Holiday travel • Ages 1–5
Airplane Activities for Toddlers: 30 Screen-Light Ideas for Holiday Flights
You booked the flight to see family, and now you’re lying awake picturing it: a toddler kicking the seat in front, a tray table of spilled crackers, and two hours left to go. Here’s the honest truth from one parent to another: you can’t control everything on a plane, but you can pack and plan so that most of the flight is calm. This guide gives you exactly that.
🌟 By the end of this page you’ll have…
- a toddler airplane busy bag you can pack tonight
- 30 airplane activities for toddlers, sorted by age and by phase of the flight
- a step-by-step plan from the airport to landing
- official FAA, TSA and AAP tips for seats, snacks and sore ears
- a free printable airplane I-spy and flight countdown
🎨 New here? Hi, we’re ColorJoy
ColorJoy is a small family-focused site that makes bold, easy coloring books and printables for little hands, and writes practical, screen-light guides for the parents holding the crayons. Every guide comes with a free printable, and our own books (paperbacks on Amazon under the author name Mr A G, plus printable PDFs on Payhip) are there if you want more. This guide is part of our holiday-season series, next to our road trip and Thanksgiving guides.
⭐ Featured ColorJoy book for this guide
Funky Face Dog Coloring Book
A 6 × 9 travel-size coloring book of 20 silly dog faces. It fits on a tray table and in a diaper bag.
See it on Amazon ($9.99) →Our own book; we earn money if you buy it.
Why flights are hard for toddlers
A plane asks a toddler to do the things they find hardest: sit still, stay buckled, keep quiet and wait. Add a time change, an early wake-up, popping ears and a crowded cabin, and it’s no wonder so many parents dread the trip.
The good news is that toddlers aren’t hard to entertain on planes because they’re “bad travelers.” They’re hard because their attention moves fast. The trick is to plan for many short activities instead of a few long ones, and to save the most exciting ones for the hardest moments.
- Small and new beats big and familiar. A brand-new pack of stickers holds attention longer than a favorite toy they see every day.
- Hands busy, voice low. Peeling, sticking, threading, coloring and opening things are perfect plane activities.
- One thing at a time. Hand over a single item, then swap. A whole bag on the tray table becomes a whole bag on the floor.
🧠 Why It Works
Unwrapping is half the fun. Wrapping a few small activities in paper or putting them in separate zip bags turns each one into a little surprise, and buys you extra minutes.Real-life moments
Moments every flying parent knows
You can’t control the flight, but you can plan for the moments that usually go sideways.
The boarding-line meltdown
You’ve been in the airport for an hour, the line isn’t moving and your toddler wants down, now.
Try this: walk the terminal and plane-spot until boarding. Decide ahead whether you’d rather board early to settle in or last to shorten time in the seat.
Takeoff tears
The engines roar, ears feel strange and your little one starts to cry just as the plane climbs.
Try this: offer a sip, a snack, nursing or a bottle during takeoff and landing, and keep one favorite comfort item within reach.
Hour two: everything is boring
The stickers are done, the snacks are half gone and there are still two hours to go.
Try this: bring out one “new” item at a time instead of the whole bag, and save a small wrapped surprise for the last stretch.
Before you fly: seats, security and snacks
Where your toddler sits
The FAA says the safest place for a child under two on a U.S. airplane is in an approved child restraint system (a car seat labeled for aircraft use) or device, not on your lap. Children under two are allowed to fly as lap children, but the FAA strongly discourages it, and buying a ticket for your child is the only way to guarantee you can use a car seat on board. The AAP agrees and recommends that families explore options so each child has their own seat.
- Look for the label “certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft” on your car seat.
- The FAA notes that booster seats and backless seats can’t be used during taxi, takeoff and landing. The AAP adds that boosters can usually be checked as luggage for use in cars at your destination.
- The FAA-approved CARES harness is an option for children who sit upright on their own, weigh 22 to 44 pounds and are up to 40 inches tall.
- A familiar car seat can actually help a toddler settle and nap: it smells and feels like home.
Security with little kids
According to TSA, children 12 and under can leave their shoes, light jackets and headwear on during screening, and children won’t be separated from their parent or guardian. Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks and baby or toddler food, including puree pouches, are allowed in carry-ons in quantities over 3.4 ounces; tell the officer at the start of screening and take them out for separate screening. Strollers and car seats go through the X-ray machine.
💡 Quick Tip
The AAP suggests talking with your child about security before you get to the airport: their backpack and favorite toy will ride through the X-ray “tunnel” and come out the other side. Practice at home with a cardboard box.Snacks that work on a plane
- Pack more snacks than you think you need, in small containers that open easily.
- Choose low-mess foods that are safe for your child’s age. For kids under four, the AAP advises avoiding or modifying choking risks like whole grapes, nuts, popcorn and hard candy.
- Bring an empty water bottle or sippy cup to fill after security.
- Save one favorite snack for landing or a delay.
Pack a toddler airplane busy bag
Think of the busy bag as a toolbox. You won’t use everything, but you’ll be very glad it’s there. Keep it in the seat-back pocket or under the seat in front, not in the overhead bin.
- Stickers, ideally reusable ones, plus a few sheets of plain paper
- A roll of painter’s tape (peels off tray tables and windows cleanly)
- A small, travel-size coloring book and 3–4 chunky crayons in a zip bag
- Two or three board books or lift-the-flap books, including one new one
- A mini felt board or a few magnets on a small cookie tin
- Pipe cleaners to bend, or to thread through the holes of a colander-style strainer (kids past the mouthing stage)
- Snacks in small containers and an empty cup
- Kid-size headphones if you plan to use a screen
- Wipes, a spare outfit for your child and a spare shirt for you
- A comfort item: a lovey, a small blanket or a pacifier
- Our free I-spy and countdown printable, folded in the bag
🪄 Mom/Dad Hack
Pack activities in clear zip bags, one per hour of the flight. When a bag is empty, you know it’s time for a snack or a walk instead of digging for something new.⚠️ Safety Note
Keep small parts, magnets, button batteries and pen caps away from toddlers who still put things in their mouths. On a plane it’s easy for something small to roll out of sight.Best activities by age
Every child is different, but here’s a rough guide to what tends to work at each stage.
| Age | What usually holds attention | Try | Skip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12–24 months | Opening and closing, peekaboo, simple sounds, snacks one at a time | Lift-the-flap books, a cup of snack pieces to drop into another cup, peekaboo with the airline blanket, sticky tape to pull off | Anything with small parts; crayons they might chew |
| 2–3 years | Stickers, tape, simple coloring, pretend play with a small figure | Tray table sticker game, painter’s tape roads, chunky crayons, window I-spy, a new board book | Long games with rules; messy dough |
| 4–5 years | Coloring books, simple games, drawing, puzzles, counting | Travel coloring book, I-spy printable, flight countdown, drawing a map of the trip, a small wooden puzzle | Activities with lots of loose pieces |
The CDC notes that by 3 to 5 years many children can recall part of a story and sing songs. Long flights are a great time for both: retell a favorite book together or make up a story about the plane.
30 airplane activities for toddlers
Mix and match from these lists. Five to ten good ideas are plenty for most domestic flights. For the car ride to the airport, borrow a few from our road trip activities for toddlers.
At the airport (before boarding)
- Plane spotting. At the gate window, count planes, name colors and wave at the luggage trucks.
- Walk-and-wiggle laps. Walk the terminal hand in hand. It’s the last chance to move freely for a while.
- Suitcase parade. Let your toddler pull a small rolling bag or carry their own backpack.
- Boarding pass job. Give your child an old receipt as their “ticket” to hand to you at the gate.
- Security story. Talk through the X-ray tunnel ahead of time so it’s exciting, not scary.
In your seat: hands-busy activities
- Tray table sticker game. Stick, peel and re-stick (step by step below).
- Painter’s tape roads. Make roads on the tray table for a tiny toy car, or tape lines to peel off.
- Window clings. Reusable gel clings on the window are a classic for a reason.
- Travel coloring book. Small books fit tray tables. Hand over one page at a time.
- Airplane I-spy printable. Find a cup, a cloud, a suitcase… color each one you spot.
- Snack sorting. Sort cereal pieces by shape or color in a muffin liner, then eat them.
- Lift-the-flap books. New ones are best. Save one for the second half of the flight.
- Pipe cleaner shapes. Bend pipe cleaners into rings, animals and letters (for kids past mouthing).
- Finger puppets. Put on a mini show over the seat back for your child.
- Sticky note hide and seek. Hide sticky notes around your seat area and let your child find them.
- Draw the trip. Older toddlers draw who they’re going to see.
- Flight countdown. Color a cloud for each part of the trip you finish.
📚 Printable for the plane
Want to print a few pages before you leave? Our Toddler Animal Coloring Pages PDF has 40+ big, bold animals with thick outlines ($1.99). Fold a few pages into the busy bag.
See the printable animal pages on Payhip →Calm and quiet moments
- Whisper songs. Sing favorite songs in a whisper. Kids find it hilarious.
- Story with the safety card. Make up a story about the people on the safety card.
- Pretend pilot. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is Captain Mia speaking…”
- Count the clouds. Look out the window and count, or name shapes in the clouds.
- Comfort-item nap nest. Blanket, lovey, a familiar song: help a tired toddler wind down.
- Snuggle and read. A quiet book on your lap can lead to a nap.
Descent and landing
- Sip and swallow. Offer the cup or bottle as you descend (see the ear tips below).
- Look-for-the-ground game. Who sees houses first? Cars? The runway?
- Saved surprise. The very last new item in the bag comes out for the descent.
- Pack-up helper. Kids put their own stickers and crayons back in the bag.
- Wave goodbye. Wave to the crew and the plane. A happy ending for the story.
Step by step: the tray table sticker game
This is the one activity we’d pack if we could only pack one. It’s quiet, light, cheap and it works from about 18 months to five years.
You need
- A roll of painter’s tape (2–3 colors if you can)
- A sheet or two of stickers, ideally reusable
- A wipe for the tray table
How to play
- Wipe the tray table. Tear 6–8 short strips of tape and stick them on the tray in a row.
- Let your toddler peel them off and stick them back on. That’s it, for the youngest kids.
- For two-year-olds: put one sticker at the end of each strip and say “Find the star!”
- For three- to five-year-olds: make a tape “road” and ask them to put a sticker on every corner, or copy a color pattern (pink, yellow, pink…).
- When interest fades, move the stickers to a sheet of paper and save it as a flight souvenir.
- Peel all the tape off before landing so the next family finds a clean tray.
✅ Try This Today
Practice the sticker game at the kitchen table a few days before you fly, but put the tape away afterwards so it still feels special on the plane.A phase-by-phase flight plan
A plan keeps you calm, and calm grown-ups make calmer toddlers. Here’s how to spread your activities across a typical flight.
| Phase | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| At the airport | Walk, wiggle, watch planes, use the bathroom right before boarding | Burn energy before sitting |
| Boarding and settling | Comfort item, a new book, buckle in early | A calm start |
| Takeoff | Cup, bottle, breastfeeding or a snack to encourage swallowing | Eases ear pressure |
| Cruising | One activity bag at a time, snack, a short walk in the aisle when allowed | Short, varied activities |
| Descent | Cup again, the saved surprise, look-for-the-ground game | Ears and attention |
| After landing | Pack-up helper, wave goodbye, praise the trip | Ends on a good note |
If you can, book a flight that lines up with your child’s nap or bedtime. The AAP’s flying with baby tips note that sleeping babies are easier for everyone, even though delays can wreck the plan. Bring your bedtime routine with you (pajamas, a book, a song), and after you land, our 7-night toddler sleep routine can help everyone get back on track.
🪄 Mom/Dad Hack
Tell your toddler the plan as a story the night before: “First we walk to the big window, then we go in the plane, then the plane goes WHOOSH and you drink your water…” Kids cope better with steps they know. A simple picture schedule like our daily routine chart works for travel days too.Takeoff, landing and sore ears
Pressure changes during takeoff and landing can make little ears hurt, and the descent is often the hardest part. Nemours KidsHealth explains that swallowing and yawning help the tubes in the ear equalize pressure, and that the pain is usually temporary.
- Encourage swallowing. The AAP suggests nursing or a bottle for infants during descent; older children can drink with a straw or, when old enough, chew gum.
- Keep kids awake for takeoff and landing if you can. KidsHealth notes we swallow less while asleep.
- Offer plenty of water through the flight; cabin air is dry.
- Check with your pediatrician before flying if your child has had an ear infection or ear surgery in the past two weeks, as the AAP advises, or if your child has a cold or other respiratory symptoms.
- Ask before using medicine. Talk to your child’s doctor about pain relievers and dosing before the trip, and avoid sleep-inducing medicines unless your pediatrician specifically recommends them.
⚠️ Safety Note
Gum and hard candy are choking risks for young children. The AAP advises keeping them from children under about four; offer a cup, straw or snack instead.What about screens on the plane?
Let’s be honest: many families use a tablet on a flight, and that’s okay. Travel days are not normal days. The AAP and CDC suggest no more than about one hour a day of high-quality programming for children 2 to 5 on a typical day, ideally watched together, but a long flight is a reasonable exception.
- Save screens for the hardest stretch, usually the second half of the flight or a delay, rather than starting with them.
- Download shows ahead of time and use kid-size headphones with volume limits.
- Mix in hands-on play between episodes so the screen isn’t the only option.
- Plan the “off” moment. A timer or “two more episodes, then stickers” helps. Our guide to reducing kids screen time without meltdowns has scripts for that transition.
A screen-light flight isn’t screen-free. It just means screens are one tool in the bag, not the whole bag.
Common problems (and quick fixes)
| What’s happening | Try this |
|---|---|
| Kicking the seat in front | Take shoes off, give feet a job (rest on the bag), and apologize to your neighbor with a smile. Most people are kinder than we fear. |
| Meltdown during boarding | Board when you’re ready rather than first if your toddler hates waiting, or send one adult early with the bags. |
| Won’t stay buckled | Make it a game: “Click! The plane needs to hear your click.” Pilots and flight attendants can be great allies. |
| Bored after 10 minutes | Totally normal. Switch activities often and take a short aisle walk when the seatbelt sign is off. |
| Overtired and fighting sleep | Darken the space with a blanket, lower your voice, rock or sing quietly, offer the comfort item. |
| Ear pain on descent | Drinks, swallowing, a pacifier, and staying awake for the descent if possible. |
| Lost a favorite toy under the seat | Pack two of the comfort item if you can, and tie small toys to the bag with a short ribbon (supervised). |
🔖 Bookmark this before your next trip
This is part of our holiday-season series for families with little kids. Come back to it before each flight, and pair it with:
- Road trip activities for toddlers (30 car-seat-friendly ideas and free road trip bingo)
- Kids table Thanksgiving ideas (for when you arrive)
- Quiet time activities for 3-year-olds (for calm afternoons at Grandma’s)
Each guide includes a free printable.
Your plan
What to do the night before you fly
Give yourself one calm hour the evening before the trip. These steps make the morning, and the flight, much easier.
15 minutes
Pack the busy bag by phase
Use separate zip bags for airport, takeoff, cruising and landing so you can hand over one bag at a time.
10 minutes
Snacks, sips and a spare outfit
Pack more snacks than you think you need, an empty cup to fill after security, and a change of clothes for your toddler and a top for you.
10 minutes
Download and charge
If screens are part of your plan, download shows ahead of time, charge the tablet and pack toddler-size headphones.
10 minutes
Print the I-spy and tell the story
Print the airplane I-spy and walk through tomorrow at bedtime: car, airport, big plane, clouds, Grandma.
💛 Be kind to yourself
Some flights go wonderfully and some don’t, whatever you pack. Fellow passengers have mostly been there too. Do your best, then let the rest go.
In pictures
Little moments that make the flight
Ideas to picture before you go: plane-spotting, tray-table play and the nap you hope for.
Free printable: airplane I-spy + flight countdown
We made a free two-page printable for this guide. Page one is an Airport & Airplane I-Spy with 12 things to find (airplane, suitcase, cloud, cup, headphones, book and more) to color as you spot them. Page two is a big airplane to color and a flight countdown with eight clouds to color, one for each part of the trip or each hour of the flight.
🎁 Free printable
Free printable: Airplane I-Spy + Flight Countdown (2 pages)
We made this printable for this post. It’s free and isn’t a page from any of our paid products.
- Page 1: airport & airplane I-spy (12 pictures)
- Page 2: color the plane + 8-cloud flight countdown
Free, no email needed. US Letter size; print at 100%. For personal and classroom use.
Tips
- Fold the pages in half to fit the seat-back pocket.
- Bring three or four crayons in a zip bag; crayons roll, so a small cup helps.
- Fill in the countdown with your child before boarding so they know how many clouds there are.
You’ll also love
Our travel-size pick: the Funky Face Dog Coloring Book
Our travel-size pick
Funky Face Dog Coloring Book
Twenty silly dog faces in a small 6 × 9 size that fits a tray table and a diaper bag. The listing describes it for car rides, restaurants and quiet time.
$9.99paperback · 55 pages · 6 × 9 in
Our own book; we earn money if you buy it. Price as listed when we checked on 22 October 2026.
If you want one small coloring book for the busy bag, our Funky Face Dog Coloring Book for Kids (a paperback by Mr A G, our author name) was made with exactly this kind of moment in mind. It’s a 6 × 9 inch book of 20 goofy, lovable dog faces with bold, easy lines.
📚 What it is
- Format: paperback, 55 pages, 6 × 9 inches, 4.8 ounces, printed and shipped by Amazon.
- Price: $9.99 on Amazon.com when we checked on 22 October 2026.
- Ages: the title says ages 4–8 and the listing gives a reading age of 3–8 years.
- Inside (per the listing): 20 funky dog face designs with silly expressions, a handy travel size, and pages described as great for car rides, restaurants and quiet time.
How it helps on a flight: the 6 × 9 size fits a tray table with room for a cup, and the book is light enough that it won’t weigh down your bag. Big, simple dog faces are easy for little hands, and the funny expressions are a built-in game: “Is this dog happy or surprised? Can you make that face?” Hand over one page at a time to make it last, and save a few pages for the flight home. For a one- or two-year-old, the tray table sticker game is a better fit; this book shines for threes, fours and fives. Want a free taste first? Print our free dog face coloring pages.
This book isn’t sold as a PDF on Payhip. Read more on our Funky Face Dog coloring book page, or browse all our books on our Amazon author page.
These are our own products, and we earn money if you buy them. Prices as listed when we checked on 22 October 2026; please confirm on the product page.
📚 Related books from ColorJoy
If this topic is on your mind, these titles from our own shelf fit well alongside it.
Zooming Vehicle Coloring Book (Ages 4–8)
Cars, trucks, construction machines and soaring planes to color: a fun way to talk about the airplane before and after the trip.
$9.99 paperback on Amazon.com · Paperback, shipped by Amazon
Animal Alphabet Flashcards (printable PDF)
Printable A–Z animal cards (3 PDF sets). Punch a hole, put a few on a ring, and play find-the-animal on the plane.
$3.99 printable PDF on Payhip · Instant PDF download; print at home
Cute Wild Animals Coloring Book (Ages 4–8)
50 happy wild animals in a full-size book for the days at Grandma’s after you land.
$12.99 paperback on Amazon.com · Paperback, shipped by Amazon
These are our own books and printables, and we earn money if you buy them. Prices as listed on Amazon.com and Payhip when we checked on 22 October 2026; prices can change, so please confirm on the product page.
FAQ & final thoughts
How do I keep my toddler entertained on a plane?
Plan many short activities instead of a few long ones. Pack small, new, hands-busy items like stickers, painter’s tape, a travel-size coloring book and lift-the-flap books, hand them over one at a time, and save a surprise for the descent. Snacks and short aisle walks help too.
What should I pack in a toddler airplane bag?
Stickers, painter’s tape, a small coloring book with chunky crayons, a few board books, snacks in small containers, an empty cup, a comfort item, wipes, a spare outfit and kid-size headphones if you’ll use a screen.
Does my toddler need their own seat on a plane?
Children under two can fly on a lap, but the FAA says the safest place is an approved car seat or device in their own seat, and the AAP recommends exploring options so each child has a seat. Buying a ticket is the only way to guarantee you can use a car seat.
How can I help my toddler’s ears on a plane?
Encourage swallowing during takeoff and especially descent: a bottle, breastfeeding, a cup, a straw or a snack. Try to keep them awake for landing, offer water during the flight, and check with your pediatrician before flying if your child recently had an ear infection or ear surgery.
Can I bring toddler snacks and pouches through TSA?
Yes. TSA allows formula, breast milk, toddler drinks and baby or toddler food, including puree pouches, in quantities over 3.4 ounces in carry-ons. Tell the officer at the start of screening and remove them for separate screening.
Is it okay to use a tablet on a flight with a toddler?
Yes, many families do. Travel days are an exception to everyday screen limits. Download shows ahead, use kid-size headphones, save screen time for the hardest part of the flight and mix in hands-on activities.
Final thoughts
No flight with a toddler is perfect, and that’s not the goal. The goal is a trip where your child has things to do, you have a plan for the hard moments, and you all arrive ready for hugs. Pack the tape and stickers, print the I-spy, save one surprise for landing, and give yourself a lot of grace. You’ve got this.
Safe travels from all of us at ColorJoy ✈️
ColorJoy makes bold, easy coloring books and free printables for little hands, plus calm, practical guides for parents. We keep adding new guides with free printables through the holiday season, so come back before your next trip.
Our pick for the busy bag is the travel-size Funky Face Dog Coloring Book: 20 silly dog faces that fit on a tray table.
Get the Funky Face Dog Coloring Book →
Driving instead? Read our road trip activities for toddlers next.
