Children's Activities on Air Flights

Anatomy of a Good Activity

• Any activity on an airplane should be accessible while buckled in with only the tray table as a play surface. You̵7;ll want to limit or contain items that could roll off the tray or down the aisle, such as cylindrical markers and crayons, toy cars, round game pieces and balls. For artistic kids, consider purchasing triangular crayons especially for the trip, or channel their creative energy into folding origami with a new book and fancy paper. Whatever you choose, make sure it will sustain interest and won̵7;t bother passengers seated nearby.

Gadgets and Gizmos

• Families with a tablet or smartphone are probably familiar with the various apps and games for kids. Electronic toys and games aren̵7;t entirely necessary for flights, though they certainly don̵7;t hurt on longer journeys, especially those lasting more than five hours. The benefits include having kid-friendly videos to watch with headphones when in-flight movies are not appropriate, packing a lot of media into a tiny space (no need to haul around bulky kids̵7; books) and having theoretically infinite entertainment options for airport delays and layovers. The downsides include multiple kids sharing a limited number of devices, the finite battery life of such devices and that kids̵7; attention spans can only take so much screen time. Thus, it̵7;s best to use electronics as complimentary distractions and to keep physical items handy for when digital doesn̵7;t cut it.

Analog Entertainment

• Even though that deck of cards isn̵7;t enough to keep children entertained for more than an hour or two, it̵7;s so compact and easy to carry that you shouldn't leave it home if your kids are old enough for ̶0;Go Fish.̶1; Many airlines don̵7;t provide complimentary decks anymore, so bring one of your own. In general, try to modify favorite activities to be more plane-friendly. Board-game lovers will appreciate magnetic travel sets. For children who love to play with dollhouses, opt for a flat magnetic doll set instead. Or if your child enjoys puzzles, pack a set of tangrams or a puzzle book.

Solitary Play

• When traveling with an only child or kids whose ages are far apart, plan activities that kids can do on their own. For younger children, stickers, notepads, small figurines and no-mess crafts (think pipe cleaner animals with self-adhesive googly eyes) are practical options. Older kids might prefer magazines, an MP3 player and projects such as Lego bricks (bypass the sets in favor of a random jumble in case pieces get lost) or beading crafts. Organize activities into separate zippered baggies to avoid hunting through a carry-on bag for supplies. Each child can then simply reach in, grab a bag and go.