Getting Read For: A Ride on an Airplane!

Every year, we travel from Michigan to Arizona by plane.  Some of the flights have been almost fine and some have been terrible (including my daughter getting sick with no barf bag in sight!!).  This year, I am going to do whatever I can to better prepare my kids, especially my three-year old.  I don’t think that she remembers getting sick, however, this year she is so much more aware of what is going on around her and curious about EVERYTHING that she sees.

I hit the local library to look for non-fiction books that can help teach my kids the ins and outs of flying on an airplane.  I was looking for non-fiction because it is very important to read both fiction and non-fiction text with your kids.  It is easier to keep their interest in non-fiction text when they are reading about something that connects to their lives.

I found the following three books on visiting the airport very helpful.  Each book introduces new vocabulary found around the airport.

What Happens at an Airport? – This is a “Weekly Reader” book by Amy Hutchings.  Buddy, “your Weekly Reader pal,” gives the reader a tour of an airport and introduces you to people that you may meet along the way.  All vocabulary words are bold and there is a glossary and more resources in the back of the book.

My First Trip on an Airplane –by Vic Parker.  The table of contents of this book is a list of questions, such as “What should I take on my trip?” and “What do I do after the airplane lands?”  Each chapter answers the question using very kid-friendly language.  This book also has vocabulary in bold letters and a glossary in the back.  It also has a list of what to pack and what you are unable to bring on an airplane.

A Visit to The Airport – By Patricia J. Murphy.   This very basic book takes kids through a tour of an airport.  For example, one of the pages reads “flight attendants show passengers how to be safe on flights.”  The page has a picture of a flight attendant showing how to fasten a seatbelt.  Unlike the other books, this one reads more like a narrative and was a good addition to our collection.

Here are a couple of books that are just about airplanes.

Jets – By Matt Doeden- This book is like the A Visit to The Airport book.  It reads like a narrative and is loaded with pictures of the inside and outside of jets.  It teaches about how the wheels go up in the plane during the flight and back down so you can land safely.  It also includes many different types of jets and a glossary in the back.

Airplanes– By Mary Kate Doman- This is a tiny, simple book that is filled with different photographs of airplanes, not just passenger planes.  It shows planes that land in water and planes that create different color lines in the sky.

After reading all of these books, my kids know what to expect when we arrive at the airport, go through security, prepare to take-off, and much more.  My daughter is looking forward to seeing what we learned about.  I think that she is most excited to watch the luggage go on the plane.  There are a ton of books on airplanes and airports and if you are traveling with a little one, I highly recommend checking them out!

Enjoy!

~Miss Jenny

PS- I created a scavenger hunt with some of the vocabulary that we learned reading these books!  Click here for the post.

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