Family Holiday for the first time- What to bring?

yellow hen

So we’re going on a sun holiday shortly with the two smallies (4 and 1). I haven’t been on a typical sun holiday in about 10 years as we tended to go on long haul hiking holidays before the kids.

What do you bring/have you brought for the kids? I’m thinking of stuff that entertains in the airport, car, flight and then things that were important in the apartment. The 1 yr old is just turned 1 so will be happy playing with a few spoons but for the 4yr old, I have some small pots of playdoh, sticker and colouring books and some of his small cars. What else is good?

bp

We brought toys with us to an apartment and to be honest they never looked at them. When the small one napped daddy took big to the pool. For the plane carry on a small calpol and maybe get one of those kiddie magazines. Our two eldest are the same age and they always go down a treat as there are puzzles etc in them and stickers. And happy holidays

Sunny Dayz

For the younger one I would hide away some of his toys so that when you pull them out on holidays they are like new! Pick up a few new cheap things, the interest of something new keeps kids amused!
One or two little books for the airport/plane. One of those overprices magazines with their favourite cartoon and the gimmicky toy. For the plane, make sure they are things that don't make much noise. In the airport take it in turns going for walks, looking at that planes etc.
Also make sure to pack their favourite cuddley toy in your hand luggage and for the love of god don't lose it anywhere! For the older kid, let him pick out a few of his toys to bring on hols.


For on holidays, get them a few inflatables when you land, eg blow up ring, light football, bucket & spade etc. These will be played with for the whole holiday! Most holiday resorts have market stalls in the evening so the kids might get a treat of a new toy from their holidays.


Also for the plane, make sure they have something sucky (soother, lolly, etc) for the take-off to mind their little ears.


Lastly, for small ones going on holidays to the sun, I would highly recommend getting the uv protection swimwear. It can be stressful trying to get a smallie covered in sun cream and to ensure that there are adequately protected. My son is light hair and fair skin and we learnt our lesson first year we went on a sun holiday with him. He's now 12 and wears an adult rash vest with uv protection, he prefers it than plastering himself head to toe in cream, waiting for it for absorb etc, taking up precious pool time!


Enjoy your break!

Tabnabs

UV protective t shirts, what a great invention. Highly recommend them as the kids are non stop in and out of the pool. Worth considering for the adults too if they are as active as the kids.

yellow hen

Thanks for the tips. I have uv suits for both of them and have been squirreking away little toys too. I totally forgot about take off. The 1yr old doesnt take a soother and i dont think she'd understand how to suck a lolly. Is yhere anything ekse I could give her?

Also would I be allowed to bring our own drinks and food for the kids through departures as carry-on?

coffeyt

Does your 1 year old take a bottle, that's what I gave my little man on take off when I flew with him at 10 months old and it helped distract him from the noise as well as giving him something to suck on.

yellow hen

coffeyt wrote: »

Does your 1 year old take a bottle, that's what I gave my little man on take off when I flew with him at 10 months old and it helped distract him from the noise as well as giving him something to suck on.

Mm sometimes. I've just finished bfeeding her so she'd take or leave the bottle but I can definitely try it.

bp

I always brought those Ella kitchen fruit pouches for them to suck on for take off and landing and baby biscuits and snacks to keep them entertained

Millem

Yellow hen do you have sky? If not maybe a relative might and may give you their sky go password. You can download children's programmes and watch offline on your phone or tablet on plane/airport etc

uck51js9zml2yt

Bring a bottle of milk for baby / calpol but any water can be got airside.
Have liquids accessible as security will want to see them.
Don't forge you'll be able to buy stuff in boots once through security and also at the resort.
Don't even consider inflatables as they are a risk in the water.
Uv protection suits are great.
Mine were happy with a bucket and spade on the beach.
A few comics for the older one and bring a tablet with some movies on it.

sillysocks

We brought a small lunchbox/pencil case for each child (they were three and five), when we went last year. In my sons I'd bought about 8 little small animals he'd never had before, and my daughters had a little doll with removeable dresses/shoes etc (stereotypical I know!). I only produced them on the plane and for the whole week they played with them anytime we were in the apartment or in restaurants etc. They were small and portable, plus kept together in the lunchbox. Couldn't believe how much they played with them! They've a playroom full of toys here and rarely play with anything!

I think it was the novelty of new things along with only having one set of toys so they didn't get overwhelmed. I also brought a small pouch with mini colouring book and pencils, again for going out to dinner etc. Most places do provide it but half the time the pencils don't work or crayons are broken so found it better to bring our own. Dunne's have very handy little colouring books with crayons attached for only a few euro.

Etch a sketch you get in mr price etc might be handy for the older child too.

pwurple

As little as possible!

We had our first sun holiday earlier this year. Flight was great.... i brought along the daffodil day little activity pack with crayons.

Bought the children's snack pack on the plane, bottle of water, crackers and animal biscuits maybe? Huge novelty.

On holiday, honestly the beach just entertained them. We had an umbrella there for shade and naps. Got some cheapo buckets and shovels. Between paddling, burying us, looking for shells, sand castles, exploring rocks etc... no boredom. Lots of fun. We were in spain, it is so well set up, decent restaurants on the beach... showers, loos. Easy peasy.

drunkmonkey

An iPad and download some of their favourite shows with the sky go app if you have Sky TV, that'll get you through the flight. Besides that the poster above is bang on you don't need anything else they'll be so happy with the water and sand castles you'll need little else besides sunscreen.

yellow hen

Thanks everyone. I have an sd card loaded with stuff for the plane and chromecast so they have it in the apartment before bed. I've also picked up some sticker books etc. Uv gear in the bag too. We have a car for the week so that'll break things up loads.

yellow hen

Thanks everyone. I have an sd card loaded with stuff for the plane and chromecast so they have it in the apartment before bed. I've also picked up some sticker books etc. Uv gear in the bag too. We have a car for the week so that'll break things up loads.

ncmc

I'm just back from holidays with my 3 year old. We were in the UK so not a sun holiday. I brought a big bag of toys and she never looked at them. Between walks, drives, day trips, pooching round the town etc, she was just too tired for playing when we got home in the evening. Cartoons loaded on the iPad are a must though, they need that chill out time in the evening. We bought her cheap toys over there like bubbles and that's all she wanted to play with.

Definitely save the space in your luggage and buy a few novelty bits out there. Have fun!