Kids

Charming new playspace at Albany Int’l Airport

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Airports across the country are dealing wiht the fallout of having federal workers being forced to show up and work without pay and, now, the chaos and confusion cause by the FAA-mandated reduction in flights.

But there are still fresh airport amenities to celebrate.

Like this charming new spot on Concourse B at Albany International Airport (ALB) called the Adirondack Imaginarium Family Play Space.

Develeoped with the Wild Center at Tupper Lake and featuring the creative work of artists Gracelee Lawrence and David Fadden, the play space is a cheery, regionally-themed spot for families to hang out.

Two airports get new play areas for kids

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Airport play areas come in handy if you’re traveling with kids who need to burn off some energy before the flight.

We can’t promise you that all airports offer this amenity, but we’re pleased to share news of two airports with fresh play spaces for kids.

In South Carolina, Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) is teaming up with the Upstate Children’s Museum and local toy company Plus Plus USA for its new kid zone.

The play area, called GSPlay, features colorful large interlocking toy pieces that kids can connect in endless shapes and layouts, a scavenger hunt and an interactive map that invites children to mark their next destination.

First kid’s play area at Denver International Airport


At the end of December, Denver International Airport (DEN) debuted its first play area for kids.

Located on Concourse C, near Gate C48, the play area has an outer space and alien theme (a nod to the alien conspiracy theories about DEN) and features colorful climbing structures for young kids.

And kids, their parents and just about every traveler will surely smile when they spot the newest art installation at DEN Airport.

“It’s Not What You Take, It’s What You Bring Back,” by Thomas ‘Detour’ Evans, is made of colorful upcycled luggage and is on Concourse B-East near Gate B60.

Airport Amenity of the Week: My First Flight Buttons

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Whether you’re a kid or an adult, your first flight on an airplane is a big deal.

Virginia’s Norfolk International Airport (ORF) gets that. And, clearly, the folks who work at the airport remember that scared, giddy feeling of taking that first flight.

Like many other airports, ORF is on target to break passenger records this year. And like many other airports, ORF has a bundle of capital projects underway to modernize and expand its facilities.

The airport is also working on upping the customer experience. They’ve built a new children’s play area and have complimentary coloring books and crayons available at the airport Information Booth for anyone who asks.

Also free for the asking, My First Flight buttons.

“The idea is akin to what some theme parks make available for first-time visitors,” said ORF airport spokesperson Chris Jones. “We found a button-making kit online and then designed and created the buttons in-house. Hopefully, kids will hold onto them as keepsakes to remember their first flight into or out of ORF.”

The My First Flight buttons are rolling out this week and are available at the airport information booth. Volunteer Ambassadors are also carrying them to hand out.

Keep in mind: First Flights can take place at any age.

So don’t be shy about asking for a My First Flight button at ORF if you fit the bill. You don’t have to wear it, but it’s a great souvenir.

And it’s our Airport Amenity of the Week.

How to keep you and your kids from going crazy at the airport

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The holidays are fast approaching, and that means lots of families will be heading to airports with their kids.

Adults forced to hang out in airports can visit bars, tour shops or treat themselves to a nice meal, but I thought this would be a good time to share some tips I worked up last year for Travel + Leisure about giving kids something to do at the airport beyond crying, whining and getting underfoot at the gates.

 

Airport or a theme park?

Orlando_Airport_Snow White

An arcade, a 3,000-gallon aquarium in the Main Terminal food court, a fun fountain and photo-op ready statues of Mickey Mouse, Snow White and other celebrity characters make Orlando International feel more like a theme park than an airport.

Shops for the Kennedy Space Center, Disney, SeaWorld and Universal Orlando offer one last chance for must-have souvenirs. And the top floor of the parking garage is a great spot to watch the area’s nightly theme park fireworks – for free.

 Robots and Mr. Rogers

Mr Rogers at PIT

Pittsburgh International Airport entertains children with its freshly refurbished Kidsport area filled with interactive displays, an exhibit honoring the Steel City’s own Fred Rogers and his “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” TV show and a giant Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton.

PIT is also home to an art installation billed as the “World’s only in-airport robot repair shop,” and a giant transformer-like robotic figure inspired by the city’s bridges.

 

Child-friendly in Chicago

 

At Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, the ever-popular “Kids on the Fly” play area in Terminal 2 lets little ones climb on airport-themed toys while, in Terminal 1, a four-story tall, 72-foot long skeleton model of abrachiosaurus looks down from its spot outside the Field Museum.

Kids get exercise and entertainment walking along the 744-foot-long kinetic neon light sculpture in the Terminal 1 underground walkway and a reason to look up “sustainability” after visiting the 26 soil-free plant towers in O’Hare’s aeroponic garden.

 

Play with pups – or pigs

Teams of adorable, stress-busting therapy dogs wearing “Pet Me!” vests regularly make the rounds at dozens of U.S. airports and the specially-trained pups (and, at SFO, a token pig) are happy to get hugs and kisses from kids.

The pooches will patiently pose for photos and their handlers usually have souvenir trading cards to give out featuring head shots and stats (i.e. age, breed and favorite treats) for each animal.

 

An airport or a museum?

Many airports stage family-friendly art and history exhibitions year-round.  Check your airport’s website for what’s on view when you’re traveling.

 

 

Sometimes the best part of hanging out with kids at the airport is the great show put on by the airplanes and the bustle of activity out on the airfield.

Watch from a window seat in a gate area or food court, or head for an airport observation deck.

Baltimore-Washington International Airport has a large pre-security viewing gallery (with exhibits and a snack bar) and there’s a small post-security viewing deck at the entrance to Terminal 2 in Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Got some ‘kids at the airport’ tips to share?

Pop-up lounge at O’Hare Airport – for kids

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At Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, a pop-up lounge just for kids (and their parents) is moving through the terminals.

Called the “Fly with Butch O’Hare” lounge, it’s described as a place to relax, take selfies, re-charge cell phones and devices and to learn about the Fly with Butch O’Hare mobile game the airport developed in collaboration with DeVry University.

First, who was Butch O’Hare? He’s the airport’s namesake, Edward “Butch” O’Hare – and this year marks the 75th anniversary of Butch O’Hare’s heroic actions in World War II, saving the aircraft carrier Lexington.

He was honored with the Navy’s first Medal of Honor, and in 1949 Chicago’s airport, Orchard Field was renamed Chicago O’Hare in his honor.

The lounge is outfitted with chairs and foot stools, cell phone charging stations, the airport code  in 8 – f00t-tall letters,  orange flooring and a miniature plane flying overhead with – you guessed it – Butch O’Hare.

There’s also an almost life-size cut-out of O’Hare and a plane – for selfies.

ORD is also giving out flat photos of Butch O’Hare (on a stick) in the lounge and at bins in the domestic terminals and encouraging passengers to pose with the flat Butch O’Hare while in the airport or and around the world and post their photos  online with the hashtag #FlyWithButchOHare.

 Looking for the lounge?  It’s in Terminal 1, near Gate B12 through August 9 and then moving to Terminal 2, near Gate E1, from August 10 through 31.

And what about that Butch O’Hare game?
Updates on the progress of that project is on this Fly with Butch O’Hare    page along with some airport trivia  and a list of airport shops and restaurants offering discounts.