| How to Entertain Children on Long Flights | | | | there are things that you can do to help things run as |
| There is nothing as incredible as a family vacation | | | | smoothly as possible. For one thing, when you get to |
| somewhere exotic and far away. The only trouble | | | | the airport, lead them in activities that can be quietly |
| with that is that the most exotic and far away | | | | active. Have a competition for who can do the most |
| locations are, well, far away! You may feel great once | | | | jumping jacks (just watch out for other passengers) or |
| you have removed yourself from the hassles of home, | | | | otherwise allow them to tire themselves out. You can |
| and the farther away they are, the better it sometimes | | | | keep this up on the plane, walking in the aisles a little |
| feels, but getting there can be especially stressful in | | | | when the seatbelt sign is off. Do not skip naptime for |
| itself, and it is really difficult when there are children | | | | young kids in hopes that they will sleep on the plane, |
| who are going to be coming along for the ride. | | | | though. Sometimes the more tired they get, the harder |
| There are ways to break up your flights when you | | | | it is for them to sleep. Then you will just have a cranky |
| are traveling over a single continent, with multiple stops | | | | child on your hands. |
| in multiple places to make your vacation that much | | | | Make sure that you have some of their favorite quiet |
| more varied and keep your kids from losing interest or | | | | activities on hand, whether it is coloring books, toy cars |
| from getting bored because they are sitting for too | | | | (if they can play relatively quietly with them) or stories. |
| long in one place. | | | | Don't let your children carry these special activities on, |
| If you have kids and you are crossing an ocean for | | | | but rather dole them out over the course of the trip, |
| your vacation, though, there are not really many | | | | giving them a new thing to do each time they become |
| convenient ways to break up your flight and let your | | | | bored or overactive with their current activity. |
| kids relax and unwind a little, as anyone who has ever | | | | Another great idea for keeping your small children |
| traveled from the United States to Australia well | | | | entertained is to make a point of buying them a special |
| knows. Keeping your kids entertained for these long | | | | toy like a stuffed animal, just for the trip. Hopefully they |
| periods of time can be a difficult challenge. | | | | will spend much time making much of their new toy, |
| If you are going to be on long flights with your kids, | | | | and less time thinking about having to sit still. |