Disclosure: collaborative post
Waiting at the airport has never been fun, let’s be honest. Waiting at the airport during this year’s situation is definitely on another level. If it was stressful before now, it’s intensively nerve-wracking. Add some kids into the mixture and your head is going to explode. Yes, I’m probably being very dramatic but that doesn’t change the fact that travelling with little ones right now can be quite stressful.
Thankfully, there are procedures in place when issues arise such as flight delays. While this can add stress to any trip, especially traveling with children, many things can be done by the relevant crew to reduce downtime. For example, in emergency situations or maintenance and repairs that may need seeing to while the passengers are waiting, an aircraft ground power unit can be utilized to ensure passenger comfort is prioritized. An external power source means that tasks can be carried out swiftly, reducing the impact of delays for you and your family when traveling.
If you already had holidays planned to foreign countries or perhaps you want to visit family abroad and are anxious about how to entertain your children at the airport when there are no shops, food is limited and there are plenty of other restrictions, I’ve put together some airport activities to keep the whole family entertained and stress-free(ish).
I-Spy
I-Spy is a family favourite. It’s a good activity to learn more about airports, all the ground support equipment used around the airport and the jobs that we can find at airports. Whether it is an aircraft maintenance stand from aviationspares.com and baggage stands or airline crew and security guards, it’s always fun to learn more about everything that goes on at airports.
Plane Spotting
Sit next to the tall windows at the gate and try to spot from which countries the various airplanes are from. For an extra level of difficulty, once you’ve figured out where the plane is from, share something about the country itself – this will depend on the age of the person, if it is a small child perhaps saying one of the colours of the flag, if it is a teenager maybe name someone famous from that location.
Baby walking reins can be super helpful too, especially if you’ve got a ‘runner’ on your hands! There’s a great selection of fun toddler rein designs at UK mum-run brand ONK, including leopard print, camouflage and pirates. You can even buy matching phone lanyard straps to match via ONK Wear – ideal in helping you have more hands free for those unexpected moments (plus, having your phone on a lanyard strap means no more phones down the loo!).
Simon Says
Simon Says wash your hands! Simon Says sit down! Simon Says clap your hands! Simon Says Freeze! Be creative and try some different varieties of Simon Says. Just be sure to practice social distancing while playing Simon Says at the airport.
Pet A Therapy Animal
Therapy animals can be found at airports all around the world helping soothe nervous fliers and passengers with disabilities. For instance, at Southampton International Airport you can find the Canine Crew, a group of five dogs who will brighten up your day in a second!
Watch A Movie
If all else fails, watch your favourite shows on Netflix or a childhood film on Disney Plus. Focusing on a film will help you stop focusing on your worries and keep your mind at ease for a while.
Once you’re on the plane, make sure you have a few toys for the plane to keep the kids amused.
What other activities would you recommend?
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