Are you off on your long awaited family holiday soon?  Dreading the journey already? It is a well-known fact that aeroplanes are not the most entertaining place for children

Parents have to think of creative ways to entertain their children on the plane. One such way is by playing games.

Games are a great way for parents and children to interact with each other and keep themselves entertained. There are many different types of games that can be played on the plane, some of which include: card games, board games, guessing games and puzzles.

Try to take a new game to play, a favourite game, and a tricky one!  You can play the tricky one for a bit to really provide some challenge, obviously age dependent.

A great new game to take for children of all ages is a great new card game from Aura-Print.  You can even design your own!  We played with a great game of Matching Pairs – this can be used to play snap, pairs and more. 

The quality is very good – its important when playing cards with little kids that they can withstand a bit of force, and these definitely can.  Even after six long games of Snap they still looked brand new.  The images are great too – very clear.  If you have a smaller child, these would also make great flashcards.

Games on the plane can help older teen passengers pass the time and make their flight more enjoyable.  The above card games can definitely be used for teenagers for a bit of a laugh too.  They can also read, listen to music (download it first) or maybe even learn a bit of the local language.  Print off some standard tourist phrases before you leave, and get them to practice on the flight.

The following are some more things you may want to pack for your kids for the journey:

– a favourite toy or stuffed animal,

– snacks – not chocolate or anything messy.  Try to think of things that take a while to eat!

– a favourite book AND a new book

– a comfort item (blanket, pillow),

– change of clothes and underwear depending on age

More on snacks – the first thing that you should pack is some food. This will make sure that they have enough energy to last the journey and don’t get hungry or tired. You should bring snacks, drinks, and some healthy food like sandwiches, cereal bars, and fruit. If they are old enough, it might be a good idea to let them pack their own lunchbox with their favourite foods for the trip.

When you get to your destination, remember you will need to do all this for the flight home too. So, pick out two great card games from Aura-Print, with different themes – one for the journey there, one for the way home. Make sure to keep a few little toys in your own hand luggage for the return. And purchase some little local treats for them to eat as well.