To ask for your tips on taking a toddler away on a holiday for the first time ever?

[BoredAtWork1000]

Hi, a bit of a long-winded title sorry and I'm posting in AIBU for traffic (fingers crossed).
I've booked my first trip with my little girl for the end of August. Not going abroad but going to the south coast from Yorkshire. Driving down. I'm so excited about it and hope to be taking her to the beach for the first time, and Peppa Pig World! but I wondered if anyone had any tips on how to make it as comfortable and unstressful as possible! There is just me taking her & we will be staying in a holiday inn.
For anyone who takes or is used to taking young toddlers away, I'd appreciate any advice!

Thank you :)

Take headphones and an entertainment device. Unless of course you want to go to sleep at toddler bed time.

Take some toys but nothing precious.

Buy or borrow a travel cot and let her have a go in it before the first night of the holiday.
Consider getting some Joyrides (travel sickness pills). My DD always throws up on car journeys longer than about half an hour and half a Joyride completely sorts it.
Take some familiar food/snacks.
Don't try to do too much and both get exhausted!
Hope you have a great time!

Thank you both! Yes, I will be taking some sort of device and headphones, I don't fancy going to bed at 7pm every night.

I hadn't though about travel sickness, that's a good catch!

Re: beds/cots, my little girl can climb out of any cot now so she's in a toddler bed. I was going to get one of those travel toddler beds that I can inflate whilst we are there as I don't believe we can get a toddler bed provided at this particular hotel.

I just pray the weather is nice for us. It will be weird walking around wearing a face mask for sure.

Put everything at toddler level on top of the wardrobe.Especially the toilet brush. Do not think “ she won’t reach that”. She will.

Take her own bedding - hotel quilts tend to be quite chunky and are heavy for a toddler. Expect her to end up in bed with you.

Ask for a room with a bath as a lot of the showers aren't movable and are too powerful for a toddler. (or take a baby bath)

Don't forget some toys or games for while you're in the room.

I've done multiple holidays with toddlers, if you give me a bit I'm sure I'll think of more things 😂😊

My first advice would have been a holiday cottage not a shared hotel room (some are no more expensive) but a PPs advice about entertainment device and headphones will help with that. For less stress, just take it easy. Don’t have rules about when to eat/nap/play. Go with the flow. Do child friendly stuff all the time. I had a great time solo with my DD when she was small. We spent ages crab fishing off the harbour wall because she was fascinated and loved it.

Take snacks for both of you

Assume you won't have a kitchen so will be eating together. You may well want something after bed time. She might before breakfast etc.

When I did this with DS I took the just add hot water porridge pots

Aww thank you all for these tips. I will definitely plan to take snacks for us both, we both like our food :)

@Timeandtune yes I can believe that. She has found the one at home and thinks it is a toy much to my dismay.

I just can't wait to see her little face at Peppa Pig World and playing on the beach :)

Take a towel and change of clothes or swimsuit to PP world (for her) as the splash pools, or “muddy puddles,” are the best bit!

Pack each complete outfit in a large snack bag. Socks, pants, hair ribbons or whatever.

I second the snacks for both of you and take it easy. Be ready to change plans. I was super excited to take my lo to a beach when she was 2 only to find out she HATES the feel of sand on her feet. Are you still using a stroller? We did not use one day to day after dd turned 3 but brought it on holidays for a year or two after that.

Download the PP app and either first thing or after lunch tend to be the quietest times in Peppa Pig World. As I understand it, you can now do virtual queue booking for some of the rides. How tall is she? There are several rides in Paulton’s Park for 90cm/1m and they are great fun with few queues whereas Peppa Pig World can get really busy.

Take an inflatable bath - we have one that fits in the bottom of a shower cubicle.
Will she share a bed with you? Have always found the easiest thing for mine is just to take a travel bed guard for one side.

A new cheap toy is quite a good idea, especially for keeping her entertained in the car. I used to get the busy books with little figurines in, but not sure of the age limit, might be 3+.

@BoredAtWork you don’t need a toddler bed. Just put a pool noodle under the fitted bed sheet.

Try and drive around nap times (or leave at bedtime). Sleeping toddler on journey is much easier, otherwise plan lots of stops. Take extra clothes too for inevitable accidents.

SNACKS!!! More than you think you’ll eat, just in case, you can always bring them home.
How old is she?
I’m just a little bit jealous me and DH our boys loved PP world, can’t wait to take the youngest, buts it’s about a 5 hour drive for us !

Thanks again to you all, some really useful hints and tips here!
The pool noodle under the bedsheet I had never thought of (!)

She is two years old (turned 2 in May) and due to finances/lockdown/caring for elderly relatives I have never been able to afford to take her anywhere apart from parks and soft play centres e.t.c, so I honestly cannot wait :)

I just wanted to say - we took my daughter to peppa pig world when she was a little bit younger than yours and my expectations were way too high!!!! My daughter hated queuing and there were loooooong queues! We ended up having to give up a couple of times - she then discovered the soft play in the cafe and wouldn't come out. We basically paid £100 (or whatever it was!) for her to play in soft play!

However, we took her abroad (Dubai) for her second birthday (she turned two whilst we were out there!) and it was a lovely time and a lot more laid back. So I think what I'm trying to say is that when my expectations were high it was a disaster .... and when I was braced for disaster it was surprisingly lovely!

I'm jealous though - it sounds like a lovely holiday and it's a beautiful part of the country (although I'm biased as I'm originally from Dorset!). have a wonderful time!

When stopped during a drive with dd at that age, I would park away from the toilets. After time in the car seat, she was desperate for cuddles so I would carry her to the loo and then put her down. She would then be happy to run around back to the car.

If you are driving and dd is asleep, keep driving. If you have a pitstop planned, and dd is asleep, keep driving and stop somewhere else.

If there's no chain on the door, you might want to take a wedge or put the chair in front of it if she can reach the handle. My oldest nephew once let himself out of a hotel room and was making a break for the lift at about that age.

I put the bags behind the front seats in the car to fill the space in a bit so if they dropped anything, it was easier to reach. My car has a flip down console in the back with cup holders so we put drinks in there.

I have been to Peppa pig works three times my children love it. Remember to pre book for anywhere you want to visit due to Covid19 limiting numbers.