Suggestions please - toddlers and Pearson airport - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

surferguy · 06-13-2018, 07:51 AM

So next week I have a five hour layover at Pearson airport with my almost 3yr old. Tell me what to do him.

Fuzz · 06-13-2018, 07:53 AM

pray.

5 hours in Pearson? Better have been a good deal. Which terminal?

surferguy · 06-13-2018, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fuzz

pray.

5 hours in Pearson? Better have been a good deal. Which terminal?

It was a points redemption booked by my folks. We are flying domestic on our way to NFLD. The icebergs better be worth it

undercoverbrother · 06-13-2018, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surferguy

So next week I have a five hour layover at Pearson airport with my almost 3yr old. Tell me what to do him.

Drink, a lot.

Canehdianman · 06-13-2018, 07:59 AM

Bring a tablet loaded with Peppa Pig, Dora the Explorer and Super Why, also bluetooth headphones.

Sit him down beside you in the bar. Order drinks (and a grilled cheese for him).

Fuzz · 06-13-2018, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surferguy

It was a points redemption booked by my folks. We are flying domestic on our way to NFLD. The icebergs better be worth it

AC or Westjet? If it is Westjet you will be in terminal 3, which sucks. Not a lot for kids there. But there are a few bars, which is good for you.

nfotiu · 06-13-2018, 08:07 AM

Be thankful you are not going through customs in that godforsaken airport. Trying to do that by myself with a 3 year old and 5 year old and luggage for 2 weeks was the only time in my adult life that I've ever actually cried out of frustration.

surferguy · 06-13-2018, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fuzz

AC or Westjet? If it is Westjet you will be in terminal 3, which sucks. Not a lot for kids there. But there are a few bars, which is good for you.

AC. The original plans were for his inlaw grandparents to meet us at the airport for a while but they can no longer make it over. So it's time to test my fortitude as a father.

puffnstuff · 06-13-2018, 08:09 AM

Don't you just check them thru to your final destination?

nfotiu · 06-13-2018, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

Don't you just check them thru to your final destination?

When you go CGY-TOR then TOR-USA, you have to retrieve your bags, take them through US Customs, then check them back in. Same thing going the other way too.

undercoverbrother · 06-13-2018, 08:13 AM

2 thoughts

1 contact a hotel near the airport and see if there is the ability to use their pool for a few hours as a cost

2 make up a scavenger hunt for you two to do at the airport.

Table 5 · 06-13-2018, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surferguy

It was a points redemption booked by my folks. We are flying domestic on our way to NFLD. The icebergs better be worth it

Hate to break it to you, but apparently there are very few of them this year, especially compared to last year's record amount. Just had a friend return from there saying he saw none.

LChoy · 06-13-2018, 08:24 AM

If you're interested in leaving the airport for a bit, take the Union Express train. It leaves every 15min, and gets to Union Station downtown in under 30min. There is the Aquarium, CN Tower, Steam Whistle brewery a short walk from Union, and other activities your kids can do for an hour or 2. Problem with Pearson is that it's kind of in the middle of no where, and traffic pretty much sucks any time of day, so the train helps bypass that.

LChoy

wooohooo · 06-13-2018, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

2 thoughts

1 contact a hotel near the airport and see if there is the ability to use their pool for a few hours as a cost

2 make up a scavenger hunt for you two to do at the airport.

That is a fantastic idea! I'll have to steal this idea for our next flight

Fuzz · 06-13-2018, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surferguy

AC. The original plans were for his inlaw grandparents to meet us at the airport for a while but they can no longer make it over. So it's time to test my fortitude as a father.

The plus is that you will be in terminal 1, I think. The negative is you are with Air Canada, and they will probably bump you, lose your bag and kick you in the nutz, all while not smiling or saying anything pleasant.

Fuzz · 06-13-2018, 08:35 AM

As for icebergs, there are a few around but doesn't look to be a big year:

https://icebergfinder.com/

rotten42 · 06-13-2018, 08:39 AM

[QUOTE=nfotiu;6707435]Be thankful you are not going through customs in that godforsaken airport. Trying to do that by myself with a 3 year old and 5 year old and luggage for 2 weeks was the only time in my adult life that I've ever actually cried out of frustration.[/QUOTE

odd...I've flown through TO/customs 3 times this year and breezed through.

bc-chris · 06-13-2018, 08:49 AM

does your little guy have any interest in anything 'airporty'... the planes, the big trucks (bringing food to planes, refueling, etc.), vehicles with flashing lights?

my 3 year old would LOVE an airport if there was a spot he could see stuff going on... grant it, not for 5 hours, but we could definitely kill a bunch of time just looking out a window

does pearson have any of those 'horizontal escalators' (i don't know what they are called... but i've seen them in airports - it's a moving sidewalk so you just stand there and the track takes you places). if they do, sit on the ground at the entrance to the moving sidewalk, place your son on the track facing you and say 'come to daddy' as you put him on the track. he will start walking towards you (which would be the opposite direction to the track) and with any luck will make up no ground at all. sit back and enjoy some special father-son time.

Fuzz · 06-13-2018, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bc-chris

does your little guy have any interest in anything 'airporty'... the planes, the big trucks (bringing food to planes, refueling, etc.), vehicles with flashing lights?

my 3 year old would LOVE an airport if there was a spot he could see stuff going on... grant it, not for 5 hours, but we could definitely kill a bunch of time just looking out a window

does pearson have any of those 'horizontal escalators' (i don't know what they are called... but i've seen them in airports - it's a moving sidewalk so you just stand there and the track takes you places). if they do, sit on the ground at the entrance to the moving sidewalk, place your son on the track facing you and say 'come to daddy' as you put him on the track. he will start walking towards you (which would be the opposite direction to the track) and with any luck will make up no ground at all. sit back and enjoy some special father-son time.

Ya, don't do that. Some people are using those things to get places, often in a hurry. It's not a place for toddlers to play.

Gundo · 06-13-2018, 08:54 AM

We had a 7 hour at Pearson with a 2 year old and 5 year old. We took the train downtown to Union Station which was about a 20-25min ride because kids generally love trains.

Once there we went to Ripleys Aquarium for like 2 hours which both kids tore around like nut cases. We also just walked them around downtown for a couple hours just aight seeing. We had a late breakfast and kept them somewhat satisfied by feeding them snacks but not a big meal.

Once we got back to the airport and thru security and my 5 year old son informed us he was starving we fed them a big carb heavy meal, border the plane about 30 mins after we were done and after a half pill of “travel candy” because they both legitimately get motion sick they slept for about 90% of our flight to Europe.