First holiday abroad with kids!

[Summersummersun]

We (me, DH, DS6 and DS3) are off on our first holiday abroad in a couple of weeks. Very excited! It’s 10 days at a big resort in Italy, we’ve booked a mobile home Eurocamp style and are flying. Very early start on the flight as it’s 7am.

Please give me all and any tips! The site is large and I don’t know where our mobile home will be so I have enquired about renting scooters which I know we can do if needed.

I’m stressing about all the little things like what sun cream to get, whether to get the kids poncho towels or normal, what kind of bag to use for days at the pool…basically all the little practicalies. I’d be so grateful for any tips!

Which sure are you at OP? Am Eurocampjng atm in Italy with my family.
Poncho towels are always good

We did eurocamp a few times when children were little.

To stop DD escaping from the mobile home decking we tipped the sun lounger on its side and blocked the entrance off.

We usually carry our towels (my youngest loved her poncho) and put everything else (books, kindles, sun creams etc) in the beach bag. I didn’t buy a beach bag just used a sturdy canvas shopping bag that most supermarkets sell and that also doubled up as a food shopping bag whilst on holiday.

We (and several others) take supermarket bags for life for swimming stuff

Take:
Teabags
Your preferred coffee
[[https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/308858245
A little bottle of squash]]
A few bin,bags
A small bottle of washing liquid
Pegs and a travel washing line (especially useful for swimming stuff)
A few washing machine tablets/pods
Several UK/Europe plug adaptors so everyone can charge their many devices at once and not have to argue about whose phone needs are greater. Alternatively take a 4 plug extension lead, then you only need one travel adaptor.
An extra tea towel
Sandwich bags
Board games and card games
Ketchup

Research your nearest supermarket and how to get there. Don’t forget to take bags to the supermarket. Some continental supermarkets don’t offer any bags at all.

Ordinary towels are fine, take a second set of swimwear if so pace allows. Take cardigans or sweatshirts for the evening as temperatures can dip. Most people will change into dresses or chinos/shirts in the evening, long trousers for men, especially eating indoors. We found most people on site in Italy spoke German and the staff in the camp shop didn't speak English, shop shuts at lunchtime for 2-3 hours. Animations team for the kids spoke 5 or more languages and made my DD's very welcome (only British there). Get waterproof factor 50 sunscreen, bug spray and after sun gel plus hats, long sleeve tops you don't mind getting wet, sunglasses. We drove so space wasn't an issue. If you by chance are at the one I stayed at north of Venice, the fruit & veg stall just outside the main gates (on the road) is a must - great fruit and homemade wine from his vineyard!!!

get whatever brand of sun cream you'd use at home!
Those UV swimsuits for the kids to avoid having to smoother them in cream when they're in and out of the sea or pool, and a hat/cap they can get wet. Jelly shoes or crocs for the beach / poolside.
Poncho towels and a big canvas or shopper bag and take a backpack or two as your hand luggage that you can also use for food shops while there.
small backpack for each of the kids with things to do on the plane.
Take empty water bottles through airport security and refill them once airside, then you've also got them for day trips.
a bottle of hand wash and pack less, things will dry overnight if you need to wash them out.
For a flight that early i would have everything packed the night before and just get up and go. Even take the kids in their PJs if you've quite a drive to get there and kill some time once you've checked in getting dressed and breakfast.
A lot of airlines invite families with small kids to board first......i've never understood this logic (other than to give you more time to faff around with bags etc) but to me it's just more time to keep them in a confined space......board last, have bags that are small enough to go under the seat in front and just get on, sit down and buckle up. Explain to the kids before you leave that they will need to be seated with their belts on for a while and then they get books etc out of the table. Also have the discussion about who's sitting with who if you've seats as 2+2 or 3+1!

Microfibre poncho towels are the best for this type of thing!

I usually go on Amazon for them.

Then if you want towels for the beach to sit on take microfibre towels as well. They fold up so small! And dry quick.

All excellent tips thanks so much!

We are leaving at 3am for the airport so the plan is to put the kids in the car immediately before leaving still in jammies, with duvet over, in the hope that they stay asleep. It’s only an hour or so drive, the plan about changing them after we go through security to kill some time is genius, I’ll make sure they wear presentable jammies the night before that they’ll be ok wearing at the airport. Will need to pack a hoodie each too as airports/planes are always cold aren’t they!

I’ll add all of these things to my list, hadn’t thought of a travel washing line and pegs.

We are staying at Pra’ Delle Torri, in the Venetian Riviera. We aren’t hiring a car, are just using a pre booked transfer from/to the airport, so we may end up having to make do with the on site supermarket. Good idea to scope out any nearby ones though and how to get there, I’m sure the on-site will be so expensive.