Preparing Children For Long Haul Flight – My NYC Planning

It has been over 3 years since Scarlett was on a plane and, as yet, O has never even seen an airplane close up.

With an eight-hour flight ahead of us, and with only me accompanying them, I really to want to prepare them for what lies ahead as much as possible.

So where do I start when preparing children for long haul flight?

Scarlett has a general idea of where America is as her Granddad lives in Florida. In her own words ‘its a long, long, way away but they have Skype and Ice-cream’. That appears to be the extent of her grasp on the whole thing.  Then again if you know there is Skype and Ice-cream somewhere, what else is there really to worry about?

Preparing Children For Long Haul Flight

Time is a hard thing to convey to a child isn’t it? How do you explain to them how long 8 hours is? I have gone for the ‘it’s the same as the time it takes from when you get up till Mummy picks you up from school’ approach, although I’m not really sure if that has sunk in.

Scarlett is a planner like me. We have been having so much fun looking online and organising our ‘must see’ NYC children’s attractions list. She is stupidly excited about visiting the American Natural History Museum and Central Park, although I still haven’t had the heart to break it to her that we won’t be able to have a coffee at Central Perk with Ross and Rachel.

We have been looking at pictures of airports, airplane interiors, inflight meals, British Airways children packs – anything she may come across on her journey – so she feels more prepared. There has also been a lot of looking at maps, guidebooks and photos from mine and my husbands honeymoon to NYC in 2011.

Hand luggage planning is out next task. What do we need, what do we want, and what MUST we take – those are the questions to tackle.

I know things will be fine in the end, they have to be. It will be hard work for sure; 2 children, 1 adult, 3 suitcases, 1 buggy, 2 car seats and hand luggage. But we will make it work, we always do.

Sitting in the airport, eagerly anticipating our flight being called, with the adventure of our lives there ahead of us  - nothing will beat that feeling. That’s what this is all for, adventure and memories. That’s what life is all about.

Do you have any top tips when preparing children for long haul flight? I would love to know.