How I Keep My Kids Quiet On Flights Without Seatback Screens
No seatback screen for kids? No problem.
My best advice for keeping children occupied on a flight without screens is to keep them busy eating and drinking. Small snacks made a big difference on our two-hour flight on a very old aircraft.
Keeping Young Children Occupied On A Flight Without Seatback Screens
Our summer trip began with a flight from Hollywood-Burbank Airport (BUR), a convenient airport in Southern California, to Denver (DEN) on United Airlines. We were seated in economy class on this leg–operated by an A319 that was pushing 25 years old. While United is in the process (and has made good progress) on retrofitting its domestic fleet with seatback screens, this aircraft had not been updated yet. At least there were power outlets available.
That presents a dilemma: how to keep the kids occupied. I have two kids, aged 4 and 7 (at the time). One reason they love flying is because they get screen time, something that is deliberately restricted at home. If an aircraft has screens, I let them watch cartoons or other age-appropriate programming…it’s a great way to keep them quiet and pass the time. It’s a treat.
We checked in for the flight, dropped off our bags, and encountered the hot mess that Burbank Airport has become. Sure, you can still show up an hour before your flight and be okay, but during the busy morning and early afternoon rush, do not expect to be able to find a seat…let alone four.
Thankfully, we did not have to wait long to board. Burbank still has no jetbridges and we boarded via a ramp and soon were onboard and settled into our seats toward the front of the economy class cabin.
Of course the kids were disappointed there were no screens and immediately asked me, “What can we do?” Now bear in mind each had backpacks with books, coloring, games, and school work, but let’s face it…kids (I know my kids are not unique) tend to think that being on a plane is a special time to watch TV and eat.
My wife took the afternoon off–she sat across the aisle from us and took a nap–and I settled down with the kids in our section of three seats.
We took off and were on the way to Denver, with an actual flight time of under two hours.
Thankfully, the beverage cart arrived shortly and the kids ordered apple juice, another treat they do not get at home. They like those dark chocolate + sea salt quinoa crisps from Undercover and I also ordered a Takeoff snack box (and some iced coffee for me). Then a large bag of gummy bears too because…why not?
Letting them pick out individual snacks from inside the snack box and then slowly eating the gummy bears worked. They were quiet. There was no screen time…by the time they were all done (including with a refill of apple juice) we had begun our descent.
And my son Augustine certainly was quite the saint by pulling his sister through the busy concourse of Denver Airport on her little bag.
Next stop: more food in the lounge.
CONCLUSION
While I wish I could say that we kept ourselves occupied by discussing the geopolitical ramifications of the Louisiana Purchase, magnetic white dwarfs, and the soteriology of early gnostic gospels, kids will be kids.
I guess the point of this post is that my kids seem to think airplanes are only about screens and eating…for better or for worse, when the screens aren’t available, keeping their stomachs full is the best way to keep them quiet!