The essential hand luggage items you don’t want to forget

Tonight we leave for Malaysia on an overnight flight with the 4 year old and the 19 month old.  Who hates being contained.  I’m still not packed, items are strewn everywhere and I’m still working on the theory that as long as I have my passport and credit card I’ll do ok.  But what about hand luggage on a long haul overnight flight with kids?  As the 4 year old is planning on taking his beloved Paw Patrol bag filled with toys all I really need to worry about is what to pack in my hand luggage when taking a long haul night flight with children…

Bag

First up, bag choices.  I take my ever so trusty BabyMule changing bag.  It’s a rucksack allowing me for hands free in the airport to run after said toddler who has a hatred of being contained.  It also has lots of sections and little bags that I can sneak everything into.

The question is, what is everything required in my hand luggage when taking a long haul night flight with children….

PJs

It’s a night flight, for 8 hours.  I’m hoping that he sleeps most of it and to sleep you need PJs!

Nappies and wipes

We are still at the age where nappies and wipes are a necessity. Though to be honest I think baby wipes are a necessity at any age because they’ve certainly helped me out of many a pickle! I generally go on a guide of one per hour and hope to overpack rather than not take enough….

Bedtime story

I love taking stories on the plane, I find them incredible for introducing quiet time to my boys and it is a little part of the bedtime routine that I am able to take up in the air with me.

I even have a bedtime story for myself, though let’s see how far I get in reading that one at any point on the flight or holiday….

Mini medical kit

Though I rarely use it, I think maybe twice in all the flights we have done, I always take a mini medical kit for the boys. Mainly consisting of a thermometer, some Calpol and nappy cream – just as a FYI this Skinfix Inc nappy cream is incredible, I received some over the summer and it is magic. Clears up nappy rash in one application pretty much!  All under 100ml and all carried in a clear plastic bag as per airport regulations.

Bottle

We are still breastfeeding, but it’s winding down and we have introduced a bottle at night.  I take an empty bottle to the airport and then nip to a coffee shop before we fly to buy a bottle full of milk to take on.  No issues about keeping it chilled, no issues going through security.

Snacks

I’m not sure about you but my boys get HANGRY, and sometimes plane food doesn’t cut it (I don’t know why I LOVE plane food) so I tend to take an easy pack of snacks with me to dole out when they get to that point.

Small toys

Cars, trains, a digger. Anything which is reasonable small and will occupy him for 10 minutes.

The iPad

Technology can be a saviour. While my bigger one is excited to be plugged into the plane TV, the little one needs apps and Peppa Pig….

Any rules I have on iPad usage go out of the window whilst on long haul flights, though tonight I’m hoping that these are kept to a minimum and we sleep!

The all important passport and credit cards

Because one you can’t fly without and the other you can use to buy anything you’ve forgotten!

And that’s it – all packed. Now if anyone has any tips on how to keep a demanding, wanting to walk, sleep-hating, 19 month old occupied for the 8 hours we are flying when he is refusing to sleep. Well then, I’m all ears!

Pin for later

disclosure – some items mentioned in this guide were gifted to me previously through the blog. All items I use and no one has requested to be mentioned in this guide