As families across South Africa start gearing up for their annual summer holiday, a load of parents may be faced with anxiety about flying with their kids. My boys have been fortunate enough to fly a few times and I’ve put together some of our “flight saver” tips. I’ve spoken about general travelling tips with children before, but today I want to focus on packing the perfect in flight bag.
Before you fly
Thinking about the time of your flight. If it’s a long haul night time flights are often the best so you can prepare your child for a night time sleep. Try not to book at peak hours as hopefully there should be a little extra space.
Get them excited – an airport is probably one of the most exciting places in the world for kids. Prepare them on what’s to come, read stories about flying in the sky, get them their own little suitcase and let them choose their own comfort items. Trunki South Africa plays a huge part in creating this excitement. They believe that “travel is about creating new experiences, creating memories and making every journey just as exciting as the destination.” Every little traveler needs a Trunki, and trust me mama’s it will make your life a whole lot easier. It’s great for keeping the kids entertained during long waits in the departure lounge and it can also be a handy way to pull them along when little feet get tired. The design options are incredible and it was a tough choice between mummy’s favourite “Pedro the Pirate” or the boys choices which were “Rocco Racer” and “Tipu Tiger
Preparation of your in-flight bag
It all comes down to careful planning. I map out essentials needed for the flight so we are never left in an awkward situation. Separate packets that contain snacks, medicine, entertainment, so its easy to quickly whip out.
Activities to keep to them entertained.
You want to pack non bulky items that are easy to grab and don’t have a thousand and one pieces involved (no lego please).
Melissa and Doug make the cutest “On the go” range which are always included in our travels. One or two small toys – for us that’s super hero figurines and cars of some sort. Activity books – these range from colouring books to sticker albums and our favourite Tower Kids activity packs for easy and convenient entertainment. Of course we bring along a tablet with our favourite Netflix series downloaded when we need quick saves.
Emergency Medicine
My kids are typically quiet healthy the whole year around, bar birthdays and travel. Isn’t life funny? All of a sudden my healthy 5 year old will come down with a fever or tummy bug the day of travel.
As they are a little older now so thankfully our medicine pack is a little smaller but I never travel without Panado/Nurofen, celestamine for pesky post nasal drips, and a saline spray. Alongside that I pack in Tissues, some Dettol Wipes and the water-less hand sanitiser.
Comfort Toy/ Warm Jacket
We never travel anywhere without our favourite travel pillow and the boys best teddy or toy. It’s no secret that aeroplanes are freezing, I always pack a warm hoodie and extra socks to change into.
Snacks
You can never have too many snacks on hand when travelling with kids. Our favourites include the Kiddylicious snack range with its yummy wafers, coconut rolls and cheesy straws. Yoghurt covered rice cakes are a staple in our house as are good old apples. Crackers, raisins and of course you need a few bribery items for meltdowns. Mini Marshmallows are our trick!
The right luggage
A durable suitcase is a must for flying, you don’t want to be dealing with sore shoulders or broken zips. Our Trunki came just a few days after ordering and I can safely say these things are darn durable. They have been through the wars already with the boys racing around the house, so that 5 year guarantee is pretty handy! It has convenient lockable latches and a and handy key keeping all your secrets safe and sounds, with the key cleverly added into the tow strap, so you will never have to dig in the endless pit of your handbag. The 18 litre storage capacity carries all you need and then come and when comes to the actual flight itself, preparation is key.
All of this fits into their very own Trunki Suitcase which they pull along. Once we are on the plane I pull out the essential items and away we go! PS the Trunki can also double up as a foot rest on the plane for the kids. Slide it between the seats and the kids can sleep with their feet up!
You can find out more about Trunki here:
Website: https://trunki-sa.co.za/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trunkisouthafrica/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrunkiSA/
GIVEAWAY:
I’ve been giving you sneak peaks into our favourite Trunki’s on my insta-stories, and now its your turn to share yours! Together with Trunki, I’ll be giving away one lucky reader their very own Trunki worth R1000, just in time for Christmas!
- Comment below on what your favourite Trunki Character is.
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Winner will be randomly selected on December 13th to allow for delivery time.
*We received a Trunki suitcase to review, all thoughts and opinions are my own.