Love it or loathe it - holiday packing is the first step of the journey towards getting away and making memories with your little ones. We start making lists a couple of weeks before of things we must remember, as well as the core pants and socks quantities! A bit of extra thought and planning here though can go a long way, so we put together our top 5 tips to help you with that holiday packing with kids.
1) Entertainment for the journey
Of course – but selection here is key and worth spending some time and thought on. You know what’s likely to hold your child’s interest. Choose some compact toys / activities that will keep them entertained in the small space you’ll have. If possible, something new is great, or a forgotten favourite can entertain them for longer. With the hope of a little downtime for yourself, as well as games you can play together, pack something they can play solo for a short time. Colouring, drawing or fun ‘workbook’ activities work well here – remember it’s your holiday too – get those few minutes of rest in when you can!
2) Snacks & any key food staples
We all know how often kids need a snack right? Consider how long you’ll be on the road for and pack accordingly ( - hoping you don’t need another suitcase here!) As much as we enjoy holiday foods, kids can be more wary of unfamiliar tastes and textures, so it may help to pack a few staples that will see you through if your child may find eating away more difficult. After a couple of days in a new environment they may be more willing to try new foods, but there is a lot for them to take in on arrival. Taking their familiar cutlery can also help give them the confidence to eat when everything else is unfamiliar.
3) Current Swim aids
We’ll never forget the holiday when we forgot to pack the floaty vest and couldn’t find another that fitted properly on the holiday! It’s easy to leave things like this in the swim bag in the car etc, but can be really annoying and upsetting for your little one if they don’t have their support that they are comfortable with in a new pool. Learn from our mistake!
4) Health admin
It’s always handy to pack a bottle of the magical Calpol (just check the lid’s on tight!) If any of your family have allergies it’s essential to print off or have translations for this on you phone. Translations around allergies can be found on https://allergyaction.org/translations/ You can also purchase plastic cards with translations to keep on you at https://equaleats.uk/
If your child has a prescription medication, such as liquid antihistamine that may be over the 100ml, keep a copy of the prescription from the doctor or allergy documentation alongside it in your hand luggage. Airlines will let liquids on with Dr letter / prescription (check with your airline if you are unsure).
5) A few Pull-Ups – even if you don’t use them at home
This may sound like a bit of a strange one but bear with me. If you have a young one that is only a couple of years dry at night these can be REALLY useful on holiday. This is another one we learnt the hard way! As careful as you may be abroad, kids (like adults) are more likely to get an upset tummy eating & drinking away from home. Even a minor tummy upset can affect their bladder (and bowel) control at night. Hopefully they won’t catch any holiday tummy bugs, however they’re still likely to be extra tired at night when their head hits the pillow, meaning accidents are more likely. Pull-Ups can save a lot of fuss on holiday mornings and even if they’re dry, no harm done!
HAVE AN AMAZING TIME AWAY & MAKE THOSE MEMORIES!
