TapTalesA first flight story for your toddler
An airport asks a lot of a toddler: queues, a loud belt that takes their bag, a seat they have to stay in. A short story beforehand tells them what's coming, in order, in a voice they trust. Make it from your own photos, read it in your voice, and let them go through it in the week before you fly. It's good on the plane too.
The story
- “We're going on a plane to see Granny!” A photo of Granny, or where you're going.
- “We pack our bags. You can choose one toy for your backpack.” Them packing it.
- “At the airport, our big bags go on a moving belt. We'll see them again at the end.”
- “Then we walk through a gate that checks our things. Backpack goes in a tray, and comes out the other side.”
- “We wait for our plane. We can watch the planes through the big windows.”
- “On the plane, you sit in your seat with a seatbelt, like in the car.” Their car seat.
- “The plane gets loud and goes very fast, and then we're up in the sky! Your ears might feel funny. Have a sip of water.”
- “We can look at the clouds, have a snack, and read our stories.”
- “Then the plane comes down, and Granny is waiting for us!”
Change it to match your trip: a car to the airport, a bus to the plane, a sleep on the way.
Make it
Tap + on the shelf, choose Tile by tile, set the tiles to match your pages, and tap Start. Tap each tile's picture and then Add a photo (TapTales Plus). Then tap each tile's microphone and say that page. The words fill themselves in as you speak. There's more on each step in the memory book guide.
You won't have photos of the airport before you go, and you don't need them. Use their backpack, their toy, a photo of where you're going, and leave the rest on the picture TapTales chose. After the trip, swap in the real photos and it's ready for next time.
Tips
- Tell them about the waiting. Most of flying is queuing and sitting. Saying so makes it less of a surprise.
- Say what stays with them. The toy, the backpack, you. “I'm next to you the whole time.”
- Play airports. Line up chairs, pack a bag, do the tray. Use the same words as the story.
- Load up for the flight. Once stories are on the phone, they play without a connection, so they work in airplane mode. Bring headphones.
After the trip
Make the trip itself into a memory book, told by everyone who was there, or send it to the people you visited as a video or a printed book.
Questions
How early should we start? A few days to a week before is enough for most toddlers.
Will it work on the plane? Yes. Everything on the shelf plays offline, including your recordings and the twelve classics.
What does it cost? Recording your own voice is free for three stories. Photos on the tiles are part of TapTales Plus. See pricing.