Flying with a toddler from Singapore: seats, snacks, ears and airline rules

Sort the seat first and the bag second, and flying with a toddler from Singapore gets a lot easier. Your child needs their own seat from age 2 on both Singapore Airlines and Scoot. Pack snacks and small activities, let them run at Changi before the gate, and offer a drink at take-off and landing for their ears.

How to fly with a toddler, step by step

1. Book your toddler's ticket with yours. Singapore Airlines asks for both in one transaction and lets families with young children pick standard seats for free.
2. Check your child's age on every flight. Both airlines need a seat for anyone aged 2 or over. A toddler who turns 2 mid-trip needs one for the flight home.
3. Decide on a car seat or harness early. Both airlines allow an approved one for a child under 3 in their own seat, though Scoot takes forward-facing seats only.
4. Pack the cabin bag by job: snacks, an empty bottle, small activities, wipes and spare clothes. The AAP suggests a change of clothes, or even two.
5. Let your toddler run before boarding. Changi has indoor, air-conditioned play areas in every terminal for ages 1 to 12, and our Changi Airport with kids guide lists them.
6. Use Changi's Special Assistance Lanes at immigration, which are open to families with young children. Go to the gate early. Changi says gates close 10 to 20 minutes before departure.
7. Fitting a car seat? Board when families are called, and the AAP says the extra time lets you install it without blocking the aisle.
8. Offer a drink or a snack at take-off and landing. The CDC says swallowing or chewing evens out the pressure in the middle ear.
9. Keep a loose rhythm on board: snack, activity, walk. Singapore's activity guidelines suggest not keeping a toddler in a seat for more than an hour at a time, so walk the aisle when the seatbelt sign is off.
10. Collect the stroller where staff tell you. Singapore Airlines returns gate-tagged strollers at the aerobridge, except at a few airports such as Darwin.

When your toddler needs their own seat

Both Singapore carriers count your toddler as a child, not an infant, from age 2. Scoot's travel page says anyone aged 2 or over must have a seat on their own ticket.

Under 2, a seat is your choice. The AAP says your child is safest in their own ticketed seat. On Scoot, a child under 2 must be at least 6 months old to get a seat, and you book it with Scoot at least 3 days before the flight. If your toddler sits on your lap, the AAP advises a window or middle seat. Our guide to travel after giving birth has the full seat list.

Neither airline allows booster seats, and neither lets you fit a child seat in or next to an exit row. Singapore Airlines lists the car seat approvals it accepts, such as the US FAA's, and asks you to show crew where the approval labels are. The AAP says to look for a label stating the seat is certified for motor vehicles and aircraft. Scoot asks you to fit the seat yourself. Its page says a child using an FAA-approved harness must weigh 10kg to 20kg and be under 1 metre tall.

Plane snacks and drinks, from Changi to your seat

Changi's liquids rule covers every flight out of Singapore. Containers over 100ml are refused, even if partly full, and all of them go in one clear resealable bag holding up to 1 litre. Baby food and breast milk are exempt when your infant flies with you.

That exemption names an infant, so for an older toddler's milk or juice, containers of 100ml or less are simplest. Bring an empty bottle to fill at Changi's water dispensers in the transit area, and finish it before the gate. Singapore Airlines notes that Changi screens at the gate, and liquids that break the rule must go before screening.

On board, the airlines differ. Singapore Airlines welcomes your own food, ideally food that needs no chilling or heating, and has child meals for ages 2 to 12. It has no meal service in Economy between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Scoot's meals page says outside food and drinks are not allowed on board, though its conditions of carriage remind parents to bring what infants and children need, such as baby food. Ask Scoot what your toddler can bring before you fly.

Choose snacks your child can eat sitting down. HealthHub lists small, hard foods like nuts and grapes as choking hazards and says not to let a child run around with food in their mouth. Our healthy snacks for kids guide has ideas, and if your child has an allergy, read flying with a food allergy first. Going to Australia? The Australian Border Force says food must be declared on your Incoming Passenger Card.

Toddler travel activities by age

Small, new and quiet works best. The AAP suggests a bag of toys and snacks to keep your child busy on the flight.

The guidelines don't mention flights, so how you use screens on a travel day is your call. If you do use them, download shows before you leave. Pack child-size headphones too, since the AAP notes cabin noise peaks at take-off. Singapore Airlines also has a Kids Mode on its entertainment system. For screen habits at home, see managing screen time for kids.

Is a grandparent or helper coming along? Take turns, with one adult on your toddler and one on the bags. Our guide to travelling with grandparents and kids covers the rest.

Travel accessories for kids that earn their space

Keep toy guns out of the cabin bag, because Changi's list of items you can't take on board includes toy firearms. No stroller of your own? Changi lends them free at its information counters, first come, first served. For picks, see the best strollers in Singapore and stroller accessories. Everything else is on our baby travel packing list.

Ears, sleep and medicine on the plane

Toddlers get airplane ear more easily. Mayo Clinic lists a small eustachian tube, especially in infants and toddlers, as a risk factor. The AAP suggests a drink through a straw for older children, and the CDC says there's no evidence that flying makes an ear infection worse.

For naps and jet lag, see baby sleep while travelling. The AAP suggests flying when your child naturally sleeps. Skip sleep medicines. The CDC says antihistamines shouldn't be given under age 1, and that the FDA and AAP caution against them under 6 except for allergies. The AAP also warns that some children get more alert on diphenhydramine.

When to see a doctor

• If your toddler had an ear infection or ear surgery in the 2 weeks before the trip, the AAP says to ask their doctor if it's OK to fly. See ear infections in children.
• For a cold or mild tummy bug before you leave, KKH says your family doctor can treat it, so ask about the flight at that visit. See travelling with a sick child.
• For a child with a long-term heart or lung condition, the CDC says to talk to a doctor before you travel.
• Ear pain, fullness or muffled hearing that lasts more than a few days after landing, or is severe, needs a medical appointment, Mayo Clinic says.
• Fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, a rash or jaundice after the trip: KKH's Children's Travel Clinic asks its patients to come back to Clinic M, Children's Tower Level 1, or see your GP. The fever checker helps you judge how soon.
• In an emergency in Singapore, call 995, as KKH advises, or go to the nearest children's emergency. For anything less urgent, KKH points you to your family doctor or polyclinic.
• Abroad, call the local emergency number, then your travel policy's assistance line. MFA's Duty Office answers 24 hours on +65 6379 8800, and MFA advises carrying the Singapore embassy's contact details. The General Insurance Association notes some trips need cover for emergency medical evacuation.

Frequently asked questions

Does a 2 year old need their own seat on a plane?

Yes, on both Singapore carriers. Scoot says anyone aged 2 or over must have a seat on their own ticket, and Singapore Airlines needs a seat for a child who turns 2 before a later flight in the booking. Flying with a 2 year old? Either airline lets them use an approved car seat or harness.

What are good plane snacks for kids?

Foods your child can eat sitting down with little mess, such as cut soft fruit, crackers or plain buns. HealthHub lists nuts and grapes among choking hazards. Singapore Airlines welcomes your own food, but Scoot's meals page says outside food isn't allowed, so ask Scoot first.

What toddler travel activities keep a toddler on a plane busy?

Small, new things handed out one at a time: sticker books, crayons, board books, a small toy. Add a walk down the aisle when the seatbelt sign is off. Singapore's guidelines advise no screen time under 18 months and less than 1 hour a day after that, so decide how shows fit your day.

Which travel accessories for kids are worth packing?

A cabin stroller, an approved car seat or harness if your child has a seat, child-size headphones, an empty bottle and a small backpack. Check the limits first. Singapore Airlines takes cabin strollers under 7kg, and Changi allows at most 2 power banks per person.

Can I give my toddler medicine to sleep on the flight?

Skip it. The CDC says the FDA and AAP caution against antihistamines under age 6 except for allergies. Book a flight around your child's usual sleep instead, as the AAP suggests.