Your Reviewer

Your Reviewer
Lori Lavender Luz

& guest reviewers

Stuff We've Reviewed

Previously on All Thumbs

Looking for something?

Monday, January 5, 2009

Snakes on a plane? How about KIDS on a plane!

If you want to strike terror in the hearts of travelers everywhere, simply mention children and airplane in the same sentence. Whether you travel with or without, I'm sure you would agree that the entire cabin is appreciative when kids past the cute baby/toddler stage are occupied with some quiet activity (cuteness cuts you all sorts of slack, we found in earlier years).

In anticipation of our Christmas trip to visit Grandma and Grandpa, the kind people at LovetoTravelProducts.com sent me one trayblecloth each for Tessa and Reed. Tessa's was a polka-dot pattern and Reed's was a soccer design (others are available). They are compact and light, and fit easily into pockets of a suitcase or backpack. The introductory price is a reasonable $20 (which turned out to be cheaper that several bottles of airline-sized gin).

These covers fit over the "tray table in front of you," a boon for germaphobes. There are pockets to hold small toys and maybe an iPod nano (for kids unlike mine who don't have mean parents -- waaaaah). Included with the trayblecloth are dry-erase pens and pre-printed sheets with tic-tac-toe and hangman games. The sheets go under a plastic cover and games can thus be played over and over again. The plastic also protects the games from spilled apple juice (don't ask).

We're giving the trayblecloths the thumbs up. For each of four legs of the trip, Rob and I got about 20 minutes at a stretch to read our own books, talk with each other and listen to our own iPods and sip our gin, while the kids happily and peacefully played.

But eventually, someone would have to "go to the bathroom," which is kiddie code for "I want to converse with all the other passengers in the airplane."

I'd be interested in a remedy for THAT travel problem, but for now, consider this my endorsement of these nifty traveling items that will be coming with us on future trips. If you'd like more information, check out this video and then order your own.

***

Want easy access to products recommended by Lori and Chicklet? Help support us by visiting the All Thumbs Store, which has no added markup. Just easy shopping, good prices, Amazon security and thumbs up ratings.

6 chiming in:

Baby Smiling In Back Seat said...

The kids' version makes a lot of sense to me, but the adult versions less so -- esp. the disposable version which is purely germ-avoidance rather than function. What am I missing, Lori?

Anonymous said...

Wow, that looks really cool!!

Denise said...

Good idea. I'll have to keep this in mind in a couple of years!

luna said...

you mean you haven't caved for that ipod yet? I'm sure they could show you how to use it...

nancy said...

Coolio. I'll have to check that out. My kids push on the table too hard and end up bouncing the person in front of them, so the tray is usually off limits for them.

It's funny when I get on a plane with my babies ... I stand up, look at all the ppl looking at me and say "I swear to you, I want her to be quiet more than you do!" I usually get a laugh and then if/when she does cry, the looks are sympethetic instead of angry!

MrsSpock said...

The kids version sounds like a good idea...

Related Posts with Thumbnails