What to take - beach/pool holiday.

[QforCucumber]

Posted in holidays but no replies -
I feel like I've never been on holiday before - first holiday as a family of 4 in a few weeks. DS8 and DS4. not been away 'properly' (i.e. more than a weekend in Centre parcs) since pre covid (so ds4 hasn't ever flown)

We're doing 9 nights, All Inclusive, beach/pool type holiday. 4 hour flight.

What on Earth do I need? I used to be so organised, now I feel like I'm looking at a blank sheet of paper with no idea where to begin. Help!

At least two sets of swimsuits per person.
maybe rash vests for the children
lots of sunscreen
hats for all
flip flops per person
underwear for everyone per day plus a few extra
sandals per person for evening if you don’t want to wear flip flops out to dinner
clothes for everyone for going out in the evening
shorts and t-shirts
Any regular meds
A basic first aid kit
books or kindle (is my number 1!)
toiletries for everyone

I’m sure I have forgotten some things but hopefully that will get you started.

Oh - sunglasses!

Talcum powder (excellent for getting sand off wet bodies)

Travel insurance.

Over the head earphones for your dc so they can play on their ipad/watch a movie on the flight.

Oh these are great thankyou! no idea why my mind has gone blank!

If you have enough luggage allowance, I like to get some pool/beach toys in advance as well as they are much cheaper in Asda/home bargains than abroad. Goggles, pool toys etc. We also take card games or small games to keep in hand luggage because they can be used on the plane or at the airport as well as taken out in the evening to keep children occupied. Pens and a pad always get used in the evening too!

When Dts were younger and actually let me choose their clothes, I used to pack an outfit per day including underwear into a large sandwich bag for each kid plus one spare each.

They were always in swim stuff all day so always took three sets each, one on, one drying and one spare.

Take an extension cable or three and converters. There are never enough sockets for charging.

check with your hotel but potentially swim towels. Those hoodie towels are useful for kids around the pool too. Definitely a rash vest per child if you want to avoid endless arguments about reapplying sun cream!
I wouldn't take tonnes of other clothes if you're going to spend most days by the pool. they're of an age where they can probably wear the same thing to dinner a couple of evenings. Take some handwash liquid then you can always rinse things out in the sink.
A hoodie or fleece for on the plane and to wear in the evenings.
Plug adaptors
Put your sunglasses in your hand luggage and it can be glaringly bright when you first step off the plane!

Plug adapters for European sockets and device chargers. Someone on here recommended taking a 4 plug extension cord to charge more at once, which I thought was genius.

Uno! Great for pre-flight, flight, evenings.

Other than that, I generally start with 'what will I need for our first day/night (beach clothes, towel if not provided, shoes, goggles etc) and then work forwards - stuff for getting showered, changed into for going out, PJ's, and then times that up.

I usually take a couple of mesh bags to throw the kids pool toys (diving weights, zogg balls, goggles) into & then they can be responsible for gathering them all up at the end of each day.

Suncream, aftersun, insect repellant, bite cream, pain relief, germolene.

Ooooh I love holiday planning so hopefully OP these tips may be useful -

• Perhaps too time consuming to do for kids packing but I've learned over the years the best way to avoid overpacking for my own stuff is actually plan my wardrobe. As in, on paper! So I sort my outfits out according to day (a breakfast dress - don't laugh!), bikin and cover up for a pool or beach day), then evening and I physically write this on a grid so I can check items into my case. I'm a bit anal about it and try to adapt the evening outfits from week 1 into week 2s day/breakfast stuff and this also covers off a few outfits for sightseeing days. So I'm week one I'll maybe wear smart shorts with a cami top. As I'm only wearing it for a few hours after a shower bill probably wear the same thing a few nights later. Then next week I will wear the shirts with a nice T shirt for a day out then for breakfast a few days later. This way I'm mixing and matching thus cutting down on taking Shit I'm Not Gojng to Wear.

Footwear I'll just take x 2 smart leather sandals, Black and Tan and as most of my evening stuff is black/white/grey/tan I can just alternate the two. I the take one pair of chunky sandals that work by the pool but look smart for a day out/popping for coffee.

Can't recall if you said you are going AI but if so we like to take one of those little squeeze bottles of concentrate squash as I don't like pop in the day but start to get bored with water on account on how much bill drink in the day.

Oh, on passports especially if they are all the same colour write names on a piece thread d washi or masking tape and pop on the back ... so so much easier when getting through check in and passport control and you need to quickly put boarding pass with passport. This is perfectly legal btw, I've been doing it for 15 years and not once been picked up on it

Forgot to say ... have a wonderful time

Oh and once you are all packed, before you zip up your cases do the following -

Take a photo of the inside showing how your case looks when opened, and

Sheet of A4 paper with your surname, mobile number and flight number placed face up on top.

This way, should your luggage not follow you for several weeks it helps the airline identify your case in the event tags/identifying items fall off. Hi f course you could use those tag things too but this is a useful back up.

Speaking from bitter experience after coming home from Naples airport last year

My only concession to over packing is several extra pairs of pants. Basically I could shit myself every day and never run out of pants

Some thin fold up bags in your hand luggage bag to store your cheap boots meal deals to take on the plane . And other unnecessary crap one may buy in airport shops

Thin microfibre towels for pool beds as they don't take up much space. I always like to have my own even when they are provided as DD plonks herself down on them all in turn when she gets out of the pool. At least then we have some dry ones

Pop up laundry basket for room.

If you’re going to arrive at the hotel room before your room is ready (3 in the afternoon) then pack a set of swim wear and sun cream at the top of one suitcase so you can start your holiday. If you will be going home/afternoon evening then pack a waterproof bag (bin bag is fine) to put the wet things in before they go into your case.

Oh lord. So many typos in my posts

I always took Lego and Thomas metal trains with us.

DS is an only, get these out poolside et voila instant friends.

hahaha @tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz you sound more excited for my holiday than I am!

Love the ideas though and it's really helping me to get organised (procrastinate at work) especially the masking tape thing!!The kids both have the new navy/black ones and having their names on the back will help lots as I feel they're so flimsy compared to our old burgundy ones!

I also bought many years ago a hairdryer with a USA plug. It's been to so many places in the US since you wouldn't believe.

Another one for coming home. If there is a laundry nearby, take all your dirty stuff in to be washed and ironed the day before you leave. Get home, open case, hang up clean and ironed clothes.

Medicine for the kids - full bottle of Calpol, Ibuprofen liquid, allergy syrup, bite cream, something for upset tummies. If they get sick on holiday you can't just walk into a supermarket and buy these things off the shelf like you can in the UK and pharmacies aren't open 24/7.

One bottle of sun cream per person per week, aqua shoes for the kids if they will be running around the pool, the floor can be slippery. Long sleeve rash vests for the beach. Keppi style swim hats to protect their necks and ears from sunburn.

Plenty of snacks for the plane, my DS4 ate non stop for the whole flight last year! DS8 was happy to watch films on the plane the whole way but DS4 was bored out of his mind so take lots of things to entertain.

I didn't take a pushchair for DS4 last time we went on holiday and regretted it, he didn't like walking in the heat and after a full day at the pool he just wanted to sleep from 8 pm, a pushchair would have been a lifesaver. I'm thinking of taking one this year even though he'll be five!

I once got chatting by the pool one year to a lady who did just this ... she was mum to three little ones and said she planned to take her phone and a glass of wine and it was actually a nice escape for an hour as there was a really pretty and quiet terrace next to the hotel's laundry room

And image opening your case to to clean and fresh stuff. Great idea!

Yes I'm a bit of a saddo! DD is in exams year so we've not done anything over any school hols yet and won't do till done as it's Revision Central. So until we go away in the summer I'm living vicariously through everyone else's holiday