5 Ways to Make Flying with Kids Stress Free

Flying and kids are two words that simply aren’t fun to put together. Many parents struggle with the idea of taking their kids, of any age, on a plane to travel somewhere. The reason being, kids often get bored on the plane. Flying around in the air, having to stay still and feeling turbulence can’t be very entertaining for kids. With that being said, you can make flying with kids stress free. Today I am going to share the 5 ways to make flying with kids stress free, so you can have a fantastic summer traveling through the air with your kids.

Make Parking Hassle-Free

Parking and transporting luggage to ticketing is probably everyone’s least favorite part of airplane travel. Rather than using airport parking and wrestling all your family’s bags to the terminal, use a convenient parking service like Fast Park. Fast Park is conveniently located near the airport and is open and staffed 24/7. You simply arrive, park your car, and take the free shuttle to your airline’s ticketing area. The friendly staff provide baggage assistance (my favorite part) and make the whole process seamless. I’ve been using Fast Park for years and am thrilled to share them with you as part of this partnered post.

During the “Summer of Fun”, Milwaukee’s Fast Park will be handing out complimentary FunTime FastPaks to families traveling with children. The FastPaks include a coloring book, treat and activity to help keep the little ones occupied.

Be Ready for TSA

 

Have your kids’ documents ready that are required for security check. Use the family lane, if the airport has one. Kids under age 12 do not usually have to take their shoes off, but consider having the kids wear easy to slip off shoes just in case. Using the family lane will allow you to be greeted by TSA agents who are more friendly and equipped to dealing with kids at the security posts. It also tends to have other families in line who are more tolerant of any unexpected delays that can come from traveling with kids.

Packing Carry On

Be prepared ahead of time by having your kids wear layers of clothing, this way they are never too hot or cold on the plane. Use a backpack for carry on and try to use one for all of the kids if possible. Include a small plastic bag for soiled or wet laundry because accidents happen with any age kids. Make sure to have favorite toys that are allowed on the plane as well as a favorite blanket or stuffed animal so the kids can feel secure when flying.

Play Creative Games

Be prepared to play creative games such as I-Spy where you say take turns “spying” something of some color.  Games like Bingo can be created before you head out to your flight. You may want to pack a deck of cards, crayons and paper for those items will help keep kids entertained for a longer period of time. These creative game ideas will work when your kids are on overload from electronics you may bring to keep them entertained.

Always Remain Calm

Prior to flying with kids, make sure that you feel balanced. There will be mishaps; there may be flight delays and other things that occur that cause stress. Always remain calm when flying with kids so that they don’t feed off of your negative energy and have a meltdown. Deep breathe through any difficult times, kneel down to speak to your kids at their level and remain consistent with your expectations of behavior for the duration of the flight.

There you have it 5 ways to make flying with kids stress free. As you can see it all pertains to planning ahead, bringing the right items along with you and packing appropriately for the flight. Good luck with your adventures of flying with kids stress free this summer season!