Are you going away on staycation or abroad, long weekend or a week or two? Then have a look at our ultimate guide to packing for a holiday with your small kids, organisation (as ever) is key!
We've been away a few times with a pre schooler and a toddler and this is what we packed. We keep this saved down as a list on our phones and whip it out every time we need to go away which saves us time and stress.
Big items
- Pram (and buggy board - this was a life saver when we went to Majorca recently to carry 2 kids when tired/hot. It's pretty easy to dismantle and I kept a little tote bag to pop it in to when we got on the plane)
- Car seat (we don't take one when abroad as we normally pre-book tranfers with a car seat) but if you do take one then make sure you buy a cover as you can pack some nappies in there to save much needed luggage space!
Essentials
- Nappies
- Wipes
- Swim nappies
- Washing up liquid and sponge
- Laundry hand wash
- Medical kit (calpol, piriton, plasters, savlon, bite cream, rehydration salts)
- Plug adaptor if going abroad
- Phone and table charger
- Toothbrushes/toothpaste
- Passport
- Currency
- Purse with cards (card to use free abroad if you have one)
- Locks for luggage
- Water bottles
- Sunglasses
- Sunhat
- Suncream
- Snacks - lots of snacks to get you through a couple of days at least!
- Toys - colouring books, things to do to keep them busy that aren't huge
- Small foldable potty seat
- Travel insurance documents
- Shower gel/shampoo
- Plug in mosquito repellant
Clothing and Shoes
- Tops, shorts, trousers, jumpers for little ones (pack spares as they are bound to get dirty one way or another!)
- Pyjamas - consider packing long sleeve if you have air con in your rooms
- Socks and underwear
- Swimwear
- Sun hats/winter hats
- Sandals and/or water shoes (if going somewhere warm and going to a pool)
Nice Bits To Take
- Bucket and spade (scrunchable ones are great for space saving although don't make the best sandcastles!)
- Beach towels
- Inflatables for pool
- Plastic bowls/plates/cutlery just in case your hotel/restaurants serve kids meals on breakable plates!
- Groclock
- Blackout blinds (or pack tin foil as you can wet this and it sticks to your windows and acts as blackout!)
Other things we thought about were to check your passports! A new rule has been put in since Brexit, British passports cannot be more than 10 years old when used to travel to the EU – which means you need to look at the date the passport was issued, rather than the date it expires.
Another tip is to pack some spare clothes in hand luggage just in case your suitcases go missing when abroad - unlikely to happen but you never know!
We hope this helps you pack for your next getaway!