Flying with kids can be quite a challenge. It’s not easy for young children to sit still in a cramped airplane seat for hours. However, there are tricks to keep the little ones happy during the flight!

Make them excited about flying

Tell children in advance about the magic of flying. Flying with children who are excited is half the effort. During the flight, you can keep them enthusiastic as well. Point out the diminishing houses and the setting sun, and enjoy the moment you break through the clouds. Those who fly regularly often forget how special it really is, but children will experience the entire event in a completely different way.

Prepare plenty of activities

Plan your flight in 15-minute blocks of time, for each of which you prepare a new activity. For example, for a three hour flight you should prepare twelve activities. Reading a favourite story, colouring or using stickers are great activities to do with your children during the flight. You probably won't even get to do all activities – with a little luck they will fall asleep in between – but it’s better to prepare too much than too little!

Bring some small presents

Before travelling, wrap up some small presents and use them as rewards, for example when the children have behaved well for half an hour. In this way, they will always have something to look forward to and they will be extra motivated to be nice. You can easily combine this with the activities schedule by using presents as prizes for certain games.

Watch films and series

Bring a tablet or portable DVD player that children can use to watch their favourite films or series. Few things in the world will make it easier to keep your kids quiet. Ideal while travelling!

Download some fun children’s apps

Following the previous tip, download some fun apps for children on your tablet or smartphone to play offline. Zappelin, for example, is a nice app for downloading films that you can watch offline. In addition, this app also allows you to read stories, play games, make drawings, and listen to songs. For slightly older kids, games such as Angry Birds, Go Cart and Temple Run are ideal.

Create a sticker game

It doesn't always have to be complicated: many children can spend hours with stickers. Bring a sticker book or a sheet of stickers and give them something to paste it on. How about an empty water bottle that they are allowed to decorate? At the end of the flight, you may need to pick off a few stickers here and there, but it’s undoubtedly worth it.

Bring lollipops

Bring some yummy stuff for the journey; especially lollipops are a must during the flight. In the same way you can give babies a bottle to ease ear pressure during take-off and landing, you can give small children a lollipop to achieve the same effect. Preferably choose sugar-free dainties, otherwise the kids will bounce with energy in no time.

Dress them to stand out

Dress children in coloured clothes to make them stand out in a crowd. This makes it easier to keep an eye on them, both at the airport and during the flight.