A day of air travel can bring a lot of stress to all that are involved and if there are children along for the plane ride then you will be very busy
. To have the best results you will need to make your travel schedule match the childrens. By choosing times to travel that is best for them will help them stay calm during the travel day which will make it more successful.
To begin with review the schedule of the children as it stands currently. There are going to be good times and bad times during each day with most children. Creating your travel itinerary around their schedule will assist in a better trip, and what will make it better is if their naptime is the same as the flight time.
Many children get rattled when their ears pop and for older children gum and candy can work well to help ease this odd feeling. Younger children, who can not use gum or candy to ease this sensation are best suited by sucking either on a pacifier or a bottle or sippy cup while in the air. This can help to reduce that odd sensation in their ears. If you are actively nursing a child then prepare for them to want to nurse while in the air and be sure to dress appropriately to meet this need for them.
If you maintain a stash of toys and snacks this will also be a good way to entertain the kids, especially if you buy a few new toys just for the day you travel. Then your child has a new thing which will give them more entertainment than the old toys and give you some more time to be peaceful. Having some activity books are also a fun thing along with a new set of gel pens or colored pencils for even more entertainment.
The more activity you can provide your children with while they are in the air the better. If they start becoming cranky or restless then you can pull something out of your bag of tricks and buy yourself a few minutes of peace. Keeping kids under control is not only a way to make sure that you have better travel days but also helps to ensure that they don't disturb the other passengers as well. And if all else fails you can always charter a private jet and that will guarantee you a more peaceful travel day and one that can be totally centered around your little ones.