Adventures with kids and gadgets
Clear Registered Travelers Fly Through Airport Security.
Sadly it looks like this only works in the US at the moment. And it’s not exactly budget. However, kids under 11 years old can use the express security queues when accompanying an adult carrying a Clear card.
tripso.com | If shoes were sold like airline tickets.
This is so true – the pricing for airline tickets varies hugely. In fact, when I was booking our tickets from Norway to the UK, I decided against flying with Ryan Air for this very reason. I nearly passed out when I looked at the list of “surcharges”.
Online Check in: £5-10 or Airport check in £10-40 per passenger!!!
Payment handling fee: £5 per passenger
Priority boarding fee: £3 per passenger
Checked baggage: £10 first piece per passenger
Checked baggage: £20 second and their pieces per passenger
Infant Fee: £20
And all of that is without any in flight services taken into account like snacks, meals, drinks or use of headphones etc.
I decided we were better off booking the super saver flights with SAS that were all inclusive with no nasty airport surprises!
Tiger Airways offers over 30,000 free seats on domestic routes | Travel News | News.com.au.
Need an internal flight in Australia between June and September? Get onto Tiger Airways online ASAP!
from Tripso
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMg7_zSbujE&feature=player_embedded
tripso.com | Britain plans to scrap liquid ban for airline passengers.
Looks like the liquids ban may start to be lifted. Now, if only I could bring my tweezers on board, life would be sweet.
Qantas has a competition running currently with a trip to France on the A380 as the prize. They are looking for the most creative entry (which I guess rules out general pleading and grovelling). Time to put thinking hats on!
It’s a more industrial beast than I had imagined. It weighs in at 3.4kg. On the bright side, it might not break the first time we get onto the plane. On the downside, the Flight Crew might dummy spit about it.
Fully Extended Kart
The Kart Folded Up
Very sturdy looking wheels
It’s a Remin Kart-a-Bag Concorde III
[amtap amazon:asin=B0006GCZZQ] If you read the review that goes with it – the person who bought it totally loved it but gave it two stars. Gotta love the way that happens on Amazon.
Folded up it is small enough to fit into one of our bags – as long as that bag was only about half full to start with.
Before I go any further, take a look at this totally lust-worthy tray organizer from Little Jet Set
Tray Bien In Flight Organizer
Never mind the kids, I want one for me. As you have no doubt guessed from the name, Little Jet Set specialise in products for kids for travelling. They have a gorgeous range of luggage but also heaps of games and books, well worth checking out.
Now you might that that somebody like the Times would be a reliable source of information when it comes to keeping kids amused on a flight. In their article on travel toys the number one recommendation is, an in-car DVD player. Well, DUH. (Except I think an ipod is a whole lot more versatile.)
If you want thinking outside the box, Delicious Baby has some fantastic age based recommendations. They also have a this excellent article called “Ten Great Travel Toys You Already Own“. Now that is cooking with gas.
The thing you have to take into consideration with travel toys (particularly for planes) is how bad is it going to be if bits fall on the floor? I’ve seen people advise against taking matchbox type cars because they can roll under seats. However, I think a matchbox car is fairly easy to retrieve compared to a lot of the travel type games which have lots of very tiny pieces. See like these games, [amtap amazon:asin=B000QRR9E2] and [amtap amazon:asin=B000P30NEK] which I just know I’m going to buy against my better judgement because I have seen the pictures of the tin can we are travelling in and the fear is with me. Playdough is another toy that some parents love and some parents feel is far too messy. The court is out on this count in our house.
The court is also out on this book [amtap amazon:asin=1591743680] The concept looks fantastic, but the reviews are mixed. If Cityhall can’t rip the tape by herself, it would be endless torment for the designated parent. (Cause y’all know scissors still can’t come through the Australian airports). And yes, I’m not entirely convinced about Wikki Stix either. I suspect they are a five minute wonder.
What I am definitely going to buy are some of the anti-coloring books.
The Anti Coloring Book
Brilliantly CurrClick (bless you) have these as electronic downloads. This book is a similar thing [amtap amazon:asin=0811855090] Perhaps better for younger kids. The Applets each got a travel compendium for Christmas from Kathmandu that contains coloured pencils, marker pens and has spaces for postcards. Mail Just For Me also have some great art travel sets like the Art Book to Go (very similar to the Kathmandu ones) as well as a whole range of great travel toys.
The other fabulous books we will be taking are from the Mad Libs series. Maybe [amtap amazon:asin=084313271X] or [amtap amazon:asin=0843126981] if we have finished our Shrek and Indiana Jones ones by then.
I’m thinking some kind of magnetic doll for Cityhall would be brilliant. Perhaps this one [amtap amazon:asin=B0018LB6TY]. Although the magnetic monsters are very cute and perhaps have broader appeal [amtap amazon:asin=B00092R6DS]
If we have any more room maybe we could squeeeeeeeeeze in a couple of these write and wipe books [amtap amazon:asin=1593955936] and [amtap amazon:asin=159395414X]And maybe a pack of the rubbernecker card games [amtap amazon:asin=0811855066] Which should of course be given to every family departing Melbourne Airport free of charge seeing as THERE IS NOTHING ELSE for them to do.
I was just reading this article about Airport Play Areas for Kids. If you are looking for play areas in US airports, this article and the one it’s based on from Expect Delays Blog, are a great place to start. Having spent a bonus two hours on top of the ‘two hour arrival before departure’ at Christchurch airport, I can vouch for the importance of knowing if there are any play areas for kids. Thankfully Christchurch airport had a very small climbing frame but it’s not an experience I wish to repeat this lifetime. (Christchurch Airport: C You can do better than this. Just because the Antarctic Centre is across the road is no excuse.)
I started to look at what other airports have to offer. Check out this cool themed playground:
This is from “Ten Great Place to Land with Kids in Tow” The Airport Pictured is Chicago’s O’Hare and as far as I’m concerned they take the biscuit for the best kids play area in an airport. Check it out in this article on O’Hare for Kids. (O’Hare: A- Excellent effort, just a little bit more work on your website and you’ll be top notch)
A bit further afield, here’s a shot of the kid’s area at Hong Kong Airport
And in case you don’t think you’ll watch enough tv on the plane, they have a separate kid’s tv area. (Hong Kong: B+ Well Done.)
Heathrow tell us that they have children’s play areas in various locations. There are a few more directions here. However they also have passenger lounges that you can pre-book tickets for – just like being a frequent flyer. The ones at Heathrow are all Kid Friendly but in particular they recommend the Holideck at T4. They describe themselves as,
“a state-of-the-art facility. Once you enter Holideck, three floors of entertainment, fun and stress-free relaxation are yours to enjoy, whether you wish to rest and relax with complimentary bar, refreshments and publications or explore the active zones with the children on the Main Deck.”
More info here. I checked online how much tickets would be – a mere ₤65 for three hours – or 75c per minute in Aussie dollars and their website blows chunks. (Heathrow: see me after class!!! You have millions of visitors each year and yet your family friendly lounges cater for 120 people at a time? Yes, I see you tried by having childcare – but only for over 5′s. Are you trying to be the new Ikea? Grade to be determined)
Speaking of blowing chunks, Melbourne airport has to be one of the least kid friendly airports. They have four of those ubiquitous mall ride on things that cost two dollars a pop. One of which is a minute Merry-go-round, one is a yellow racing car, one is a red truck and the other escapes me. I was sure I had a photo to include of the red truck as the kids get photographed in it every… single… time… we go to the airport but I can’t find a copy for the life of me.
It does have the most stunning mosaics in the floor which you can if you are particularly cunning stretch out into at least ten minutes worth of entertainment. There are some beautiful pictures of the mosaics here which you really should look at because if you squint carefully enough you will see the missing ride-on-thingie in the top right hand corner. It’s a white jeep. Don’t know how I forgot that. Fortunately for us our long wait at Melbourne airport will be right at the start of our trip. Here’s hoping we don’t run all the ipods dry before we even get on the plane. Perhaps I’ll make up a tacky souvenir bingo game to play. (Melbourne: F Are you even trying? I am concerned about you. What are you going to do now that all those business people have to sell off their private jets? Sydney is investing $500 million and installing two kid’s play areas you know.)
I have however saved the best for last – the true winner in my quest for the best kid-friendly airport in the universe has to be Changi. Not only do they have nap areas and a movie lounge, and an entertainment deck, and a nexus lounge, and an explorers lounge, they have five gardens including a butterfly garden, AND A POOL. THAT’S RIGHT, A POOL. God Bless them.
I think every parent is with me in saying that Changi inflicts a beatdown of epic proportions. (Changi: A++++++ Go to the top of the class and gloat shamelessly).
I had a brilliant idea for a printable pie-chart to reinforce the concept that on board the plane there will be three different “phases”. By this, I mean there will be time to get up and walk around (presuming we get to fly at least some of the way without turbulence), there will be time when you have to stay in your seats, and there will be time when you have to be extra quiet because people want to sleep.
My bright idea was to put the chart on the back of the seat in front of us, but SGM quite rightly pointed out that there was an entertainment unit in the back of the seat. So then I thought perhaps I should take another look at the inside of the plane. Bad idea.
Economy Class Singapore Air
Those pictures are from a great article on Geek About called “Ranked: the 10 Most Comfortable Airline Economy Seats”.
But…
24 hours.
With the Energizer Bunny.
In a tin can.
Overwhelming sense of impending doom.
So now I desperately need to know what the Italian is for “guarana, B5 and caffeine” because I can tell now I’m going to be super Zombie Queen by the time we get to Milan.
Travelling with Kids
Third Culture Kids R Mine
Jumped the Ditch
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