Wanted on Voyage

Practicalities Getting Organised Wanted on Voyage Checklists 

The following are laundry lists of what you might like to take and idea is that you use them to pick what would suit you and your children.

For All Children

• Layered clothing.
  
  
• At least one change of clothes per child in case of accidents. This is more likely the younger the child but can also apply to older children who suffer motion sickness. Make sure it's all simple as you may be working in a confined space.



• At least one clean top for adults as the accidents can affect them too. A unisex one will mean that it can be used by either parent.



• Wet wipes/wet flannel in plastic bag for hand washing, and other cleaning. Note that unless you have tested them, wet wipes can cause a skin reaction on sensitive skin.



• Small packs of tissues.



• Kitchen roll or alternative eg damp J cloth for spills.



• The minimum toiletries for arrival in case luggage is lost and, if there will be a pool, swimsuits.



• An activity such as a soft ball. A soft juggling type is particularly useful as if dropped it doesn't roll.



• Books. Good books even for toddlers have the quality of a good poem, bearing countless re-readings - which is what you will probably be looking at. Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, and Roald Dahl titles are obvious examples but if you want some more good ideas for up to ‘adventurous readers of 12 upwards', invest in a copy of the annual 100 Best Books, an annual pick of the best paperback fiction for children published in the preceding year, selected and reviewed by the Young Book Trust, Book House, 45 East Hill, Wandsworth, London SW18 2QZ tel: 020 8516 2977 www.booktrust.org.uk. The report costs £3, payable by cheque to Book Trust.



• A soft toy or two or other ‘friend'. It can be wise to set a numerical limit on this if the child is involved in the choosing. If your child has one failsafe comforter try to include a spare just in case the first is lost.



• A favourite toy you know will last for a significant length of play time.



• Other toys if you feel the effort of carrying them will pay off.



• A blanket, cushion or other item for extra comfort.



• Safety pins for holding all manner of things together.



• Food and drink [See Food and Drink].

For Babies

• Bottles and bibs.



• Transport buggy, sling or backpack [Suppliers] plus a canopy against sun and/or rain cover and blanket or sheet (depending on temperatures) for covering up, even when just arriving. The canopy may need extending with a further sheet or muslin or may even need lining against fierce sun. A hat in addition is recommended. Those in a sling or backpack could be protected by the carrying adult bearing a large umbrella or one of the purpose- designed backpack covers.



• Preferred teething relief product.



• A couple of books Two will suffice as they will read them over and over again though you might like a change.



• Aim to be inventive with the items to hand lifting arm rests, investigating in-flight magazines, pockets etc and finding items like pieces of paper to insert. This will cut down on items you have to carry.



• A wrist or sock rattle. See Fun items to take.



• More nappies than you think you are going to need pluscleaning stuff and nappy cream, bags for the discarded ones and something to change on. A folding changing mat will offer some padding but it is possible to improvise with plain plastic sheeting.

For Toddlers

• Transport Buggy or backpack [Suppliers] plus a canopy against sun and/or rain cover and blanket or sheet (depending on temperatures) for covering up, even on arrival. The canopy may need extending with a further sheet or muslin or may even need lining against fierce sun. A hat in addition is recommended. Those in a sling or backpack could be protected by the carrying adult bearing a large umbrella or one of the purpose- designed backpack covers.



• Bottles or training mugs (see Food and drink), spoons, and bibs.



• A selection of toys. Older children can be allocated their own portable case/backpack to be opened at intervals for them to pick the next toy.



• Nappies as above.



• A wide-necked vacuum flask to fill with hot water if you want to heat babyfood jars (by immersion).

For Preschoolers

• Training mugs (even if no longer necessary they keep things much drier) [Suppliers], spoons, and bibs.



• A potty if you are at the training stage and/or trained but still can't hold out for long. If you will be travelling very much you could invest in the Tommee Tippee travel potty which can be set up from a fold flat carrier and contains a scented disposable liner, the sealable Posh Potty, or a portable travel seat. (see Items for toddlers and preschoolers).



• A bag/backpack/small case for the child to carry with non-essential supplies and toys/drawing material.



• If not yet walking strongly, a buggy.

For Older Children:

• The child's own bag/backpack for carrying your choice of the following [Suppliers]. If only carrying say tissues, notebook and pens, cards, and small toy then a bumbag would be less easily forgotten and might be more appropriate.



• A game or games (see Games to Buy).



• Drawing material. (see Drawing)



• If you will have access to fresh batteries when required, personal tape or CD players. They are reported to work well with children from around three and do give parents some peace. However, they can be addictive and if you are hoping for your child to notice much of your surroundings you might like to start out with specified limitations on use - for example only on long drives. Note however that Walkmans may not be permitted on board aeroplanes because of the potential for radio interference. For younger children a child's model with easy controls would be an idea [Suppliers] and are built for knocks. Note that if you provide one Walkman per child you may still face squabbles over the tapes. If you are only buying one Walkman you can get an adapter for two children to listen simultaneously with potential for squabbles over the choice of tape.



• Travel Nintendo/new game or other electronic option such as Space Invaders, electronic Monopoly and Electronic Trivial Pursuits. Note however that these will probably have to be switched off whenever the seat belt signs are on (which includes during take-off and landing) and ‘on the captain's instruction'. Again, if worried about overuse, set rules beforehand.



• Instruction books on anything from how to read palms to how to draw cartoon figures, depending on your children's probable interests.



• A notepad and pen/pencil.



• Earplugs If your child has difficulty sleeping with noise.



• Eyemasks If your child has difficulty sleeping with light.



• A treat, for example a much-longed for toy/book/other item at the start of a particularly long and tedious journey. This obviously works better for children beyond toddlerhood who have reached the stage of coveting potential possessions.

In the Air

See also Getting There - Flying

• Enough food, and most importantly drink, to cover you for unexpected delays both on the ground and on board the aircraft (Food below). If flying in the US, remember that flights of less than three hours are unlikely to provide more than a drink and nuts. If you are taking connecting flights you will therefore almost certainly need to take food and drink of your own. Taking the right food is particularly important with babies in case the baby meals are inappropriate or there are more babies on board than calculated.



• Blankets to protect against fierce air conditioning and for in-flight sleeps.



• Dense fabric for covering any bassinet from light.



• Suitable material eg fleece for the child to lie on even if you do get a bassinet you may not get any bedding.



• Bottle or trainer cups for drinks. Preventing spills is particularly useful in the confined space.



• Transport for between checking in and boarding. Most airlines will allow pushchairs to the gate. However, a backpack or sling may be handier as it leaves both hands free for locating tickets and boarding passes plus carrying bags See Preparation].



• If you use aromatherapy, lavender oil may help sleeping on long-haul flights or if suffering from jetlag on arrival.



• All essentials for use on arrival. Current estimates are that 10% of all luggage transported by air goes missing. There is more of a problem at some aiports than others (Frankfurt, Schipol and Charles de Gaulle in Paris have bad records) but it pays to be prepared whichever airport handlers you are relying on as appropriate shops may not be open on arrival, or you may not have easy access to them.

By Car

See also Getting There - Car

• A blind to protect against sun. A piece of fabric wedged into the top of the window will substitute.



• A First Aid kit in the glove compartment is not vital but might make things easier if someone does have a small accident. [Suppliers]



• Cushions, especially neck supports of appropriate size can make life a little less uncomfortable for those too big for child car seats.



• A container for children's toys/entertainment. There are purpose-designed options. [Suppliers]



• An easily accessible bag with children's items. Depending on the season and location consider wet weather gear, wellington boots, hats and gloves, swim suits and towels.



• For a baby eye-catching items [Suppliers] such as Wimemr Ferguson, might be a way of giving them something more interesting to look at than a seat back.



• A plastic box with lid or plastic bag, preferably strong and zip lock, makes a receptacle for any sick.