Tips for first trip away?

[Magslee]

I'm planning a trip to the seaside this summer - we'll be staying in a chalet with friends ds knows well but it's our first holiday. Ds is 2.3 now and when we go he'll have been with me 6 months. I think he will love the seaside and all that but am worried about how he'll find sleeping somewhere else. I'd be really grateful for any tips on how to prepare him for the trip etc and any advice about trips away. thanks so much

Talk to him about him in advance

Take his bedding, as well as favourite toy, so bed is more familiar

Try to keep to the same routine as much as possible eg meal times, bed time

Be prepared for difficulty settling the first couple of nights

Have fun!!

We took DD on holiday after 6 months with us - she was 17 months. Did exactly as Families suggests. It helped that she is a pretty good sleeper, but favourite toys and her bedding helped.

We also showed her round as soon as we got there; showed her where she would be sleeping and made sure there was plenty of opportunity to settle into the cottage before it was time to go to sleep.

Enjoy the holiday :)

Last June was our first holiday. DS had been with us 15 months and he was 2.9.

We talked about it regularly leading up to when you are going and explain that you are going to a 'holiday house' for a few days to play at the seaside and to spend lots of time together and then coming back 'home' after. By the time we went he really understood that we weren't going to be there forever and we were going to come back home again.

I would also echo what Happies said. Get there as early as possible in the day so he can have time to adjust before bedtime.
We planned to get there mid afternoon but then car broke down in Asda car park and we had to get Green Flag out so we didn't get there until 5 and then had to go find food. He was so excited/overwhelmed that he was diving around like a nutter until 9pm!!

We took his bedding and teddies and a travel cot even though there were single beds there. The rules were that is he messed around (swinging from the curtains or diving around on the beds) that he'd have to sleep in the travel cot. He messed around every night and we figured out that it was because he wanted to sleep in the travel cot!!

We let him lead our activities to some extent when we were there. He got a choice about whether we went to the beach, a walk or played in the garden. We took as many toys as we could fit in a Trunki toybox so we spent a lot of time with him choosing what he wanted to take.

It's one week until holiday 2 and this time we're going abroad. We have been talking about it for months now and showing him pictures of the airplane/resort/rooms etc.