Flying with a toddler for the first time
By Allie · 4 min read · Updated
For a toddler, the airport can be as unfamiliar as the destination: bags disappear onto belts, queues take time, and there are new sounds everywhere. A little pretend play and a bag packed for the journey can give you a few familiar things to return to.
Read and talk together
A Bali Family Holiday begins with a child who feels unsure at the airport. With their parents nearby, they gradually discover the clouds, the sea and experiences on holiday. Use the story to talk about something familiar your child could take into a new place. The cover is an example of the personalised book.
- What would teddy like to know before getting on a plane?
- Who could you ask for help if you felt unsure?
- What would you draw on the first page of your own holiday book?
Try this: play airports with a teddy
Arrange two chairs as plane seats and use a shoebox as a bag scanner. Make a paper ticket with your child's name or drawing on it. Let them take teddy through the journey first, then swap roles.
- Pack teddy's small bag and find the pretend check-in desk.
- Send the bag through the shoebox scanner and collect it on the other side.
- Wait for boarding, show the ticket and find the seats.
- Practise sitting together while the pretend plane takes off.
- Choose a book for teddy, then land and collect the bag.
You can add a little airport announcement or an engine sound. If teddy wants to go home, ask what might help while he waits. Keep the game flexible: your real airport and airline will have their own procedures, and the crew will explain what to do on board.
Check the details for your own flight
Before packing, check your airline's rules for children's seating, baggage and prams. The Australian Government's TravelSECURE website, linked below, explains airport security requirements, including what you can pack. Food and liquid rules can differ by route and terminal. For overseas trips, check each traveller's documents and the entry requirements for your destination and any transit stops.
Look up where the toilets, parents' rooms and any play areas are in your terminal. Sydney Airport's family travel guide, linked below, is one example of the information an airport can provide. Use the equivalent guide for the airport you are departing from.
Put the next thing you need within reach
Think about what you can reach while seated. A small pouch inside your carry-on means you can find a wipe or a favourite toy without unpacking the whole bag.
- A change of clothes for your child and a spare top for you.
- Nappies or toileting supplies, wipes and a bag for wet clothes.
- Familiar snacks and drinks that meet your journey's security rules.
- One favourite book, a comfort item and a simple activity such as a reusable drawing board.
- Any essentials you would need if the journey takes longer than planned.
Make a tiny journey book
Fold two sheets of paper into a booklet. Draw four moments together: leaving home, sitting on the plane, arriving and the first thing you plan to do there. Let your child add a sticker or scribble at each stage. You can leave a page blank for something unexpected they notice on the trip.
Have one small plan for a long wait
Choose a game that works in a queue, such as finding three things of the same colour. When your child needs a break, look for an appropriate place to move or sit quietly together. During the flight, follow the crew's directions about remaining seated and moving around. A familiar page or game can be useful even when the schedule changes.