How to keep child amused on long haul flight

[tigwig]

We are going to florida in 6 weeks and I am dreading the flight with our 3 yr old. Does anyone have any ideas other than the usual colouring books etc on how to keep her entertained on the way there and how to sleep on the way back?

[cuzzy]

tell her or him stories of when you were a child talk about where you are going and what you will see. you can always sing as long as you dont mind everone listening. i use to sing silly songs to my children on long train journeys you will be surprised how quick they pick them up

[NORMANTHEDOG]

give him a sleeping pill,job done.

[spudqueen]

Which airline are you flying with? Many of them nowadays have seat-back tvs from which you can select quite a few channels including kids cartoons. There is also a map of where you are and how far to go, this kept my son happy for quite a long time!

[Ice.Maiden]

Yes, I think the answer with a young child of that age is to keep chatting and reading to her. More than likely she'll lay back and fall to sleep at some stage, but even time at the airport can be boring and tiring for little ones. We deliberately only took ours on shortish journeys, for this reason, but I hope you make it without too much trauma - x

[Senga 2]

Good luck with this. Ii took my grand-daughter to Virginia when she was three. We spent almost two days travelling as we didn't live near an airport, had to change flights etc. She was a star and didn't sleep at all on the outward jorney (I was shattered when we arrived). i think the secret is for you to keep calm and appear to be enjoying the travelling it rubs off. Admittedly on the way back I gave her Calpol and she slept right through. Have a great holiday.

[beanebabe]

Have flown to Florida with my kids 3 times (youngest was 15 months, 1st time). We have dreaded it each time but they have amazed us by being brilliant. I think they are so overawed by the experience it stunns them into behaving! Take plenty of snacks because your average fussy kid will turn their nose up at the in-flight catering (& sweets, anything to keep them quiet). A few new bits that they don't have until you travel is a good idea - in their own bag/back pack (magazine, cards, 'Colour Wonder', cars/dolls, action figures). Seat back TV's are brilliant if the plane has them. There are plenty of medicines with sedatives in them, but I bet you won't need them! Have a fab time, I'm sooo jealous.