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Connections
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| Posted: Jan 17 2011 at 11:39am | IP Logged
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Hi all-
I am looking for suggestions for activities to keep my almost 17 month old DD busy on an upcoming flight. She will be riding on my lap, not in her own seat. I need to keep the number of pieces for each activity to a minimum because she has a tendency to drop them.
Please share any and all ideas- I figure the more things I have ready to pull out of my bag of tricks, the better!
Thanks,
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Jan 17 2011 at 12:02pm | IP Logged
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I don't know if they still sell the toddler books with buttons you press to make different sounds, but we brought one of those (new to ds - he was surprised) on a long plane trip and he enjoyed pressing the buttons over and over and over. (Obviously, you'll enjoy this less - but it sounds as though you're okay with that.)
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Servant2theKing
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| Posted: Jan 17 2011 at 12:07pm | IP Logged
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Gloves with finger puppet fingers...you could make up cute little stories to entertain her. You can even make cute puppets out of handkerchiefs or tissues, or draw them on your hand! There are books with fingerplay rhymes or tunes where you can find many delightful ideas to use with finger puppets.
Board books that have holes for your fingers to make motions for various characters...or board books with textural features or pop-up details.
Magnadoodle...they have smaller versions, even keychain size...dd can draw to her heart's content and/or you could draw little pictures to keep her entertained... no pencils or crayons to get lost or chewed on.
A new stuffed animal or doll for the adventure. You could give it to her ahead of time and practice taking a trip with her new friend while you're still home, and make up little stories about the nice trip they'll be taking together. The kind of doll with buttons, snaps, zippers, pockets and such could provide extra interest.
We make rosaries or ABC chains, using the same method used to make sacrifice beads. It can be fun for a toddler to pull each bead while you recite prayers or the ABC's for them.
I don't know if airlnes allow MP3 players...some toddlers enjoy listening to favorite children's tunes while confined to a seat for a long time...one of our grandsons takes turns listening to one with his uncles for the lengthy car ride to our home whenever he visits.
It can be very helpful to spend time introducing dd to sitting on your lap for extended lengths of time, so the plane experience is not such a new experience for her. You could practice at home or at Mass, using some of the ideas above to help introduce her to "laptime". If she's used to a sling or wrap of some kind, or has a favorite blanket, you could incorporate those into special laptimes together before the trip.
You may want to give her something to chew or suck on during take-off and landing...adults chew gum to keep their ears from popping, but a 17mo might just swallow it...perhaps a safety pop sucker with looped handle would be a safe choice (if they still make them)...or perhaps a bottle to drink, or nursing if she's not yet weaned.
May you and dd enjoy a blessed and grace-filled trip.
ETA: I did a search on Amazon for dress-up doll, finger-puppet glove, travel magnadoodle and fingerplay book and CD and came up with several options. I wish I knew how to link them.
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crusermom
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| Posted: Jan 17 2011 at 4:20pm | IP Logged
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Do you have a laptop, portable dvd player, or smart phone? It is so hard when flying with this age that with my last one we downloaded a few things to my husbands ipod. Even if you don't usually let your little ones watch tv - a few episodes of Baby Einstein probably won't hurt. Being in the military, we have done our fair share of flying (often by myself) and it can be so unpredictable. Grouchy baby, grouchy person sitting in front of you, grouchy person next to you, etc .... or wonderful baby, wonderful grandma offering to hold the baby or playing with my other children, flight attendants who were cheerful. Prayers that your trip is a smooth one!
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kristinannie
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| Posted: Feb 07 2011 at 6:40pm | IP Logged
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We brought a portable DVD player. Our kids loved using those on the plane since they don't get to watch too much TV at home. I also brought some new books that kept their interest for awhile. Make sure that you have something for the baby to suck on while you are landing and taking on to prevent ear pain. If they aren't a thumb sucker, make sure you have a bottle to put juice or milk in or some pacis. I have never had trouble getting bottles on milk or juice through security, but I haven't flown for over a year and I know things change constantly. Also make sure you pack lots of little snacks! Best of luck!
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Feb 07 2011 at 10:41pm | IP Logged
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Magnadoodle, definitely!
Newsprint to color/scribble on, with a few colored pencils or crayons from your purse...
This is going to sound very silly to you, but it will help. A month before your trip, start explaining it to your dd. Tell her that you will sit on the airplane while it takes off and you will go very fast until you are up in the air, but you'll have to stay still until the pilot says Mommy can get up. You will eat/change into jammies/sleep/play on the airplane. After the airplane lands, you will (fill in plan here). Mention this 1x week for two weeks, then 3x week after that...and every day for the 2 days before your flight. It will help!
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Topic: Plane Activities for 17mth old
