Flying with Kids

1. Keeping your hands free is handy anytime you have a little kid in tow--but especially in a busy airport. Before my last trip, I bought a pack of inexpensive carabiners (D-ring snap-on clips), which are available in most grocery and big box stores. I snapped a couple of carabiners on to my carry-on bag (and to my 5-year-old son's backpack) and I was able to tote extra items of clothing, small toys, and sippy cups while still keeping my hands free. Best yet, everything stayed within easy reach. When we arrived at our destination, I transferred the carabiners to my daypack. -Eileen from Gilbert, AZ
 
2. There's been a lot of hoopla about the limited amounts of liquids and gels that passengers are allowed to pack in their carry-on luggage, and this can be worrisome for parents traveling with babies and toddlers. But don't forget that once you pass through security, you can purchase bottled water and beverages and bring them on the plane. The last time I flew with my 8-month-old, I brought mainly powdered formula and baby food for the flight. I asked the flight attendants for hot water while we were inflight, and I was prepared to make do with room-temperature water in the airport in a pinch. -Carly from Topeka, KS
 
3. When my baby was really tiny and blowing through a dozen diapers a day, we used to get very creative about where we stowed extra diapers in our carry-on bags. They were small, easy to tuck into spare spaces, and cushiony. My husband would use diapers as an extra layer of padding in his laptop case. We used them as extra protection for our electronic gear. For example, I would wrap our digital camera in one diaper and our video camera in another. -Becca from Providence, RI
 
4. On a recent flight, my baby had a crying jag that went on for quite some time. The passengers sitting around me were very understanding, probably because they could see that I was trying my best to quiet her down. In my experience, your fellow passengers just want to see that you're taking charge of your child. Eventually, she fell asleep and all was quiet. At the end of the flight, I apologized and handed out a few Starbuck's gift certificates ($5). I didn't feel like I owed them that, but I just wanted to make a nice gesture. I'm going to bring gift certificates with me every time I travel from now on. -Janet from Northbrook, IL
 
5. About 10 days before we flew to Florida, I shipped a box of diapers, wipes, and baby toiletries to myself at our hotel. First, I called our hotel in advance to see if it was okay. When I addressed the box, I wrote my name and then "(Guest, Arriving March 9)" so the hotel staff would know to hold it for me. This worked out great! I was able to travel ultralight with just a minimum of supplies in my hand luggage, and I had all my baby supplies waiting for me when we arrived. -Noelle from Morrison, NJ
 
6. Most airlines allow a child under 2 years of age to fly for free as a "lap baby" if sharing the seat of a parent. Because our son is a tall 20-month-old, we've been asked on several occasions at the check-in counter to provide proof of his age. My advice: If your baby is going to travel this way, be sure to bring a birth certificate. It can make the difference between a fast, streamlined check-in and being forced to purchase a seat for your child. -Margot from Ann Arbor, MI
 
7. On long flights, I keep my 13-month-old son busy with small, inexpensive toys that I've bought at the dollar store or borrowed from friends. I keep them all hidden in my carry-on bag, then produce them, one at a time, in 20 or 30 minute intervals. A new item keeps him happily occupied and quiet longer than one he already has seen. We also go for short walks on the plane once the "fasten your seatbelt" sign goes off. -Gwen from Chatham, NY
 
8. I always keep my hands free in the airport. When my daughter was an infant, I used to tote her in a baby carrier or a sling. When she got too heavy for the sling, I would wheel her right to the plane door in the lightest umbrella stroller I could find. I'd ask the crew to stow it, and I'd collect it when the plane landed. -Lindsay from Walla Walla, WA
 
9. I've learned the hard way that it's important to prepare for delays. To calculate how many diapers, baby wipes, meals, and beverages to bring, I compute the length of our door-to-door journey and add six hours. -Barbara from Atlanta, GA
 
10. I do what I can to get my baby to sleep during the flight. Ideally, I choose a flight that coincides with his naptime, and I bring his favorite sleep-inducers: storybooks, his beloved blankie, and his comfiest jammies. -Janette from Fort Meyers, FL
 
11. Ziploc bags are an essential in-flight accessory. Pack a complete change of baby clothes in a two-gallon Ziploc bag. In case of an accident, you'll not only have clean replacement duds but a place to put the dirties. Give yourself 10 bonus points for packing a clean tee-shirt for yourself. Also, pack your toddler's full sippy cups (even the "no spill" kind) in large Ziplocs, since changes in cabin pressure can turn them into bubbling fountains. -Editor
 
12. Before our last vacation, my sister, a flight attendant, suggested that I prepare my 3-year-old son for the airport security line. So while we were waiting, I told him that he would have to put his backpack, his stuffed monkey, and his Buzz Lightyear and Woody action figures in a box so that the airport police could take a picture of them. Then he would have to walk through a special magic doorway and he would get everything back right away. Talking about it beforehand really helped to ward off a meltdown when it was time to let go of his most beloved stuff! So my tip is to prepare your kids in advance for what could otherwise be a very unsettling experience. -Caroline from Dayton, OH
 
13. We recently took our 4-year-old to China, which involved several connections through some of the busiest airports in the world. We laminated a printout of our flight numbers and contact information (in both English and Chinese) and put it our our child's pocket. For shorter trips, we have written our flight numbers and cell phone numbers on hospital bracelets that my kids were wearing. -Chris from Grand Rapids, MI
 
14. As a professional speaker, I spend many hours in airports. It amazes me how many parents insist that their toddler or preschooler sit in a stroller or a chair waiting for the flight. Since everyone will be constricted on the plane, it's better to keep active in the airport. My daughter and I like to play the "one sip" game. We walk through the airport from drinking fountain to drinking fountain, taking only one sip at each. The idea is to walk as far as possible with your child. We also always board at the very last moment. Why get on the plane early and have to wait an extra 20 minutes while everyone else boards? -Silvana from Nashville, TN
 
15. Once my child was about 2, I started packing a small, kid-size backpack for him to carry on his own. Inside, I put his favorite stuffed toy and small Ziploc bags containing various "activity sets": Perhaps five crayons and a small pad of paper; two little pots of Play-Doh and two shape cutters; and inexpensive action or animal figures; a travel-size Etch-A-Sketch or magnetic sketcher. My son loved having his own bag. As he got older, he learned to pack his own travel bag with things to keep himself occupied. -Lori from Sugar Land, TX
 
These tips were originally posted on the Flying With Kids tip sheet on WeJustGotBack.com and were reprinted with the permission of WeJustGotBack.com and Twelve Vacation Days Publishing, LLC. WeJustGotBack.com is an authoritative online guide to family trip-planning, featuring reviews of kid-friendly hotels and vacations, reader-submitted tips and reviews, expert travel advice, money-saving travel deals, and more. Our articles also appear frequently on MSNBC.com and Frommers.com.