TV Versus Toys: Keeping Kids Entertained In-Flight
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Almost everyone has felt bored or restless aboard an airplane. So it’s a wonder parents get such a hard time for not keeping kids subdued during a flight. Keeping a child engaged on a flight is a challenge. Understandably so, as many adults struggle to keep themselves entertained. They are however, considerably better at keeping their irritation at an appropriate volume and their seat-back kicking to a minimum.
In response to parent’s fear of disturbing other passengers, British Airways conducted research that found that children prefer activity-based toys such as play-doh and puzzles over in-flight entertainment and iPads.
Andrea Chatwin, an educator and therapist experienced in Early Childhood Education, feels the clean-up of play-doh may not be worth the trouble. “I can only imagine a plane full of children with play-doh and the mess,” she explains. “I think the idea is that they’re looking at how kid’s brains are geared more towards creative and engrossing experiences than they are to electronics.”
“Kids want to mimic real life experiences and the interactions that go with them,” continues Chatwin. “The best thing for an airline to create would be toys or activities that allow kids to imagine that they’re the pilot or flight attendant.”
A combination of both entertainment options and tactile toys may be the solution. Virgin Atlantic offers kids a backpack containing a book and coloring pencils in addition to specialized in-flight entertainment programming.
Chatwin also suggests kids headphones for parents looking to regulate the sensory experience and keep kids calm. Music or audio stories combined with interactive toys will limit restlessness and disturbance. Although Chatwin admits the screen is tempting for some, “you can’t say all kids would prefer activities over electronics. Parents will buy bags of new toys and have kids that still opt for the movie. Kids don’t know what’s in their best interest. TV rules should be the same as at home, a period with electronics but limited; too much and kids will become irritable.”
So kids and adults are not so different. Depending on their sensory processing, kids are going to find the plane experience underwhelming, overwhelming or just right, and it’s the same for adults. A combination of entertainment options seems to be the key to keeping kids engaged and tantrum-free from take-off to landing.
Read “Kid’s Corner” in The Entertainment Issue for more on IFE offerings for young travelers.