How to keep kids occupied while waiting in airport NEXT WEEK?

[UrsulaFan]

We are, hopefully, still scheduled to fly on 9/27 to WDW. DH & I realize that it will be hours that we have to wait. Any ideas about how to keep DSs, 8 & 9 yo, occupied during this time. I realize they are not preschoolers & better behavoir is expected out of them, but 4 plus hours is a long time to behave properly without a recess!

 

[imgoingtodisney]

Thats why they better at least let us take carry-ons with us. Im flying alone with a 9yr. As of now we have 7am flights which means being at the airport by 430am. Continental breakfast at the airport hotel starts at 430am! Im planning on pen & paper, coloring/activity books, Game Boy, snacks, etc. I told my son there will be many children sleeping on the floors. He said well if I have my sleeping bag! LOL But then I told him his sleeping bag is not coming with us. Any more ideas on how to occupy the kids? Im now looking at 2.5 hrs at airport and 3 hour flight. God help us all.

 

[Kitten516]

My suggestions would be crayons and coloring books. If they are interested in drawing or one of them is you could bring blank paper and one could draw the picture and the other could color it. Also they could make a picture book of their trip that way. If they like to read bring books. Take them to a childrens book store right before you go and have them pick out a few new ones. You could also take some packets of information about the parks that they will be visiting, and have them look through them and figure out what they want to see, so they are a bit more excited about where they will be once they get through the mess of the airport. Basically my suggestion would be anything quiet that they are interested in, possibly that they could do together. That should keep them occupied a little bit.

Good Luck. God Bless.

 

[UrsulaFan]

I just had a thought. We have some old board games I could take to play, and hopefully leave them at the boarding area for the next group of kids. It wouldn't be a real loss for us to leave them. I wonder if they would let us?

 

[imgoingtodisney]

What a nice idea Ursulafan

 

[NoodlesTheRabbit]

How about those travel sized games...or an etch-a-sketch...maybe a favorite tape to listen to in a headset...

 

[imgoingtodisney]

Good idea - they have travel Battleship

 

[UrsulaFan]

while i loved playing battleship with my siblings, i don't want my kids shrieking "you sank my battleship" in an airport any time soon!

 

[imgoingtodisney]

I did think of that as I wrote it. I'll have to check his shelf for any other compact games he may have. Even if I dont want the small pieces out on the plane we can always use them while waiting. How about Uno to occupy other kids waiting?
He received a Star Wars book and cd for Christmas that hasnt been opened. I will bring portable cd player and headphones for him.
And hopefully his teacher will give him some work to be done.

 

[UrsulaFan]

UNO is a great idea! We all like to play that. Plus it takes a long while to finish a game. I have several small items that I bought to make up a "goody bag" of gifts that is supposed to come from Mickey since this is our first stay on site, now I think I will cut down on those going into the bag & take some for "hourly surprises".

 

[Coloradomom]

Books,books, books. Our kids have always spent airport wait times reading. We are in Denver so it is a 4 hour flight to WDW, and add into that the airport wait time.(even before Tuesday's tragedy, we always get to the airport way ahead of time).

I know some kids are not as big of readers as ours are, but a trip to the bookstore a few days before can pay big dividends!

 

[Disneycrazymom]

If a little mess does not bother you, the small party size playdough can be fun. Then just throw it away when you are finished. Our kids also made signs for our hotel door on a long lay-over 2 years ago.

 

[imgoingtodisney]

Sorry but wont they want to check the playdoh? Cant "the bad guys" hide things inside the playdoh? Maybe not the small sized playdoh.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Oh dear, how very sad but you are most likely correct about the play dough. Although their checking it would not hurt it in any way. Just inconvenient for them and you. How much has changed in just a week.

 

[Claudine]

If you have a laptop computer bring dvd's let them pick out their favorite movies to watch for part of the time. Or even buy a surprise new movie just for your trip.

 

[fostrmom2mny]

Cards! I plan on bringing cards for my girls. I have regular ones, as well as a set of dice. I also went to a Christian Book store in my area and picked up some cards called Kid's Choices.
Each card gives an everyday situation that each person gives thier own decision-making choice. No answer is actually wrong, and if you paly along too, you might be surprised at how your child might handle a certain situation.

Example, one card says that there are some new rules in school. You think they are really stupid rules. Some kids decide to soap the school. What would you do? Would you tell the principal? Would you keep quiet? Would you join in since you think the rules are stupid too? I was surprised when my Foster daughter it wasn't OK to join in, but she didn't think that she'd tell anyone either.

Anyway, I heard that GameBoys and portable CD players arent being allowed right now So we have to do something.
Gerri
PS. I also heard that some airlines/airports are not allowing pens or pencils to be in carry-ons too.

 

[skeezixspud]

DH's laptop has a DVD player in it, and we are planning on carrying a large selection of kidvid. I have a feeling that we will draw a large crowd waiting for an Orlando flight!

I give no credence at all to reports that laptops might be required to be checked. The airlines' liability limits are not high enough to cover those kind of losses, and I don't see them raising those limits anytime soon.

 

[Lorihome2]

.... we have whiled away many an hour playing "Disney 20 Questions." This has saved us in restaurants waiting for food, at airport layovers, on long car trips, etc.... Of course, the whole family has to be a bunch of "Disney heads" for it to work, but it might help the anticipation too! It's played just like regular 20 Questions, but the person who is "it" has to be a Disney character. You can limit it somewhat if you want to (humans only or cartoons only... or only movies we own which doesn't limit it much...). My kids are 11 and 6 - we play it a lot!

As a side note, one Wednesday morning last year (in the middle of the school year - shame on me!), we yanked our kids out of bed and threw them in the car in their pajamas. They kept asking us where we were going but we just pretended we couldn't hear them. After 45 minutes or so of driving (we live in San Diego), I suggested we play Disney 20 Questions to pass the time. My DD IMMEDIATELY guessed that we were on our way to Disneyland!! What a fun and wonderful day we had.

I hope you have a wonderful trip. I give you two BIG THUMBS UP for continuing with your plans - we will do the same. I am so distressed at the number of people who are canceling their vacation plans. I can't help but think every time somebody is too afraid to continue with life as normal, it's just a little victory for the animals that attacked us.

God Bless America - and God Bless us all...

 

[Robin]

I am planning on bringing Caitlyn a small arts and crafts kit. Beads to make necklaces (I will bring enough for other kids just in case she makes friends), I'll have my laptop for Disney movies (I ordered Snow White and Lil Mermaid at TDS a few weeks back), We will eat a sit down lunch in the airport (TGI Fridays), bring the kids Disney planner for them to look through, loook through the airports gift shops! I think there will be a lot of stuff to do while waiting.... Just remember the terminal will be full of kids in the same situation.... take a deep breath and bring along tylenol for possible headache relief.

 

[imgoingtodisney]

Can you go have breakfast after going through check-in? Arent the eating places before check-in? If Im to be at the airport 2.5 hrs before my flight Im planning on getting the checkin done with. Can I then have breakfast while waiting to board the plane?