A long haul flight with kids at any age can be daunting, especially babies and toddlers. When they’re little, you’re still figuring out how to survive the day at home — so why brave the big wide world and destroy that great routine you’ve spent months perfecting?
I hear you. But travelling with kids in tow is something my family has done since day one. Having family in Australia has been a great motivator to get out of our comfort zone. Little Z was just two months old when she took her first flight from Zurich to Brisbane — 24 hours of travel each way.
Every parent’s nightmare is a 12-hour flight filled with unhappy, wriggling children. Will they sleep? How on earth do you keep tiny people happy and quiet for hours on end? That thought can cause anxiety in even the most relaxed parents long before check-in. But with a little preparation and the right mindset, a long haul flight with a toddler doesn’t have to be a disaster. It can even be — dare I say — enjoyable.
If you’re flying with a baby, start with our guide to getting your baby to sleep when travelling — it covers bassinets, blackout covers, and jet lag
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Change Your Mindset First
My husband has a great way of thinking about long haul travel. Every time someone asks if we’re dreading the 24-hour journey to Australia, he says: “It’s only a day.”
That little reframe helps more than you’d think. It IS only one day, and there’s an amazing reward at the end of it. I try to think of it as a break from the doorbell, the phone, and the computer, where someone will serve me a meal and I don’t have to do the dishes. It’s a rare stretch of time where I can sit with my kids without the usual distractions — something I wish I had more of on the ground.
Is this reality for the entire flight? Probably not. But getting yourself into the right frame of mind before you board makes a real difference to those pre-flight nerves.
Pack Light. Park Smart.
Whatever you do, do not pack too much. It is so tempting to fill every pocket of your carry-on, but you will regret lugging around a heavy, bulky bag far more than you’ll miss whatever you left behind.
I speak from experience. After every trip, I reassess what was actually used — and the list is never long. There’s no room on a plane to spread out lots of travel games. And no, my kids do not need a beautifully wrapped new toy for every hour of the flight. Keep it simple. Wondering whether to bring a car seat on board? Read our complete guide to flying with a car seat.
Here’s my rule: lay everything out on the bed before you pack, then remove a third of it. If you wouldn’t use it on a two-hour flight, you probably won’t reach for it on a twelve-hour one either.
What to Pack for Your Toddler on a Long Haul Flight
Think small and light. Every kid is different, so take inspiration from this list and adapt it to your child’s interests. These are the things that have earned their place in our carry-on over the years — the items that actually get used, flight after flight.
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- Books — small, light, and with pictures on every page. We’ve always loved the Mr Men and Little Miss series for flying. They’re tiny, weigh nothing, and have enough pictures to hold attention even on the wriggliest flights. We’ve been known to pass extras out to other parents who are struggling with unhappy kids nearby.
- Stickers. From about 10 months old, our kids have loved stickers. They take up almost no space, can be used with coloured pencils to make pictures, and keep little hands busy for surprisingly long stretches. The reusable vinyl stickers that come with a cardboard scene are brilliant — they can be stuck not only to the scene but also to the aircraft window, peeled off, and stuck again.
- Paper and a small set of coloured pencils or crayons. We either print colouring sheets at home or just bring plain paper. One tip: choose pencils that aren’t round. Hexagonal pencils don’t roll off the tiny cabin tray table, which is genuinely a lifesaver with little kids
- Hand puppets. We once picked up a pack of finger puppets during a layover in Singapore and little Z (10 months at the time) was completely captivated. Hours of entertainment, almost no weight, and a big hit with other kids on the plane too.
- A small toy figure or car. A plastic animal or a matchbox car takes up no space and gives a toddler something familiar to hold. Bonus: a plastic animal figure can double as a teething toy for the baby stage
- A fabric busy book. These soft activity books have different tasks on each page — buttons, zippers, laces, shapes. They’re popular for a reason. Light, compact, and good for keeping little hands busy.
- An iPad or tablet. Whatever your position on electronics for young kids, a tablet is worth considering for long haul flights. My kids know that flying is the one time where they have pretty much unrestricted screen time. Download shows and apps before you fly — don’t rely on airline wifi.
- Snacks. Yes, snacks are entertainment. Especially snacks that take a while to eat. For teething babies, we pack rusks or stale bread. For toddlers, berries, raisins, and small crackers are ideal — they can practise their pincer grip while taking longer to eat. And if your child isn’t a fan of the inflight meal, you’ve got food covered.
If your toddler has their own seat, the CARES aviation harness keeps them safely buckled while giving them more freedom to move — read our full review.
Kid-Sized Headphones (Don’t Skip These)
Most airlines provide headsets, but they’re almost always too big for little heads. We bought headphones specifically sized for young kids and they’ve been worth every cent. With an airline headphone adaptor, they plug right into the inflight entertainment system.
Not every airline has great content for the youngest passengers, but Singapore Airlines has a baby channel that little Z found mesmerising at 10 months — her first ever experience of a screen, and she was completely enthralled.
How to Pack It All
You’ve narrowed down the entertainment options — now the question is how to carry it.
A backpack is the best option when travelling with kids. It keeps both hands free for whatever comes your way. And as soon as they’re able, my kids carry their own backpacks. Z has been carrying hers since about age two.
We store the kids’ entertainment items in a mesh organiser bag from Eagle Creek. Everything stays together, and when we get to our seats, we just pull the mesh bag out and pop it under the seat in front. Everything is accessible, there’s still some legroom, and we can get organised with minimal stress.
Having a separate mesh bag for nappies and changing supplies keeps things even simpler — you’re not rummaging through one giant bag every time you need something.
Don’t Forget Yourself
It’s easy to spend all your packing energy on the kids and forget that you also need to survive this flight. Here’s what I never fly without:
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- Headphones and an airline adaptor. My number one non-negotiable. I use these headphones, one ear off one ear on, so I can still hear if my lot get up to mischief, but having podcasts and music is vital to my sanity.
- A spare top and underwear. Flying with kids? Do not forget a change of clothes for yourself. I have been grateful more times than I can count to have an extra top when someone has spilled their drink on me or — yes — vomited on me
- A Kindle. Thin, light, holds thousands of books, I love my kindle. You might think you’ll never get a chance to read, but when the kids settle down to watch a movie, those quiet ten minutes are golden. I’m not a huge movie person, so I prefer a book or podcast.
- An empty water bottle. Fill it after security and keep refilling throughout the flight. If it’s in front of me, I drink more — and staying hydrated makes a bigger difference than you’d expect on a long flight.
- A phone charger. Most long haul aircraft now have power outlets even in economy, but check with your airline before you fly. A portable battery packs are not allowed to be used on many airlines anymore, so having a cable with both USB-A and USB-C is always in my carry on.
- A pen. You’ll need it for immigration forms. I also always carry a small notebook because ideas hit me at the most random moments — and there’s something about being thousands of feet in the air that makes me think more clearly
- Medication and a small toiletries kit. I keep it simple: paracetamol, eye spray for dry cabin air, nose spray, lip balm, motion sickness gum, tissues, a hair tie, deodorant, and a few bandaids. Liquids go in a clear ziplock bag in the front zip of my carry-on for easy access at security.
At the Airport — Burn Off Energy
One tip that makes a noticeable difference: don’t rush to board. Airlines give families priority boarding, but that often means an extra 30–60 minutes sitting on the plane before takeoff. Skip it. Let your toddler run around the gate area for as long as possible. A tired toddler is a sleeping toddler.
A Swiss tip for Zurich Airport: If you’re flying out of Zurich, there are play areas near the gates that are perfect for burning off energy before boarding. Terminal 1 also has a family check-in area and family lanes at security — so you won’t be wrestling with a toddler in a long queue. It’s one of the more family-friendly airports I’ve used, and the staff are well used to all the gear that comes with small children.
On the Plane — Relax and Enjoy It
I know that sounds impossible, but hear me out. When you’re relaxed, your kid is more likely to be relaxed too.
You’ve packed smart. You’ve got entertainment, snacks, and a plan. The flight crew have dealt with a thousand families before yours — they’re not going to judge you if your toddler has a meltdown. Everyone on that plane was a child once.
Rotate your entertainment rather than bringing everything out at once. One activity at a time, and when interest fades, swap it for the next thing. Walks up and down the aisle are a legitimate activity — toddlers need to move, and the cabin crew are generally very understanding about this.
And remember: it is only one day. There’s an incredible experience waiting at the other end.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Long Haul Flights with Toddlers
Focus on lightweight, compact items that hold attention: stickers, coloured pencils, a fabric busy book, a small toy, snacks, and a tablet with pre-downloaded shows. Pack everything in a mesh organiser bag for easy access on the plane.
Rotate activities one at a time rather than giving everything at once. Stickers, finger puppets, and snacks that take a while to eat are all reliable options. Let your toddler walk the aisles when the seatbelt sign is off – movement helps.
Pack light, bring your own headphones and a change of clothes for yourself, and adjust your mindset — it’s only one day. Stay hydrated, accept that the flight won’t be perfect, and focus on the adventure waiting at your destination.
