The first time you take your child on a plane is a big event.

Planning a trip to The Walt Disney World Resort with a small child is so much fun.  You anticipate the look on your child’s face when he sees Mickey for the first time.  You tear up at the thought of riding the Tea Cups with him.  Most likely, you’re more excited about your trip than he is!  Then you start to think about the plane ride.  For most children, this is the time when a little Mouseketeer will take his first trip on an airplane.  You may be a bit worried about his reaction to riding on this huge machine.  Today, I’d like to give you five recommendations that will help you prepare your child for his first plane ride.

1. Play with Toys:  We all know kids love toys.  Find an airplane suitable to your child’s age.  From Lego Brand planes for older children to Little People planes for little ones, interacting with an airplane toy that has moveable parts will get your child thinking about the layout of a plane.  For example they’ll learn about the location of the cockpit, engines, and seats within the plane.  The photo above is of a plane that we purchased for our son before his first plane ride when he was a toddler.  It’s made by Fisher-Price and a similar plane is still available for purchase today.  The Little People Disney Princesses are a new line from Fisher-Price.
2. Give Her Luggage:  Purchase a carry on luggage piece for your child.  Have your little princess fill her carry on with her favorite PJs, plush animal, coloring book and bedtime storybook.  Do this about a week before your trip and have her practice rolling it round the house.  It may drive you a bit crazy after a while, but she’ll love it and she’ll be much more at ease doing it the day of your trip if she’s practiced.
3. Read Books About Planes:  There are so many fantastic books about planes.  Purchase a few or borrow them from the library for a few weeks before your trip.  These are a few of our favorite plane books.  Look and Say Vacation by Usborne Books is a board book that’s great for toddlers.  This book teaches children about several types of vacations.  Kevin Takes a Trip by Kane/Miller is great for toddler to preschool ages.  Usborne Flip Flap Airport by Rob Lloyd Jones is perfect for Preschool age through 3rd grade.  It’s a 13 page heavy-duty board book including over 60 flaps teaching children about the behind the scenes action in an airport.  Planes by Fiona Patchett  is a title for ages 5 – 8 years of age.  The book is packed with answers to questions you would have never thought of asking!  I learned a few things from reading this book! 
4. Purchase Treats:  Explain to your child that he gets to pick out his FAVORITE treats for his special plane ride.  Make this trip to the grocery store extra special by giving him his own shopping bag. His treats are the only thing you’re shopping for this trip.  Make sure he has plenty to eat during take off so he can clear his ears.  It makes the potential “scary” time a bit easier to get through when he’s chomping on some jelly beans.
5. Show Videos: Spend some time showing your child some really cool YouTube videos on commercial airlines taking off or rent a children’s movie made especially for teaching children about airline travel, such as All about Airplanes with Backpack Jack.

Over the last two weeks I have shared with you simple ways to help you plan for your Walt Disney World vacation.  If you’re currently not planning a trip, I hope you remembered to pin some of your favorite pointers for future trips.  If not, you can click on the Travel Tips category found to the right of the page and that will give you all of my Travel Tip Posts.

Next week we move on to the really fun part~ the Pre-Vacation Parties!  I can’t wait to share some very creative and fun ways to celebrate your upcoming Walt Disney World vacation.