ULH flt with 4 year old
Nov 27, 2013, 8:31 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: SEA
Programs: AF Plat a vie, EK Gold, SQ PPS
Posts: 758
ULH flt with 4 year old
I will be flying in two weeks with my 4 year from SIN to JFK via DXB in J. I will be travelling alone on the outbound but returning with the rest of my family. Thankfully we are in J but I am concerned about our trip. Does anyone have any advise on taking an ULH flt with a young child. I am assuming that she will sleep for the entire first flt SIN-DXB because the flt departs at 9PM but I don't know how we are going to handle a 14.5 flt afterwards because she probably won't sleep much on that one. We have a short layover in DXB (1 hr 25 min) so we probably don't have a lot of time to burn of energy there. Any advise?
Nov 28, 2013, 8:09 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: SEA
Programs: AF Plat a vie, EK Gold, SQ PPS
Posts: 758
We are flying with EK in J. The part I am most worried about is that she will have already had her night's sleep on the flight SIN-DXB portion and will probably be wide awake on the DXB-JFK flight which will be a "lights off" night flt as it departs at 225 AM local time.
I have an Ipad and the IFE is great on EK for kids but still 14+ hrs is going to be difficult especially if most people are sleeping and its a quiet flt.
I have an Ipad and the IFE is great on EK for kids but still 14+ hrs is going to be difficult especially if most people are sleeping and its a quiet flt.
Nov 29, 2013, 7:47 pm
#5
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 312
Fourteen hours is a long flight.
Ideas that might work with my kid--definitely movies. I might bring one or two tried and true favorites, plus you can sample from the IFE. But I'd bring backups (or at least check the options in advance, if possible), just in case there's not anything really suitable. I also bring our own headphones.
Games are a nice idea too. Not just iPad/electronic games, but what about a simple travel board game? You could teach her a simple card game (Uno?).
Sticker books, coloring books, and don't forget story books. Does she like crafty-type activities?
Ideas that might work with my kid--definitely movies. I might bring one or two tried and true favorites, plus you can sample from the IFE. But I'd bring backups (or at least check the options in advance, if possible), just in case there's not anything really suitable. I also bring our own headphones.
Games are a nice idea too. Not just iPad/electronic games, but what about a simple travel board game? You could teach her a simple card game (Uno?).
Sticker books, coloring books, and don't forget story books. Does she like crafty-type activities?
Nov 29, 2013, 8:06 pm
#6
Join Date: Aug 2007
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 1,079
We have taken a few long international flights with our young children over time. Several have been in J or F which definitely makes it easier. That aside, long flights are difficult and no easy answer.
We tend to fill a backback with a bunch of different items... activity books, movies for iPad, crayons, etc. We have also purchased a couple of new small games that we would open once we are en route. The idea being that being new would lead to a little extra time being spent on them.
Question... would changing the second leg to the morning departing flight help? Not sure whether it would be a benefit or not but it would break up the trip. You would start the second leg in the morning ... hoping your 4 year old would be active for a few hours and then go for a long nap...
We tend to fill a backback with a bunch of different items... activity books, movies for iPad, crayons, etc. We have also purchased a couple of new small games that we would open once we are en route. The idea being that being new would lead to a little extra time being spent on them.
Question... would changing the second leg to the morning departing flight help? Not sure whether it would be a benefit or not but it would break up the trip. You would start the second leg in the morning ... hoping your 4 year old would be active for a few hours and then go for a long nap...
Dec 1, 2013, 8:09 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: SEA
Programs: AF Plat a vie, EK Gold, SQ PPS
Posts: 758
Thanks for the suggestions. I have thought about taking EK's morning flt instead of the middle of the night one but what would I do with her from 1 AM when we arrive from SIN until 830 AM? The town would be pretty much closed, it would be a hassle to go through passport control and in some ways I think it might just be easier to continue on.
I have decided in additon to the electronic gadgets, coloring books etc that I will prepare 8 or so small gift bags. I will explain that she will get one for every two hours she behaves well. In each bag will be things to help pass the time, crafts, non-sugar snacks. I will look for things at the dollar store (in SIN its the 2 dollar store
) and maybe prepare some Christmasy-type crafts we can do on the plane together.
It will be worth it to see the grandparents for the holidays but this is going to be one long trip. Happy holidays everyone.
I have decided in additon to the electronic gadgets, coloring books etc that I will prepare 8 or so small gift bags. I will explain that she will get one for every two hours she behaves well. In each bag will be things to help pass the time, crafts, non-sugar snacks. I will look for things at the dollar store (in SIN its the 2 dollar store
) and maybe prepare some Christmasy-type crafts we can do on the plane together. It will be worth it to see the grandparents for the holidays but this is going to be one long trip. Happy holidays everyone.