Vacation in Indonesia: How to Fly With Kids

Just when you thought that it couldn’t get any more stressful to travel with kids, more and more often parents are even being asked to leave airplanes because other passengers feel that their children are being too disruptive! While flying with kids can be difficult, it needn't be - here are some suggestions for tips to keep the kids happy, parents stress-free and other passengers contented.

Steps

Plan the time of the flight. There is never an ideal time to fly long haul, but if you fly through the night, there is more of a chance that your child will sleep through at least some of the journey. This will make the journey seem a lot shorter.
Use the in-flight entertainment. Many larger airlines have in-flight entertainment such as films, music and even children's channels.
Don't rely on in-flight entertainment alone. It might be broken or unsuitable. Wearing the headphones might irritate your child. Always have alternatives in reserve. Bring along such items as:
- An MP3 player, plus music and audio books
- An electronic book that can be used softly
- Coloring books, activity books and blank drawing paper (do not forget the pencils and crayons!)
- Stickers - useful for making designs on blank pages while drawing
- Magnetic games - buy the travel-size game kits available from many toy stores, service stations and airport gift stores
- Books to read together
- Flash-cards and other learning items
- Kid's puzzle books - Sudoku, crosswords, find-a-word, mad-libs, jokes etc.
- Print off some games to play on paper, such as tic-tac-toe, mazes or dot-to-dots. There are many such print-outs available on kids' sites online
Reward for good behavior. Surprise and reward children for their patience on long journeys. Wrap up a new toy and present them with it once you're on the plane - it's a shameless bribery, but it may work. Depending on your child's age, remember to pack some portable games such as etch-a-sketch or portable computer games and plenty of AA batteries.
5

Ensure variety. Children hate being restricted. Once they're strapped in, they can't pick up toys they've dropped, or move about and look around as much as they want to. A child on a long-haul flight is a time bomb of energy. Vary activities as much as possible. Alternate between playing music, giving out snacks, playing with toys and reading books.
Bring some snacks. Snacks can keep your children satisfied, which may encourage napping. Choose foods that aren’t packed with sugar and that won’t melt or crumble apart. Licorice, cracker sandwiches, cereal and granola bars are good bets. Try preparing these snacks in unique ways. Young kids will love cereal pieces strung onto yarn to form an edible necklace.
Have the kids become vacation planners. Contact the tourism board or local chamber of commerce of your destination before leaving for your trip. Request travel brochures and tourist information. Arrange these in a folder for ease of viewing during the flight. Let the kids flip through the fliers and magazines while in flight to further prepare them and boost their enthusiasm. Give kids as young as eight a calculator and a budget. Then, let them work out an affordable itinerary. Before coming back home, toss or recycle the pamphlets to lighten the load.
Create a photo project. Prior to the return flight, take your digital camera’s memory stick to a drug store and pop it into a do-it-yourself photo center. Request one-hour prints. Then, purchase a small scrapbook for each child and let them record their memories with special pens while they stick down photos with double-sided tape. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at what they thought were the important moments of their family vacation.
Take a few minutes to review basic safety strategies with your kids. You do have a captive audience, after all. The excitement of new places can be overwhelming. Remind young ones what to do if they get separated from you, who they can trust and about safety in numbers. It’s also a good idea to have the kids help you make out a safety card that they can keep with them. The card can remind them of everything from the name of the hotel that they are staying in, to the first names of mom and dad.
Consider renting electronic gadgets. If traveling within a single country, it may be possible to rent electronic gadgets for the time that you will be in the air. Some entertainment companies rent DVD players, movies and headphones for use on vacation and during flights.
Enjoy your flight!