I had the pleasure of appearing on NBC San Diego’s California NonStop 7 p.m. news program last night to talk about tips for flying with kids. The four items I mentioned are all very helpful to me personally and there’s one we didn’t have time for.
I’ll tell you a little more about each product, where to get them, and how much they cost.
Trunki
I can’t recommend the ride-on Trunki suitcase enough for young kids. It’s also carry-on approved and fits perfectly under the seats of most economy class airlines. We had Sunny the Trunki for years and he traveled all over the world with us while still looking and performing great.
Accessories include a saddle bag, tote and stickers. The stickers allow your child to customize their Trunki with different faces. It’s very cute. You can buy Trunkis on Amazon.
Triangle Crayons
I presented the jumbo version of these fantastic triangle crayons, which are more appropriate for younger kids, on TV. I bought mine originally at Geppetto’s in La Jolla but you can find them on Amazon. These are also very handy because of the easy carrying case. My daughter needs something to do during take-off and landing. Most of the time, she’ll just color with these.
Older kids may be more comfortable with slim triangle crayons. These triangle crayons by Crayola are also washable.
Pillow Pets
Washing your pillow pet is very easy. Place it in a pillowcase and launder in your washing machine with cold water, on delicate. Tumble dry on low. The price ranges depending on the size, style, or where you buy them. The one on the segment we bought at a CVS on our last trip to New York City.
Wikki Stix
The age for these is technically 3 years old, but if you are supervising, Wikki Stix are really helpful for keeping young kids entertained during take-off and landing. They are also inexpensive.
Kidz Gear Headphones
Headphones provided on airplanes never fit kids properly. We ran out of time so I didn’t get to talk about these as an option. There are other brands that make kid-friendly headphones, but Kidz Gear has won some parenting awards for being a safer alternative. They are the only kids headphones in stereo, but they also have some kind of internal noise reduction filter. We’ve plugged these into Tag Readers, iPads, and more.
You can read more about my tips for flying with kids.
Katie Dillon is the managing editor of La Jolla Mom. She helps readers plan San Diego vacations through her hotel expertise (that stems from living in a Four Seasons hotel) and local connections. Readers have access to exclusive discounts on theme park tickets (like Disneyland and San Diego Zoo) and perks at luxury hotels worldwide through her. She also shares insider tips for visiting major cities worldwide, like Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Shanghai, that her family has either lived in or visits regularly (or both).
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