toddler activites on the flight?

[howardcoombs]

18) Bubble wrap - how can you forget the bubble wrap!
19) Googly eyes (can find in most stationary shops) to do stuff like this : http://egotvonline.com/2011/07/27/30...h-googly-eyes/
you can decorate the magazines and everything else in the airplane.

[grenadier]

Buy a selection of cheap, throw away toys from your local toy store, or supermarket. Keep them in a bag and give the child one new toy every hour. As long as you choose your selection carefully, you should hopefully keep their attention for long enough to help past the time.

If it's a long flight, you might also loiter at the rear of the aircraft, where there is usually a little space next to the bank of toilets, as well as a galley. The flight attendants are usually quite friendly to young children and wont mind if you hang around a while.

No offence Sazzy etc, but giving your child unprescribed medicine is both irresponsible and downright dangerous. Children's bodies are much less tolerant of drugs than adults, as their Liver is small and less able to break down the medicine. The affects of dehydration in an airplane cabin add to the potential risks.

Furthermore, the internal pressure of the airplane is equivalent to being at an altitude of 6,000-8,000 feet on most aircraft. That's equivalent to being at an altitude that is more than 2x the height of Hong Kong's highest mountain. Being at high altitude affects the bodies in a number of different ways, including affecting the absorption of drugs. This is precisely the reason why you will get drunk quicker, and more easily when drinking alcohol at altitude. The same goes for your childs body, if taking medicine in an aircraft.

I would never, ever endanger my child by giving them unprescribed medicine on a flight. Why risk your child health, just for the sake of catching a little extra rest? It's just not worth the risk.

[carang]

HC, the only problem with bubble wrap is that it might annoy the heck out of the people around you....

[Honkyblues]

I'm also horrified when people suggest drugging their kids to try to get them to sleep on a flight. So does it follow that if your child is being a bit hyper and naughty at home, you'll give them an unprescribed drug so you don't have to suffer their antics?

And I know that some doctors even prescribe drowsy-formula antihistamines for flights - I think that incredibly unprofessional, personally.

I'm about to do an economy class flight at Christmas with 4 boys aged from 6 mths to just turned 7 years. And I know my husband will sleep for about 10 hours of that 12 hour flight. And I know I'll sleep for about 30 minutes and will be comforting tired, whining children for much of it. Well, c'est la vie! I wouldn't dream of drugging them up so 12 hours of my life are a little bit easier.

Cara gave some great suggestions for activities. To be honest, we used to take a bag-load of stuff, but now find the iPad and the movie/game screen on the headrest in front of them occupy them for enough hours - and the rest of the time, they try to sleep or at least rest in the dark.

I would add a mini-jigsaw puzzle (about HK$20 from Wise Kids) as another activity. We also (used to) take play dough, crayons and paper, Aquadraw pen and book, mini plastic dinosaurs, a couple of toy cars, origami papers...

Best of luck - it's only a few hours and 'this too will pass'.

[carang]

i think it's a shame that scissors are now banned... my kids would be quiet for hours cutting and sticking... :(

[elle]

i think it's a shame that scissors are now banned... my kids would be quiet for hours cutting and sticking... :(

Last flight we took to London we were able to bring on a pair of plastic scissors that cut paper well enough. The two year old spent about 3 hours quietly cutting up colored sheets of paper and gluing them to eachother with a glue stick.

[carang]

hmmm... maybe i'll invest in some plastic ones then!

[dpmother]

Few more ideas:

1. String Cheerios on dental floss—a necklace you can eat after you make it!

2. Play card games like Uno or make your own trading cards.

3. story with finger puppets/ hand puppets

4. Create scenes with stamps, a stamp pad and paper