What to Pack for Kids on an Airplane

This is a sponsored post.  I was provided product for this project.  All opinions are my own.

Hopping on an airplane for a fun family adventure can be exciting, and overwhelming.  For us as parents, we want to make sure our kids have a great time, so we plan so much in advance in hopes that we can execute it flawlessly.  Then there are the kiddos, ready for an adventure and super excited to see a new place! But before you can get to your destination, you need to pack first.  I am a huge overpacker ~ but over the years I have calmed down in that area of traveling.  In turn, I am trying to raise a little girl who is NOT an overpacker.  Today, I am going to share my tips for What to Pack for Kids on an Airplane with you, and even show you a fun and easy way to personalize it!

What to Pack #1:  Choose a small, easy to manage bag for your child.  This can be their school backpack, or a fun bag that you purchase especially for your trip.  This will be the foundation for their must have items, and should be something they are comfortable using.  Make sure it is small enough to fit under the seat in front of them, so they can access their fun essentials easily.  For our upcoming trip, I found this adorable clear backpack at Target.  Using StyleTech Removable Matte Vinyl, I added a cute hibiscus and floral design to it.  I thought these would be so fun, since we are staying at the Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World.  Later, if she decides she wants a dance themed or gymnastics themed bag, I can remove it and replace it with a different design.  

What to Pack #2:  Electronics.  I know, the screen time debate is one that comes up often. However, when traveling, we allow our children to have some screen time, knowing that they like to settle down and watch a favorite movie or play a video game to pass the time. One really important item is a set of good, and comfortable, headphones.  No one around you wants to hear the lines from your child’s favorite movie or the beeping and blipping from their video game.  Also, the noise level from the plane can drown these out. In turn, if your child has headphones, he or she can easily enjoy their favorite movie or game because they can hear it right through their headphones.

What to Pack #3:  Individual bagged snacks.  Don’t go overboard, but it’s a good idea to have a bag or two of their favorite snacks tucked into one of the pockets of their bag. Not all children like pretzels, and it’s not like you get a lot of options on the aircraft.  If they decide they don’t want them, they are still good to have on hand when waiting in the airport or if you happen to have a delay getting off the plane.  We find that crackers, or other plain salty snacks often are great to have for keeping tummies calm.

What to Pack #4:  Comfortable, easy to remove shoes.  While children aren’t always required to remove their shoes for TSA security purposes, I still have my daughter wear comfortable shoes that she can slip on and off. She likes to sit cross cross applesauce in her seat, and it’s just more comfortable without shoes! Extra bonus if your shoes match your bag, right? I added the same hibiscus border and cute flowers to her slides using the StyleTech Craft Matte Removable Vinyl ~ and I think they are just so cute! The coral color is perfect for summer, and it adds an extra fun touch to her outfit.  

What to Pack #5: Comfort objects. We all know how important that blanket, stuffed animal, or other comfort object is to the kiddos.  If it were up to my daughter, she would take all her stuffies from her room with her! But, there are limits, of course.  We allow her to take her blanket and one medium sized stuffed animal OR two small ones. These are perfect for her to snuggle with, and still things she can easily manage while traveling.  

When we pack for vacation, having something new and exciting for our children is important to keeping the “I’m bored” statement from spilling out of their mouths.  Creating fun things like her backpack and matching shoes gives me something to pull out right before we go, so she can get excited about packing and more surprises around the corner.

When adding vinyl, be sure to clean the surface first with alcohol.  Keep in mind this is removable, not permanent vinyl.  However, it has proven to be very durable, especially on her shoes. Which is a good thing! It just adds an extra fun touch and is really a great type of vinyl to use for easy projects and for those of you who are new to using adhesive vinyl.  It weeds like a dream, and if you don’t care for the look after you apply it, you can remove it and start over!

What are your packing essentials?  How do you create fun items for travel?