The Basics

Practicalities Getting Organised What to Take The Basics 

To print off the following as packing lists click print this page when you are in the appropriate section.

• A few familiar items What these are depends on the age of your child or children but for as long as they are using one, a child's own car seat is generally appreciated, as is a piece of personal bedding, and a ‘friend' or two.



• Child transport Buggy, sling or backpack. A buggy is potentially useful for carrying all kinds of extra gear but can be unwieldy to transport and inconvenient to use on the spot if pavements are narrow or non-existent, there are cobbles, lots of steps etc. The new three-wheeled ones are better over difficult terrain, including a sandy beach, but may well be less manoeuvrable than the standard four-wheel variety and they can be heavy. A sling is ideal for younger babies, keeping them at the carrier's body temperature, high enough up to see around and join in any conversation, while offering the security of parental closeness in an unfamiliar environment, so encouraging the odd catnap. A backpack seems to be preferred by fathers, gives the child a good view of what is going on, keeps children out of the way of intrusive, if kindly, hands of strangers, and like a sling makes it a lot easier for parents to walk around. There are concerns that the carrier can't see what is going on and therefore might bump into something with the pack/child. A suggestion is to attach an unbreakable mirror which the child can play with but will also offer a view behind if the carrier is on his own. [Suppliers]



• A First Aid kit see First Aid.



• A sewing kit with scissors Multiple uses, particularly if it includes safety pins, and doesn't take up much space. One specifically for travellers might be ideal. [Suppliers]



• Lots of plastic bags For rubbish, snacks, anything wet, treasures collected en route and more. Particularly useful are the clear zip lock ones.



• A Swiss Army Penknife Generally so that parents can open their bottles of drink and one with scissors and tweezers (for splinters etc) is particularly useful and those other little implements can also show their worth when it comes to prising open anything which has jammed, or screwing objects back together again.



• Anything which makes the parents feel more comfortable be it a neck support for use on board an aeroplane or a jar of Marmite or marmalade, particularly if you are going somewhere more exotic.