Flying with Kids + Special Needs
Flying with kids and special needs can take a lot of extra planning, packing, and preparation, but all one can do is do their best to be prepared. Special Needs programs, planning & packing lists, tips & tricks, and some shopping links {commissionable} all included to hopefully get you off to a good start.
Special Needs Airport Programs
We fly out of ATW- Appleton International Airport. They have many accommodations to help special needs individuals including Sunflower program, quiet rooms, express park, TSA cares, and Wings for Autism (practice program). Full list of ATW Accommodations
Social Stories & AAC device pre programmed
- Create/find & read social stories to prepare them for the differences of flight
- Our local airport held an event “wings for autism” look if one is available before you fly
- Program any needed words and model use of words in AAC to help them prepare
Contact TSA CARES and fill out the online form or call 1-855-787-2227
Things to request/notify:
- Traveling with a child with special needs
- request an agent to help you through security
- notify flying with medical liquids larger that 3.4 oz
- notify may have trouble understanding/following directions
- medical devices you may be flying with
What TSA Cares actually looked like:
- we got a phone call hours before our flight letting us know to call when we got there
- we called and were met by 3 agents
- we got our own line
- they asked about HIS comfort and gave us options for what would work better for him
Pick seats
- We choose seats to keep the family together.
- We put us all the way in the back to have nobody bothered by his rocking against the seat
- We put one of us in front of him so if he kicks or drums its on one of us.
Contact Airline
- Request early boarding (take more time)
- notify traveling with special needs child (may act differently)
- notify traveling with a mobility device and it must be gate checked
Planning & Packing
Planning and packing for trips can be stressful, a check list makes it easier.
Planning: flight numbers, hotel confirmation, park ticket/numbers, etc. Keep it all in one place.
Planning special needs: keep track of what accommodations you need to request and confirmation/name of who you spoke to if needed.
Checking:
- typically 50lb limit
- no rechargeable batteries
Flying with Kids + special needs Checklist
Planning (confirmations, accommodations) and packing for flying with kids (+ special needs). Go through the checklist making sure you have it all planned as well as packed–best you can. {Commissioned} Links in document for our choices in products. This is a digital product for download, no product will be sent.
Prepare bags for security
- If you are using bags previously used for other things clean out completely
- Liquids
- liquids need to be 3.4 oz or smaller (exceptions for baby formula, medicine-but may be included in more scans) and in a quart sized bag.
- be prepared to pull this quart bag out and put in bin (may vary by airport)
- Sharps
- no weapons, sharps
- disposable razors/blades embedded are ok
- Technology
- be prepared to pull technology larger than a cell phone and put in bin (may vary by airport)
- Have all the technology larger than a phone (kindles, tablets, laptops) in a pile out of bags when approaching security. I literally was carrying 2 kindles, 3 tablets, and a laptop. Place those in bins (yay no digging). Once through security, put in the people’s bags.
- Food
- be prepared to pull food bag and put in bin (may vary by airport)
- Blankets do not count as a carry on or personal item
- Diaper Bags & breast pumps are not considered a personal item or carry on and you get one per (child/nursing mother). They may need to be scanned. IF YOU NEED ICE USE HARD ICE PACKS NOT GEL.
Tips & Tricks
Seat picking: we try to pick a seat arrangement that we are in front of our kicker to not bother anyone else. Kid, adult, Kid behind Kid, adult
**We used to try to get the back row so he also didn’t bother the person behind him, but sometimes this does not have windows (which he prefers) so we do second to last (and hope its a flight crew seen here) or understanding person behind us)
Packing: We had to be practical about what we could carry. Keep bags kids need to carry light enough for kids to carry. If only 2 hands can push suitcases, only have 2 suitcases. Keep moving through the airport (and security) in mind when picking what bag you are putting things in and how many bags you are bringing.
Packing Cubes:
- Electronics/Cords–Sleep
- Monitor (we have 2 bedroom suite & need to monitor Nolan)
- Charging Tower
- Charging Cords
- Sound Machine
- Park & Pool (bonus if its mesh to bring right to the pool/beach and allow to dry/shake sand out)
- Fans
- Blister patches
- Poncho family pack
- pool/beach toys
- goggles
- sunscreen
- Compression Packing Cubes or Vacuum bags + mini vacuum for Clothing.
- Small for unders there
- Small for clean home
- Large for clothing there
- Large for dirty home
***Compression/vacuum fits more but gets heavy. Make sure your bag is under 50lbs (and bring the scale with to check on the way home too)
Beach Bags:
- having a bag to bring to the beach is helpful. While I love my BOGG bags for the beach, they are hard to pack (unless using as your personal item) so finding a folding bag to pack is helpful (our kids liked having their own so they used personal item space to hold theirs. Case-Mate or Apolis work great
@stayathomezookeeper #gifted Packing to fly somewhere warm so we are in need of a beach bag. We have beach bags we love, but the straps are hard to work with and they don't pack well. When @Case-Mate gifted us these travel totes, we knew we scored. Still fit everything, but have a waterproof phone case you can detach at either end, the straps are comfy, they have a shoulder strap, zip shut and fold flat to get to the destination without sacrificing all the space. This is a travel SCORE! #stayathomezookeeper #flyingwithkids ♬ original sound – stayathomezookeeper
Sleep things: You are going to need to sleep there, so make sure you have what helps your little one sleep
- Sound machines
- light projectors
- weighted lap pads/blankets
- special stuffed animals, dolls, or blankets
- Monitors if in an AirBnB, VRBO, hotel suites
- Charging stations for all devices (watch, tablets, phones, sensory items)
Buy There: to save room on packing and budget with food, consider purchasing items when you arrive at the destination.
- Pull ups/diapers
- wipes
- Drinks
- Food (snacks for return flight)
Technology:
- Charge all devices before
- Plan on not having internet, consider an airplane folder
- Plan on not having internet, download entertainment
snackle box:
- unwrap snacks to reduce trash on plane
- chewy snacks for non gum chewers to help with ears
- gum to help with ears
- sweet and savory
- if doing a grocery run at location, grab some snacks for return flight refill
Keep>Going first aid
- great to have all first aid needs with you at all times (can go in personal item)
- add a folding pill case for even more “what ifs”
Wonderfold
- ALL pockets emptied to get through security
- Gate check like a stroller or medical mobility (wheel chair) device
- You can board with the “people with small children, or medical needs who may take more time” to leave the wagon at the gate and get on the plane to get situated–
- ****BUT if you have a connecting flight, you want to get the wagon in CLOSE TO LAST so it is one of the first things out
Casemate folding travel bags – great for the pool and fold flat to fit in carry on. Kids can take responsibility for their items
Carry Ons
- Keep Going First Aid (code zookeeper to save 10%
- Meds
- change of clothes
- technology (kindles, laptops, tablets)
- Chargers
- EMPTY water bottles (clipped on with climber clips)
- snacks & snackle box
- toys/homework
- Nolan MinkyCouture
- Nolan Neck Pillow
At the destination
Picking a Hotel
Being a special needs family, we are very weary of an Air BnB or VRBO. Basically: 1 they have knick nacks- are decorated like a home, things are not secured down, they have a security/cleaning deposit, and they are more ways to damage. Nolan is at risk of hurting, losing, relocating, all those things- we feel much more secure at hotel.
When picking a hotel our requirements:
- Free Breakfast included- doesnt matter what as long as they get breakfast food as soon as they wake with no ordering needed.
- Indoor pool – Nolan needs the sensory input and we need to be able to do it no matter the weather.
- At least a fridge and would be nice if it had a kitchenette- that way we can buy groceries and make kid friendly food vs always feeding them out.
- lower floors to keep from getting in trouble with Nolan’s jumping (and occasional fear of elevators)
- closer to the action we are going so we can get the wagon to the things and avoid car if possible.
- Wagon access to the room/elevator
WE ARE STAYING AT OUR FIRST VRBO this coming trip and will write notes on the experience and likelihood of doing it again, but the above mentioned requests were looked into.
Sleeping Arrangements
Our kids are able to share one double/queen bed and we bring one cot/travel bed. We have 2 options:
Nolan/Stella — Bryce
Bryce/Nolan — Stella
Stella and Bryce absolutely cannot share or they beat each other up. We have even tried letting them fall asleep and then combining them and they still wake up beating each other. Lesson Learned.
Stella is very possessive over being an autism helper so she typically takes Nolan and then Bryce fits on the toddler cot still. Putting a pillow between them helps them snuggle up but not be “touching each other”
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Cleaning before you leave
🧼 Fill and run the dishwasher WHILE YOU ARE STILL HOME so you don’t have a water leak while gone.
🧼 wipe down counters, get chairs off the floor
🧼 in the rooms with the suitcase. Clean the room & throw everything that doesn’t need to be in that room to the hall, Repeat for all rooms.
🧼 Clean down the hallway, backing your way down the hall, tossing further down the hall if it isn’t time for that or it needs to leave the hall. (for me this means throwing some stuff down he stairs)
🧼 have the robot vacuum finish
🧼 Back in the kitchen, move coolers out, clean out fridge
🧼 Back out of the house, loading car.
🧼 Garbage out, recycling out
🧼 have the robot vacuum finish
This works for me and makes coming home SO NICE and the routine has kid helping, teaching responsibility, & getting faster and easier with time.
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