First time taking kids abroad...

[sleepfortheweek]

We are taking our two DDs (6 and 8) to Turkey in a few weeks. We've never taken them abroad before but do U.K. holidays often.

If you travel abroad with kids, what are the essentials and the dos and don'ts in terms of packing? We will be there for a week - how many clothes will be needed? Different clothes for evening? Just poolside for the day??

Totally clueless and I'm going to end up packing FAR too much as I'm a 'every eventuality' kind of packer 🙈

I'd worry more about taking medicines, mosquito stuff, plasters, hats, sun cream and medical stuff.
Normal clothes.

That stuff doesn't take up an awful lot of room though and are easy things to tick off a list...

I literally don't know what people take in terms of clothes though, which usually make up the bulk of luggage.

Just looking for a bit of helpful advice

Also, if I took their 'normal clothes' they'd be a tad hot 🤣

Shorts, T shirts and swimming cozzies. And maybe a hat.
It's just like holidaying at home really, but hotter.

So they'd wear the same stuff in the day as they would going out for the evening?

That would make life easier!

At that age, t shirts, shorts, cotton dresses, sandals, uv suits, pool shoes, hooded towel a cardigan or two for cooler nights would see you through.

3 UV suits each for when in the water. Hats for the water and out of the water.

How many clothes depends in how messy they are. Maybe 4/5 sets of shorts and T shirts for the day. 5 dresses for the evenings. Sandals for day time and a pretty pair for evenings.

@KnickerlessParsons I'm not sure it'll
Be like holidaying at home for us. Kind of the opposition that in a U.K. hol we are busy during they day out and about then in the evening we'd go back to accommodation to chill. So, I'd look at packing enough outfits for day trips but nothing fancy for going out in the evening for dinner. However, I THINK, the kids will
Spend most of their day by the pool during the day then in the evening we will all Go out for dinner

If you’re going in a few weeks are you going at October half term, might be worth checking the average weather for that time of year, it might not be that hot,

Thank you @Yoloohno and @Problesolving , that's really helpful. So - 3 sets of swimwear?

@Bluetoesnewtoes it's between 25-30 degrees. We live on the west coast so it'll be a shock for the system 🤣

Sounds perfect

Different clothes for evenings, still basic summer clothes but they will need to change after the hot and sweaty day. Definitely don't forget hats. Very high factor sun cream as the sun will be very strong and a lot hotter than they are used to. When my children were smaller we used those rash vests with the SPF just to be safer. More than one lot of swimwear. We usually end up washing clothes on our holidays because we never seem to have enough, but they dry very fast so it's not an issue. Some kind of beach shoes - sliders or something - I have been to Turkey when the sand is too hot to stand on!

I’d say 3 lots, wash wear and a spare. 4 sets of shorts and t shirt, 4 dresses. I’ve found at night anything goes for kids so put them in clean clothes at night and wear the same stuff for breakfast and round the pool for the day.

Thank you - my children are both very fair (like myself!) so I'm anal on suncream but I'll definitely look into the UV swimwear which I hadn't considered. They've got baseball hats but might get more sun hats.

In terms of 'poolside shoes' are crocs ok! Or sandals? Or pool shoes??

They live their lives in crocs currently

Crocs are perfect. I usually pack chino style shorts and short sleeved shirts for evenings, they look nice and smart and I can get some nice photos. Definitely take rash vests for Turkey the sun can be fierce. They can wear swim shorts to breakfast but I prefer to have jersey shorts and t shirts for the daytime. You usually get decent baggage allowance so I take spares for them.

Try and take tops & bottoms that you can mix and match rather than lots of outfits that don’t go with anything else, then if you spill dinner down a clean top one evening you can still wear the shorts or skirt with something else.
Take a fleece or hoody for on the plane and you might need it if you’re sitting outside in the evening.
check if you need pool towels or if the hotel provides them.
things dry fast so I’d under pack and take some travel wash so you can always rinse things through in the sink if needed.

In June I went away with my 2 dd - 1 and 3.
3 swim wear each (uv ones from Tesco/next/jojo and water hats, though baseball caps will be fine).
a couple (like 2) pool/strappy/beach throw on dresses or shorts/T-shirts for going to and from the pool/covering up with if they need out the sun for a bit, and yes crocs are perfect!
i like dressing up so my girls had about 5 nice dresses for the evenings again next/jojo etc, and then they could use those dresses the next day if we went out for the day on a trip or a walk. Took one pair of white sandals each too and they travelled in trainers, well the baby didn’t!
1 pair of pjs

goid thinks to take hand held fans, glow sticks for at night to keep them entertained, colouring etc.

have a fab time!

I usually back very basic clothes for the day time (cotton shorts, vest tops etc just to go over swimming costumes).

Then for the evening I back denim/chino shorts, linen shirts/polo tops etc.

I usually take a new outfit for each evening we're there and then maybe 3/4 shorts/vests for the day time.

On to wear, on drying and one to air. They will wear at least 2 different sets a day and the rash suits take a while to dry.

We are going to Turkey in few weeks too can't wait We are there for 10 days so I've packed for them 10 x day outfits (plus 2 spares for my younger one), and 10 x night outfits, plus 3 x swimmers, 2 x swim towel ponchos each, poolside sliders and then a "nicer" pair of sandals for evenings. People tend to shower and change for evening dinner and entertainment. Then they each have a comfy travel outfit and they wear the same on the way home (I take travel hand wash liquid and give it a quick wash in the bath when we get there then hang it on the balcony ready to wear home). They wear trainers to travel in, and usually leggings T-shirt and a jumper as when you travel home they get cold on landing. They each have a little rucksack for the plane with an empty water bottle (fill after security), snacks, colouring, iPad, headphones, a little soft toy and I always travel them with a big muslin/swaddle leftover from babyhood as they're so versatile - blanket or rolled up as pillow on the plane, sun shade, a bib if they're messy or sick etc.

Oh - and 2 x sets of PJs!