You are mistaken if you are referring to infants or toddlers. Little kids are not used to being strapped in a seat for a long time. There is no way to know how they will behave until you board the plane with them for the first time. Even in an automobile, where the kid is strapped in a car seat, he/she can look out the window in just about any direction and see lots of different things. On a plane, even in a window seat, most of the kid's view from the seat is completely still -- 100% still if you're in the middle. That's what drives kids crazy -- being strapped down with nothing to look at. Coloring books and toys help but it's impossible to re-create the environment of the living room or playground.