Hey mama! It’s almost that sweet, sunny time of year again…spring! If you’re like a lot of families, you are probably planning your spring break trip. Whether it be to the beach, the mountains, or experiencing all the city has to offer, flying with kids can be a challenge. We know you are a proactive mama, so we have created a Spring Break Guide, to help you jet set in the smoothest fashion. We have also included suggestions for the perfect Rey To Z hats to travel in style with the whole fam!
5 Tips For Flying With Kids
Traveling with kids is definitely more of a challenge than alone, but it also brings the opportunity to show those cuties the world. It’s worth it, in other words. There are so many tips and tricks for making a flight smooth with kids of any age. We have picked our top 5.
- Book Direct Flights When You Can.
It can cost more to book a direct flight, but the savings in time, effort and let’s face it, your own sanity is worth it! Spring Break Guide: 5 Tips For Flying With Kids. Once you get the kids all snuggled down in their seats and settled, the last thing you want to do is get everyone up, navigate a new airport, and resettle them on a new plane. There are some destinations that do not make this possible, and sometimes we just have to make things work to get the family out of town. If you can’t book a direct flight, there are ways to make the transition smoother between flights.
Pack light and comfy. Make sure all the kids are dressed in comfortable clothing that can adjust easily to new temperatures. We recommend layers and easy-on shoes. If the kids want to get extra comfortable on the plane, get them some fun, cozy socks from Rey to Z! It will also make it easier to keep track of the fam as you navigate new airports with our cute matching custom embroidered beanies, customizable baseball hats and monogrammed baseball hats.
- Find a kid-friendly airline.
All airlines are not created equal. There are some airlines that are definitely more geared toward families and kids. Some of the top-rated airlines for kids are Jet Blue, Southwest, Frontier, and American. The benefits of these airlines range from affordability to diaper-changing stations. Choosing an airline that caters to families is a lot like choosing a restaurant that caters to families. Spring Break Guide: 5 Tips For Flying With Kids. The experience will be much lower pressure and the people on your flight will also be more likely to understand the nuances and challenges of family travel. Maybe the kids will even meet some new friends on the flight!
- Get Your Tech In Order.
If there is ever a time when screen time is totally ok, it’s on a long flight. The worst thing is to be mid-flight and have your kiddo’s Ipad die. We recommend downloading movies and music ahead of time so that they will be fully accessible. Also, be sure to charge electronics to full capacity before the flight and bring fully charged power banks. Stick each kid’s electronics in their own backpack for ease of accessibility and to keep mama from becoming the distributor.
Headphones are a must. Not only to be sure the kids can hear their shows and games but also to drown out any noise that may be overwhelming, coming from fellow kids or crying babies. Another idea is to download soothing sounds to play in their headphones while your littles sleep. Rain sounds, soothing music, popular kid’s tunes, or even the sound of a running fan are all great ideas for a chill flight.
Some apps that may be fun for kids include digital coloring books,world-building games, trivia, and even Disney story central. Be sure to download apps before your flight. Some of these apps offer games that can be played with siblings and are educational.
- Offer Non-Tech Options Too.
Like we said earlier, some screen time is totally acceptable on a long flight, but you can avoid kids getting headaches or becoming just plain restless by offering activities that are not screen related. Check into travel trays for airplanes, which will create a little workspace for kids and help them feel like they have their own space.
- Pack notebooks for journaling or writing, drawing pads and colored pencils, and markers. It’s always fun to purchase new coloring books or sticker books to pull out as a surprise.
- Mini felt boards with felt people and scenes to put together are always a fun way to play pretend.
- Fidget toys are always helpful. Try squishy balls, and fidget spinners, and for babies, check out options for suction cup spinners and attach them to the plane window if allowed
- Books, of course! What better way to get the kids to sit still and read a book than when they have no choice? The confines of an airplane seat may be the place where your kiddo learns to love the escape of a good book.
- Pack healthy snacks ahead of time.
These days more than ever, food availability and quality can be a bit sketchy on an airplane. Since COVID a lot of airlines have limited or eliminated some food options. Also, keeping blood sugar levels even and steady for the whole fam is imperative to avoid the dreaded mid-airport, or worse – mid-flight meltdown.
A great trick is to pack individual snack trays for each kid. Travel snack trays can be packed ahead of time with nonperishable items to keep kids feeling energetic and properly nourished during a long day of travel. This also saves on eating fast food, which, as we all know, can lead to larger chunks of change spent than ever before, and even bigger sugar and carb meltdowns (even for you, mama!)
Pro tips:
- Be aware of TSA liquid and gel rules. Be sure your items don’t include things like applesauce pouches, mini smoothies, or other liquids that will have to be thrown out at the security gate. No one wants to deal with sad kids watching their snacks get thrown out.
- Plan for time. Either don’t pack perishable items or be sure that they are consumed early in the flight.
- Think about messes. Try to pick things that can be easily eaten without making a huge mess of crumbs or spills.
- Pack peanut-free choices.
- Avoid choking hazards like grapes or beef jerky.
Some fun plane snack items are
- Annie’s Organic Cheddar Bunnies or the classic staple, Goldfish.
- Apple slices
- Mini Muffins
- Animal Crackers
- Cheerios or other dry, low-sugar cereal
Getting the family away on a vacation is so important. Making memories, offering the kids diverse experiences, and even (hopefully) giving mama a break from the daily grind are important choices for healthy minds and souls. There is just something so refreshing about the reset of new sites, sounds, and experiences. Whether you choose to explore the beach, the mountains, the city, or maybe even a foreign country. So whatever your spring break destination is, we hope it is picture-perfect. Speaking of pictures, take the perfect family photo with everyone wearing their favorite color of embroidered baseball caps!
Visiting family? Surprise them with custom baseball hats, we have them for everyone in the family. They fit easily into luggage and will make for the cutest photo ops. We have everything for siblings, mama, dad, grandma, grandpa, and even baby hats! Rey to Z has a huge selection of customized baseball hats, socks, and gifts for everyone you love.
Family vacations will live in the hearts of your kids for the rest of their lives. It’s all worth it. Spring Break Guide: 5 Tips For Flying With Kids. The planning and preparation, the saving up, the long travel days, and the post-trip exhaustion. It’s all worth it because somewhere in between, there are smiles, hugs, and sun-drenched days. So sand-covered toes, awe-struck little minds and there is you. Mom. The one who brings it all together.
We see you and we know you are doing your best. That’s why we do our best to provide every style you can imagine and make it customizable for you and your unique family. We also always offer 15% off your first order when you sign up for texts and free shipping on orders $60 or more. Also, if you love us as much as we love you, we offer a Refer a Friend program, you and your bestie both get $5 off your order.
Fun idea: Order yourself and your best gal pal mama beanies or baseball hats, get the kids outfitted in beanies or baseball hats, and take a friend’s photo to capture the moment and the priceless friendships forever. Frame them for all the kids and give them something to look at every day to remind them that they are loved and supported in their communities.
Thanks for being part of the Rey to Z family! Happy spring and happy vacation!
Love,
Jennifer