You rushed to the airport to not miss the flight because of your toddler’s usual tantrums against seatbelts. Then you barely survived the security and all the other gazillion queues while random strangers smiled at your frustrated toddler.
You board the plane, sit down, and finally, you can relax. Except, can you really?
Now you’re stuck in a flying box full of people and loud noises with a bored toddler.
To survive the next few to a dozen hours, you need to be prepared so the flight doesn’t turn into a decade of misery.
The importance of well-organised toddler’s backpack
An organised backpack for your toddler will secure you a few good hours of a busy toddler on a flight. It is important you take time to consider what are your toddler’s most favourite toys and activities to do that do not take up much space.
To save your time and energy, we’ve come up with a list of things that should be included in every toddler’s carry-on backpack. These are general ideas that proved to be useful and entertaining from experience.
Seven most important things to pack in your toddler’s backpack for the airplane journey are:
- An activity backpack
- Spill-proof snack cup
- Spill-proof, leak-proof, break-proof sippy cup
- Airplane toddler bed or/and travel neck pillow
- Toddler headphones
- Blanket
- MP3 or iPad
Below you will find short descriptions and reasons for each one of those most important things to pack in your toddler’s backpack mentioned above.
1. AN ACTIVITY BACKPACK
Whether you buy a Multipurpose Backpack or Travel Activity Tray or just create your own activity backpack by gathering the things yourself, this will be the best thing to offer your toddler. Create and organise easy access to your toddler’s favourite things to play with.
The most important stuff to pack for your toddler’s entertainment:
- Sticker Books
- Gel Window stickers – perfect toy to play with the aeroplane windows
- Magnetic Toys
- Triangular Crayons – solves the issue of the crayons falling on the floor and rolling all the way to the other side of the plane.
- Water books – fun alternative to a simple drawing book.
- Fidgeting toys – those will draw your toddler’s attention for a while. Especially if you get them a new one for the journey.
2. SPILL-PROOF SNACK CUP
A tantrum by a hangry toddler on a plane can only lead to a disaster if you don’t bring a spill-proof snack cup. Nowadays there is an invention for everything including cups that are designed to stay put on a surface and for the berries not to fall out when the cup is flying around in a toddler’s hand.
3. SPILL-PROOF, LEAK-PROOF, BREAK-PROOF SIPPY CUP
Basically, bring a steel sippy cup with no holes… I’m just kidding. But we all know too well what happens to a toddler that has a hold of liquid. It goes everywhere.
Find a sippy cup that will survive a plane journey and be of service to the toddler and to you.
It should be spill-proof for obvious reasons (toddler+liquid=liquid everywhere); leak-proof, so you don’t find your toddler’s toys all wet after the flight when the pressure changes; and break-proof, so you don’t mind each time it falls on the floor of the tiny seat table.
4. AIRPLANE TODDLER BED OR/AND TRAVEL NECK PILLOW
Whether you’re flying around the globe on a long-haul flight or just catching a few-hour flight across Europe, a sleeping toddler is a gift for you, the toddler, and everyone that boarded the plane.
The only big issue is that plane seats are not the most comforting places to fall asleep.
On a long-haul flight, an aeroplane toddler bed or footrest are your saviours. Check out our recommendations for the best toddler beds to bring on an aeroplane. With such a comfort device, you will be able to keep up with your toddler’s napping schedule.
For a shorter flight, toddler beds aren’t as useful, because they are only allowed during the time when the seatbelt light is off. In this case, bring a travel neck pillow special for toddlers.
You can find some great ones here, that are soft, suitable for a toddler’s neck, and most importantly designed so your toddler gets the most quality sleep possible.
5. TODDLER HEADPHONES
Headphones while travelling are a handy accessory to have. It’s natural that while travelling, your toddler’s routine changes and they experience an unusual amount of external stimulants such as busy airport while boarding or plane humming while flying so having the option of putting on your toddler’s favourite Disney song for them to relax is useful and sometimes necessary.
Bring volume-limiting headphones special for toddlers that also have ANC (active noise cancellation). This way you won’t have to turn up the volume on an aeroplane when they can’t hear anything because of the surrounding noise. Click here to see Trip With Toddler headphone recommendations.
6. BLANKET
You probably know by now that it gets a bit chilly thousands of feet high up in the sky. Bringing a blanket to warm up and comfort your toddler will be a smart thing to do.
Firstly, when choosing, think about space. You can either buy a soft, yet thin and lightweight blanket special for the flight. Or if there is a blanket at home that your toddler is already familiar with and it is compact enough, take that one.
This way, your toddler will also feel and smell familiarity from home which will make it easier for them to fall asleep.
7. MP3 or IPAD
Depending on how much screen time is allowed in your household, bring an iPad or simply an MP3 for your toddler to have an alternative activity during the flight.
Your toddler can be entertained by listening to soothing or fun music they love. They can also have children’s audiobooks ready for them.
You can even start reading one at home when putting them to sleep, so they’ll already be familiar with it and can listen to it before falling asleep on the plane.
Of course, having their favourite animation ready is also useful.
Off you go and enjoy the packing
Simply consider what entertains your toddler for more than a few minutes. Pick their favourite toys, animations, songs, drawing notepads, or anything that they really love.
I understand, your toddler’s backpack might not fit all of these suggested items, but just be sure you put them somewhere nearby, in your carry-on, and not in the check-in luggage.
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You may also like to read about our pick of the best toddler headphones, the best toddler airplane neck travel pillows and foot rests of 2023.
