service.
• Bring high protein snacks to keep kids full throughout the long travel day. We love Chomps sticks, Jackson’s Sweet Potato chips, and Simple Mills Crackers. See all of my favorite snacks for kids here.
• Choose low stimulation shows and educational games for children. If you choose to let children watch a screen during the flight, opt for low stimulation shows for them to watch. Shows can be helpful during travel, but if tablets don’t work or you need to turn it off, it helps to be able to easily transition off of a screen when needed. Educational games and also a great option for kids. We love Stack the States, Chess.com and Endless Wordplay.
• Ask for help if needed. At the airport or on a plane, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Flight attendants can be so kind and helpful with giving you helpful information or stepping in to help if needed.

Related: Low Stimulation Shows for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Low-tech airplane travel entertainment ideas for small children

Here are some ideas for young children, from toddlers to early elementary-aged children. My overall tip is to gather these items minimally – for example, just bring four or five markers and crayons instead of a huge set – and only bring items that won’t matter if they get broken or lost during travel. Keep favorite keepsakes at home or in your checked luggage. Many of these ideas are also suitable for children under two who may be sitting on your lap during the flight.

• Dot stickers – Use simple dot stickers to make a collage on blank, white paper or in a dot activity book.
• Small notebooks – Give kids a new notebook when you board the plane or start your trip together. I love these thin field notebooks. You could stick a notebook in a small pouch with a few markers, crayons, and stickers to hand to your child during the flight.
• Finger puppets or small dolls – Compact finger puppets or little dolls are fun for kids who enjoy imagination play.
• Sticky notes are a great option for toddlers. Stick them on paper or on the tray table and toss when done. 
• New markers, colored pencils, or crayons are perfect to have available. I love these triangular-shaped crowns that won’t roll off the tray table and these retractable markers so you don’t have to keep you with lids.
• Water Wow! Activity Pads are a hit with small kids.
• Compact, mess-free painting books are a fun choice. A cup of water is all you will need to enjoy.
• New books – Choose a few small, lightweight books to take on the plane. I love Little Golden Books for this, or books about travel can be fun for children who are flying for the first time, such as The Little Golden Book About Airplanes or Busy Busy Airport, or even a book about your travel destination.
• Sensory books – Toddlers may enjoy playing with sensory books or soft books while the plane is en route.
• Indestructible books are perfect for toddlers to look at and play with and can withstand being torn, ripped, or chewed on.
• Grab small items from your home or the dollar store and add to a small zipper pouch or ziploc bag. Pom poms, empty spice bottles, pipe cleaners, race cars, stickers, wax sticks, and little toys can all be fun ways for kids to pass the time during travel. Feel free to toss it when you are getting off of the plane.
• Mini Yoto Player and headphones – For kids who love stories, a compact story player is a fun way to focus their attention during the flight.
• LCD drawing boards are an easy way to keep little hands busy in their seats during flights. I also like these dry erase lap boards for kids who like to draw or write.
• Suction toys are a good choice for fidgety toddlers. Stick them on tray tables or plane windows. 
• Temporary tattoos make for a fun, silly surprise when traveling. For overnight flights, use a glow-in-the-dark tattoo.
• Magnetic dress up dolls – Look for a magnetic dress up toy of your children’s favorite characters. If they come with lots of magnet sheets, I prefer to just choose one or two to simplify things and prevent meltdowns if favorite magnets get lost.
• Tape activity book – This is a great way to entertain and challenge kids during travel. Stick tape to the activity sheets to make designs and patterns.
• Puffy sticker books – These puffy stickers are so fun for kids to play with and move around. The puffy stickers are easy for kids to maneuver and are reusable.

If none of these work, you may find that children are totally entertained with the safety pamphlet, the airplane window shade, and the tray table. You just never know what will do the trick.

Related: Screen-Free Road Trip Ideas for Toddlers and Children

Low-tech entertainment ideas for older children

On airplanes, we allow our older children to use limited screen time for low stimulation shows and games. We just use our phones and pair it with bluetooth headphones. We let each child use our phones for 30 minutes to an hour and then we would switch to letting another kid use it, instead of each child having their own device. For the older children, I ask for their help carrying items and keeping track of things, plus helping with their younger siblings if needed.

Here are some other ideas I love:

• A fun, new notebook and pens, like these glitter gel pens.
• Let each child have a travel journal and fill out a page for each day or event.
• Magna tile travel set or magnetic blocks.
• Mad Libs books for fun word play.
• Brain teaser puzzles, like a mini Rubik’s Cube, a travel puzzle game, or a travel tangram. 
• Sticker by Number books are equal parts fun, challenging, and creative.
• Fidget toys are a simple way to pass the time.
• A new book series like The Green Ember Series or Wingfeather Saga.
• Joke books to learn a new joke to tell the hosts at your travel destination.
• If you homeschool year-round, bring a workbook and check off a few lessons during long flights.

View all of my favorite travel entertainment ideas on my Amazon Storefront.

Related: Screen-Free Summer Fun: 100 Engaging Activities for Kids and Summer Homeschooling: 6 Rhythms for Intentional Summer Enrichment

More engaging activities for kids from Treehouse Schoolhouse

If you love spending time outdoors and teaching children about nature, you will love Treehouse Nature Study. Treehouse Nature Study is a year-long seasonal nature study curriculum designed with family-style learning in mind. It is a gentle guide meant to invite various ages to connect with each other and the world around them through living books, nature notebooking, hands-on projects, and beauty subjects such as poetry, picture study, and folk songs. Available in both Primary and Intermediate Years, Treehouse Nature Study will provide years of rich education for the whole family.

Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years

Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years is a seasonal nature study curriculum designed with family-style learning in mind. It is a gentle guide meant to invite various ages to connect with each other and the world around them through living books, nature notebooking, hands-on projects, and beauty subjects such as poetry, picture study, and folk songs. 

From preschool through upper middle school, it appeals to every age and is easily used with multiple ages at the same time. 

It would be a great fit for your preschool or kindergartener’s core curriculum or your whole family’s home education Morning Time and Nature Study. It also provides supplemental work for your children’s language arts through poetry memorization, recitation, copywork, and notebooking.

Related: Six Core Values of Treehouse Nature Study

Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years

Introducing Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years geared towards grades 4th-8th. Experience a seasonal study that invites your older children to connect with each other and the world around them through living books, nature notebooking, hands-on projects, poetry, and picture study. Deepen your child’s learning through advanced language arts and scientific experiments.

It would be a great fit for your upper elementary or middle schooler’s science curriculum or your whole family’s home education Morning Time and Nature Study. It also provides supplemental work for your children’s language arts through poetry copywork, creating an Illustrated Science Dictionary, creative writing prompts, notebooking, and internet research.

Related: Overview: Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years

Safe travels! Share your favorite airplane and flight entertainment tips in the comments below.