What to Take

Practicalities Getting Organised What to Take Items for use once there 

The following are laundry lists of most of the things you might find useful. The idea is not that you take them all but that you use them for checking off what would be useful for you and your offspring. For further thoughts see also [Safety].

Fun

• Any floats, flippers, goggles etc. [Suppliers]



• An inflatable child's boat - largely to play with or sleep in on dry land but also for well supervised water outings (see reservations under Safety - Water).



• If you are planning any museum visits in particular is drawing material. Children can be entertained (sometimes only briefly) by drawing what they can see.



• Materials for putting together a diary of the trip including possibly Sellotape, glue stick, scissors plus a large scrap book, perhaps extra paper for creating pockets to hold items. Allow in the budget for postcards to be purchased for the diary.



• Toys. It can be extremely helpful to consult with each child about what they themselves would like. If they have definite opinions, it will pay dividends. If they don't, then at least they can't blame you because what they want on the day is not available. You may of course have to explain about how the entire cupboard wont fit into the available suitcases and some sort of pre-set limit on number/volume might be useful. You can also explain why those with lots of parts and anything loved beyond all others should be left at home. For similar reasons anything breakable should be left behind unless the child is old enough to take care of it.



• Toys which might be useful but you don't already have, such as a bucket and spade and beach ball, can usually be bought on arrival . However, the younger the child the more important familiar items.

Out and About

• A large beach umbrella. If you can be bothered, taking your own can prove a real bargain. On the other hand, some beaches in the more crowded parts of Europe would never contemplate permitting you to use your own.



• A sunscreen ‘pod' to protect lying and sleeping children from burning (Suppliers).



• Individual (ideally sealable) cups for refreshment on the move. Consider buying those specifically for travel. [Suppliers]



• A cool bag and cool pack for food and drink out and about and on the beach. If you need hot or cold drinks consider a lightweight thermos.



• Shoes for the beach to protect against hot sand and anything nasty lurking in it. . [Suppliers]



• Large bag suitable for beach/day trip stuff.



• A small day kit of first aid items including your preferred treatment for scratches and bumps, some safety pins, plasters, a product for soothing skin, such as Forever Living's Aloe Vera Gelly [Health], lavender for disinfection and bites etc, paper hankies and a couple of nibbles - say small boxes of raisins.

Personal Hygiene

• Baby/child cleansing lotion/shampoo etc. (You may well not find your familiar brand on the spot).



• Children's nail clippers.

Practical

• Masking tape for the base of the bath if you fear slipping (or use a towel).



• Travel wash powder or liquid and a laundry line. Useful even in environmentally sensitive areas is Mountain Suds which is designed for use on clothes, dishes, hair and you and is bio-degradable. However, hand soap also works.



• A monitor if you are happy to leave the child in a bedroom. See Baby Monitors for potential technical problems.



• A travel kettle or failing this a coil immersion heater for boiling water. Note however that this second can be dangerous and slow so the first is infinitely preferable. You will also probably need an electric adapter and should look out for a model which will work with 100 and 220 volts. [Suppliers]



• A torch, preferably water resistant, which can also double as a night light if fear of the dark asserts itself. It is worth going for quality, particularly as children tend to dismantle things like torches. The classic brand to go for is Mag Lite though given the need to have working batteries a wind-up torch might be more suitable [Suppliers].



• Extra J cloths/wet wipes/kitchen roll.



• If you use one, a night light.

For Babies

• A Baby playgym can be invaluable for keeping a pre-crawling baby happy while parents have a lie-in.



• A baby play nest. Galt [Suppliers] produces a useful rectangular inflatable Travel Nest, suitable from 0-4 months, which will double as a baby changing mat with higher sides to prevent the baby rolling off.



• Nappies. In most parts of the world disposable nappies are sold. They may not be the brand you are used to (the table in Nappies and Formula will help find out roughly what brands are available where). Alternatively you could take familiar stocks from home. This guarantees that you have something that works for you, saves you time shopping on holiday and, if shopping in a resort, probably saves money too. In more offbeat places you can expect prices to be significantly higher. There is a report that a single pack of nappies in Beijing for example costs £20.
  
  However, if flying you have to pack in a way that allows space to include that kind of package, or be willing to check them on to the plane say in a black bin bag with attached label.
  
  Alternatively breathable re-usables may be good for hot weather. Because they allow the air to pass in a way that disposables don't they won't encourage rashes. Once washed, in hot weather they dry fast and if your child is hot they may well urinate less than at home and so get through fewer of them than normal. [Suppliers].



• Any other nappy changing items used such as nappy barrier cream - especially important as unfamiliar food and heat may trigger more rash than usual - fold-up changing mat and plastic bags for disposing of nappies. [Suppliers]



• Bottles etc and method of cleaning. There are some disposable systems specifically designed for travel which may be useful and you can get disposable sterilising bags from Mothercare or just use a plastic box in which you transport the bottles etc.



• Familiar formula Your usual brand may not be available - unless your child is used to drinking a selection of brands.



• Favourite spoons, especially when starting to eat.



• A sheepskin if used or familiar cot blanket, useful for creating a comfortable sleeping spot.



• An insect net for the cot. [Health]



• A travel cot if possible as those provided have often seen better days. These can be hired if you feel you will not be needing it enough to warrant buying one. Travel cots also make useful day to day cots as some children prefer the soft sides. The disadvantage is that they tend to have a low base which involves more bending and lifting for carers. In addition, for regular use you might choose to buy a thicker mattress. They also make useful playpens. Note that in hot climates a basket or cot would be better than a carrycot because of the greater ventilation. Alternatively and less cumbersome is a portable bed-rail to prevent children falling out of unfamiliar beds, particularly if they are used to cot sides. [Suppliers - Hire]



• A stair safety gate if you have a child who is not used to dealing with stairs and are in a self-catering property which has stairs.



• Methods of keeping cupboards closed.



• A clip-on high chair or fabric alternative. [Suppliers]

For Toddlers-Plus

• For the potty trained a potty (particularly important for example if camping where the lavatory block may be inconveniently distant during the night) or portable toilet seat [Suppliers].



• For children at all liable to wet the bed - more likely than at home given the upset to routine - a waterproof sheet of some kind, thus avoiding the potential embarrassment of negotiating a cleaning or replacement cost. The standard ones available for example from branches of the John Lewis partnership are fitted. This is less useful if your child ends up sleeping on say a fold down sofa. The larger the flat sheet the better as children may well move off smaller sheets if they have a large bed to move around in.

For Older Children

• A challenge such as a set of juggling balls or diablo and instructions. This is particularly useful if you are somewhere such as villa with only limited company and entertainment.



• Binoculars (but if relatively young, make sure they have had practice at focusing efore you leave). Alternatively go for a kiddy telescope.



• A compass is more for fun than practical use but you never know.



• Swiss Army Knife You need to know that this will be used sensibly but it can make a child feel very grown up. It is also extremely useful for everyone, if only to open wine bottles.



• A magnifying glass.



• A torch. Mag-Lite produces a high class one including a very small option but if you fear it might be lost you could go for a kiddy option.



• A simple camera. You might have an old Instamatic lying around which would do as well and save you around £25. Alternatively you could go for one of the disposable ones, particularly one of the disposable/water resistant/underwater ones.



• A flower press.



• A sleeping bag might help settling in unfamiliar surroundings.