8 Essentials for Flying with Kids
Thanks to Stephen Joseph for providing the Sidekick backpacks in this post! This post contains affiliate links, which help keep this blog running at absolutely no cost to you!
Flying with a gaggle of kids is a scary thing. Especially when you’re talking about long flights. Like a flight from Hawaii to California, and a subsequent flight from California to Georgia. That’s nearly 10 hours of flying time!
I always do my best to plan ahead and keep the girls occupied while traveling. Before we left Hawaii, I made sure to pack a few essentials for the girls in their new Stephen Joseph Sidekick backpacks.
If you’re wondering what went into each bag, take a look below!
8 must have items for traveling with kids
Snacks!!
So many snacks! For this trip, I bought each kid their own box of fruit gummies. For little ones like Juli, I like to have them for takeoff and landing, to help with clearing their ears. On this trip we had three take offs and three landings, so there were a few extra packs in each box as a buffer.
In each backpack I also included a couple CLIF bars, applesauce pouches (TSA safe), and peanut butter to-go. The goal was to not have to purchase overpriced snacks on the airplane or in the airport. 
Water bottle
In Hawaii we got used to taking our Hydroflasks with us everywhere! They’re great for keeping drinks cold ALL DAY! The flight attendants only come by a couple of times with drinks on these long flights, so I prefer to have water readily available for when the kids decide they’re suddenly about to die of thirst.
We showed up to the airport with empty water bottles and filled them with free iced water at Starbucks.
Crayons
Specifically THESE triangular Crayola crayons. Nothing makes me crazier than having to pick up crayons that have rolled onto the floor every 3 minutes. Triangular crayons don’t roll! Trust me and order these for your kids for flying, road trips, restaurants, etc. You’re welcome.
Activity books
With Veronica set to be out of school for 3 weeks, and Adri done for the summer, I wanted to keep little minds sharp. Plus, activity books maintain interest just a tad long than a standard coloring book would. Each girl got one of each, which they chose from our HUUUGE collection of coloring books at home.
Laminated sheets & Expo markers
I printed and laminated a few sheets of traceable letters before our household goods were packed up. Along with Expo dry erase markers, they’re perfect for practicing the alphabet while out of school. I plan to hold on to these through the summer, so that Adri is ready for kindergarten!
Window clings
These are my secret weapon for airplanes and road trips. Window clings are a simple mess-free way for kids to get creative. In Hawaii I had a hard time finding them outside of the holiday season. Amazon has a ton of options outside of snowmen and jack-o-lanters.
Tablet & chargers
The last few times we’ve flown, we’ve chosen Delta, specifically because I know they have screens in the headrests on just about all of their planes. However, should those screens have been not working for whatever reason, I would have been in trouble without our tablets. They were great for the 13 hour drive between Florida and Tennessee as well!
Don’t forget to bring the chargers along too! Many airplanes now have outlets at each seat to charge your devices. And if nothing else, you can charge at the airport during your layover! Believe it or not, even the minivan that we rented for the drive had USB outlets near the seats in the back row!
A change of clothes & diapers
I don’t know how the heck it happened, but Ju managed to pee through her diaper in a matter of 3 hours. She hadn’t even been drinking very much either! Thankfully there was a backup outfit in her bag.
I knew the older girls likely wouldn’t need to have a change of clothes readily available, so those were packed in a separate carry-on. However, I did include a pair of socks and sweater in each of their bags, so that they’re be extra comfy for the long flights.
What is on your list of essentials for flying with kids?
Visit Stephen Joseph, to get your own Sidekick backpacks, along with a TON of other adorable items, such as lunch boxes, rain boots, and even toys!
