Travelling by air for the first time can be an exciting experience as well as scary! The crowds, the loud sounds, the lines, the sight of so many airplanes, motion sickness, ear aches owing to air pressure, not being able to move around, etc etc can be quite daunting for both parents and kids. Quite often we get a query for first time air-travel. Here are some books that explain what happens at the airport and some on the actual flight!
Sharing a list of books recommended by our members that have helped them.
0-3 years
Busy Airport – Busy Books – push, pull, slide Campbell book – it’s part of the BUSY BOOKS series which is very popular with young toddlers
Richard Scarry’s: Busy Busy Airport – this is a bestseller and this book keeps kids engaged for hours even at home!
Where Do Jet Planes Sleep at Night?
For 2 – 5 years
Amazing Airplanes (part of Tony Mitton’s Amazing Machines series)
Airplane Flight!: A Lift-the-Flap Adventure
Amardeep recommends – Little World: At the Airport – A great push pull slide book that takes the child through check in, security, boarding, wearing seat belt etc. All the books in the LITTLE WORLD series are super exciting and engaging!
My Big Wimmelbook – At the Airport
First Experiences: Going on a Plane (3 – 4 years)
Topsy And Tim Go On An Aeroplane (3 – 5 years). Asha highly recommends this series. In her words, “Topsy and Tim books talk about first experiences with these twins. They have very positive messages that creates a positive impact on the child reader. When my daughter was a smallie she loved this series.”
Amardeep has this book. Quoting her,
Suffering from motion sickness, my 4 year old dreads plane rides (or any travel for that matter). Topsy and Tim Go on An Aeroplane came as a blessing into our lives. The book in itself is a very simple read, taking the child through the process of checking in at the airport, buckling in their seats, taking off and landing. However, all of this is narrated so well through the eyes of the twins that children relate it to it well. It got my 4 year old excited for our upcoming plane ride. He made a makeshift plane with chairs and table at home, and pretended to be a pilot asking all of us to wear our seat belts – safety first! During the plane ride, he kept associating every step with the book, and that distracted him from his fear of flying and feeling sick. I think Topsy and Tim books are must haves for all toddlers.
Maisy Goes by Plane (3 – 5 years). Maisy books are perfect for first experiences.
Richard Scarry’s: A Day at the Airport (3 – 7 years)
For 4 – 7 years
Usborne Look Inside an Airport (3 – 6 years) Amardeep has this one and says, “We love it. Lots of flaps and very engaging.”
My First Airplane Ride (5 – 6 years)
Zoey’s First Plane Ride (6 – 9 years)
Pigs Might Fly: Aeroplanes for 4-6 years. Abha has shared inside pages here in the kbc fb group. In her words:
“Do you have a child who is excited about aeroplanes? Do you have an inquisitive child who wants to learn how a plane flies or what a cockpit is? This book is a good introduction of the concepts for kids 4-6 years. The book is narrated by Piggles, a charming pig pilot. It shares concepts like different types of planes, dives into the external and internal parts of the plane like wings, cockpit, fuselage, cabin crew etc. Then dives into topics like lift, thrust, what is take off and landing and all are explained in easy to follow language. At the end is a small quiz for kids and if your kid answers it correctly they become a member of Pink Wings elite flying club.
With engaging illustrations, simple explanations, and interactive elements, this book makes complex concepts easy to understand and fun to explore.”
There are other books in this PIGS MIGHT FLY SERIES.
This book and other Pigs Might Fly books can be ordered from Scholastic India via our kbc storefront as well. Scholastic India always has special offers on.
TO HELP DEALING WITH THE FEAR OF FLYING – Leon Spreads His Wings (Walker Stories) for 5-7 years (64 pages)
Activities
Usborne First Sticker Book Airport for 2+ Abha highly recommends this book. She has shared the inside pages here in the kbc fb group. Quoting her:
“Is your child obsessed with stickers? Do airports, their hustle bustle and aeroplanes on the runway excite them? When inside the plane are they curiously looking at the luggage getting loaded? I recently bought this Usborne airport sticker book. This book comes with different scenes and stickers ranging from dropping off at the airport to collecting the luggage.
When we travel, we always carry activities for little S as she quickly gets bored of the setup once inside the airplane. This book provided her with hours of fun. The sticker quality is excellent as she was able to peel off the stickers independently. It also helped her visualize and relate to the various scenes she personally experienced at the airport.”
There are other sticker books in this series.
My Planes Activity and Sticker Book (3 – 7 years)
My Plane Trip – Dover Coloring Books (4 – 6 years)
Bon voyage!
[Note from Team Kids Book Café: For your convenience, affiliate links (MARKED IN PINK) to some of the book titles & images have been added to enable you to buy the books from AMAZON, should you wish to! A very small amount of money comes to kidsbookcafe.com when you purchase a book via the amazon affiliate link provided (at absolutely no extra cost to you!). Do let us know if you need information about other children’s books by writing to asha@kidsbookcafe.com.]
