Kiddipedia
Media kindly brought to you by Plane Pal
Let’s face it, after the challenges of the last few years, we all need a holiday. There’s nothing better than packing your bags and getting away for some much-needed R&R and recharging your batteries. Also, family holidays are important for creating lasting memories with the little ones. Travel anxiety is common in young children. When you add in lack of sleep, long waiting times at airports, jet lag, the chance of misplaced luggage, and airline cancellations, travelling with your family might seem like a nightmare.
Popularity is rising for inflatable pillows that can be used to prop up your feet in front of your airplane seat. These devices create a little bed or safe play place for kids during travel. Plane Pal creator and travel-obsessed mother of 3 Sam Cardone, has become an industry expert on kids’ travel. She has helped over 40,000 families travel with less stress. Today she shares her top long-haul trips for making travel enjoyable.
Long Haul Tips for travelling with kids:
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Talk it through
Tell your children exciting stories about the journey you are taking. Explain what they should anticipate, as well as your expectations for them. Watch youtube videos of flying on planes or of your destination. Young children with anxiety benefit significantly from this. The number of tantrums and tears on any trip can be drastically reduced if everyone knows what will happen at each stop along-the-way. This is especially true during takeoff and landing. Telling your little ones about the big engines warming up and making a big noise as they lift you into the sky or that their ears may feel a little funny helps them to deal with these things as they happen.
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Pay the Seat Selection Fee
It’s worth it to pay a little more to sit close together, away from the restrooms, in the most comfortable arrangement of seats possible. A bulkhead row, the first portion of the economy, is the best bet for a family. Reserving the bulkhead row and the adjacent aisle seat is a good idea if your party size is larger than three or four. The next best combination is the bulkhead and the row immediately behind it.
Choosing the correct seat is vital for using a Plane Pal. Plane Pals are not permitted to be used in the aisle seat, so ensure you book a window or middle seat for your child. Plane Pal is designed to fit economy and premium economy seats. You inflate your Plane Pal to the necessary height to achieve a custom fit level with the seat’s surface.
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Pack your luggage carefully.
When travelling with children, it can be tempting to pack EVERYTHING in hand luggage. I recommend bringing only one bag per adult, which you can easily carry. Do not pack a child’s carry-on bag if you are unsure they can be trusted to carry it. It’s crucial to maintain organization within each bag. Packing cubes are a great way to keep items organized and easy to find.
The Plane Pal packing cubes are the most time and space-efficient way to pack for a trip. They come in three sizes and are transparent, so you can easily see what you’re storing and where everything is. Pack 2x nappy change cubes, a change of clothing cube, a toys cube, and a snacks cube. Colour-code the cubes to make it even easier!
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Get plenty of rest
A child’s sleep routine will be severely disrupted by travel; therefore, taking measures to ease this transition can prevent the ensuing meltdowns and cries of exhaustion. A good seat with a sleeping aid is a must if you have a young child but there is more you can do. Choosing a well-timed flight is vital. Red-eye flights are never worth it with small kids. You end up spending the first few days of your trip recovering.
For stopovers, I always book airport hotels where available. Many can be booked by the hour and are worth every penny!!! Get rest where and when you can!!!
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Tag your bags and your kids
No matter the type of suitcase you take with you on your travels, a digital trackable luggage tag will help you instantly identify and retrieve it if it gets lost. We suggest Apple Air Tags. No matter where in the world your bag ends up, you’ll be able to find it. The same goes for your kids. As kids get older, they will want more freedom to explore. Having an AirTag in their pocket (with their understanding and consent) or on a lanyard provides an extra layer of security in case of the unexpected.
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Purchase Insurance
An excellent insurance plan is crucial, and we can’t emphasize it enough. What we’ve learned over the past few years is that nothing is certain. Spend time familiarizing yourself with the policy, seeking clarification when necessary, and avoiding unnecessary shortcuts. Think about the activities you plan to do and ensure your policy covers them: eg skiing, mopeds, and diving. Avoid the unpleasant realization that you are unprotected and alone in a time of need by ensuring adequate insurance coverage. Have a digital copy of your insurance saved and easy to access, and ensure you have saved the local emergency numbers to your phone.
Plane Pal is the ultimate travel essential you need for kids
When flying with children, having a Plane Pal is a game-changer. Flying has never been more comfortable than with this inflatable pillow! As an adult, you can even use it as a footrest. Over 50 different airlines have approved and tested Plane Pal.
The Plane Pal is an inflated pillow that allows most infants and toddlers to lie down with their legs extended out. Due to this, travelling with children is more tolerable, and they will be less exhausted. The youngsters in your life will feel like they have a custom-made bed when they sleep in one of these. As your children will no longer have to lean on your lap, you can relax and even catch some sleep during your trip. Shop now!
