Has anyone ever had a good holiday experience with a toddler?!

[lancsgirl85]

So, having read a lot of threads on here about how it's a nightmare to take a little one abroad, I'm looking for any positive experiences whatsoever of taking an under 2 on holiday abroad. I'm actually starting to regret booking it due to reading about "dreadful" holiday experiences on here as well as my own anxiety tying me up in knots. 😫

So AIBU to ask if there are any positive experiences of holidaying abroad with an under 2? I'll take anything at this point 😂

Of course, plenty of them, when I had just 1, then 2 and then 3. Half of the time I was alone before DH would join us at our holiday home. So at times, I would be alone with a baby, a toddler and a 5 years old.

It all comes down to defining what you call holiday.
Sleeping by the pool or browsing your phone happily and undisturbed , nope , not going to work.
Enjoy them , play with them, do sandcastles, fetch thousands of buckets of water from the sea, going on a sea shell hunt, making up stories about pirates, cast aways ., you are going to build the ninja course, ....

The only difficult part is carrying stuff, sun umbrella, towels (including the one you stand one while drying child) , a beach bag with cream and water, and a big net filled with beach toy and dragging a stroller at the time.

Holiday will reflect the dynamic you have at home. You have a tantrumy child, never happy , holiday will be tough. You have a normal child, you may have the best time ever.

Bring buckets (at least 2), a couple of spades, some cheap toy cars (10?) - because you will be building the biggest ever car circuit and will attract all the kids within a 100 mt range - , small ball the size of pingpong ball - ditto as above, a circuit - , a bigger ball to play soccer, arm bands, ...

Use a beach umbrella anchor so you won't have to chase your umbrella if windy and you will be able to keep it open.

And don't bring crap to the beach, only fruit. Rubbish food will make kids cranky. As will screens. The second you hand your phone to a child, its imagination and creativity is down the toilet.

We didn't bother with abroad when they were little and had two or three short breaks with them rather than a long break.

Loved it, watching them poke about in tidal pools with their little nets, making sandcastles, getting covered in ice cream. It was as tiring for us as it was for them.

We didn’t go abroad but went to the south coast which for us is an 8 hour drive so almost like a long haul trip 😂 I had a just turned 2yo and it was fantastic, the weather was very hot so we spent a lot of time on the beach and we had a great time, no meltdowns we couldn’t handle, no real issues with food/sleep, we all just had a brilliant time! My advice would be to not expect too much, and try your hardest to get them to have a nap somehow… I have a nap avoider so DH took them for a very long walk in the buggy at lunchtime on beach days until they fell asleep. The recent threads have shook me as well recently as we’ve got a long haul trip abroad booked for next year and I’ll have a 4yo and a 2yo but I keep reminding myself that we had a good time last year!

We used to take dd1 abroad now problem even to Cuba! It has to be all inclusive though and you have to chill out if they only agree to eat ice cream for a solid week.

@Cormoran

Your holidays sound awesome. Exhausting😂 but awesome.

I'm not expecting rest by the pool and undisturbed cocktails on the balcony - I'm fully expecting it to be 100mph like it is at home (except when she naps).

Im actually really looking forward to seeing her little face as she explores new things and plays new games. 🥰

Never had a bad holiday with my DC's. Always went self catering. Sometimes we ate out and other times ate in. They say a change is as good as a rest. I dont mind cooking on holiday as there are often new foods to try and new shops to look around. Holidays are what you make it
First holiday was when DS was 8 mos in Portugal, again there when DS was 3 and DD 18mos. That one DS was ill for a couple of days and had a FC but still had a good time the rest of the holiday.
After that we had lots of holidays in european centerpacs which the DC adored, great holiday clubs and plenty for adults to do as well.

We had a great eurocamp holiday when DS2 was 2 and DS1 was 6. Lots of freedom for them to do their own thing.

OTOH we had an awful villa holiday when DS1 was 2 as the holiday and villa was not suitable for a 2yo. Totally our own fault!

It wasn't abroad but we had a brilliant holiday with DS1 when he was 11mo on the Isle of Wight :) He was still in the very portable stage though and no trouble at all.

I agree that if you treat it as an exploratory experience for them and not as a relaxing break for you, it will generally be fine.

We took ours hill walking in Scotland, one backpack and toddler each. Really brilliant for everyone. Friends took their tandem, trailer and twin toddlers through France and into Spain one summer, camping all the way. They loved it and did it again a few years later with the children on tow-alongs.

Maybe not everyone's type of holiday though.

Yeah we've had multiple holidays with our two kids and loved them. Not always easy all the time but good fun and with routine we got downtime too

Yes - this is exactly the mindset I'm in. Exploratory and a new fun experience for DD rather than a "break" for us. We haven't had one of those for the past 16 months so it's sort of become an accepted way of life tbh 😂

Me!! I’ve 3 children; all under 9. We’ve been going abroad 3/4 times a year since the eldest was 6 weeks old so we’ve had loads of holidays with toddlers and young children and I’ve only, hand on heart, had 1 bad one and that’s because I was 28 weeks pregnant with number 3 and got a horrific sickness bug whilst there. we have never ever used a kids club abroad either.

Never had an issue. Dc are just over 3 years apart and I've holidayed as a single parent more than once a year since dd1 was a baby then with 2. It's always been amazing. Tbh this year was the worst. It was still great but the constant fighting ruined it slightly- they are 9 and 12. Bring back the toddlers, all is forgiven 😆

I also think if you want to eat out and your child is fussy, researching ahead is really helpful. Go on tripadvisor or google maps and scope out the possibilities, then go on their websites and download menus. You'll be able to see which are likely to have viable options and which are no use, and you won't be stuck with a screaming tired baby snapping at your partner because the one you happen to be near has nothing suitable.

Yep we did Tenerife at Xmas just before ds turned 2 he was great on the flight,transfer kept settled in a routine. We either all ate together early or fed him early at the hotel (half board) then went out and by the time we got wherever we ended up he was asleep. We got time to ourselves over his 2hr (!not normal) daytime nap and again in the evenings.

Hes now 2.5 we’ve just been to Crete 2hr difference he was up late every night so no time to relax apart from his daytime nap, we also had our 3 other children which changed the dynamic plus it was a villa rather than a hotel not nearly as relaxing 😌

Yes I took my 2 year old for a week to Corfu a few years ago and it was absolutely brilliant, they loved every second. I did at times have to let him nap on my chest with me lying on my back on a pebble beach, but needs must.

No, but a mix of holidays with mates only, center parcs, trips to all inclusive resorts with family make it an easier all encompassing year of tots and break time

Yes, had wonderful holidays. But, it is a holiday with toddlers. It won't be like before, you have to manage expectations and not plan too much.

Most importantly take photos, ten years down the line the memories are beautiful.

Yes. I had a really good holiday recently with DS (2 years old) and DH to one of the Balearic Islands. DH and I didn’t sit down by the pool once, our evenings were spent playing cards or reading on the balcony and we spent a lot of our time during the day between the lobby (DS was obsessed by the goings on there) or at the resort’s play area that you could have easily found in any UK park…but I was prepared for it to be that way and it was absolutely fine. I was surprised how much I enjoyed myself. I genuinely think expectations are key. If you go thinking you can laze by the pool and read all day, or explore lots of tourist sites in blazing heat, you’ll be disappointed. If you go expecting it to be parenting a toddler, but abroad, you’ll likely have a much better time.

You'll be absolutely fine! We went to Ibiza when my sons were 7 1/2 months and 18 months old. In fact, we found it much easier than when we just went to Ibiza again when they were 5 1/2 and 4 1/2! The fact they're in a pushchair was easier and they had afternoon naps. I mean we didn't get to have sunbathing sessions but you know enjoyed it with them paddling in the pool, so please don't worry! As others have said you will probably stick to your bedtime routine which is a bit boring for the mums and dads but if you have like an in-facing balcony maybe you can still hear the evening entertainment by the pool. AI food will be fine you will find them something to eat. Enjoy!

Yes. Fabulous toddler holidays in a SC villa. Tried to stick to a normal-ish routine so had mornings out and about visiting local towns/markets/attractions/beaches. Nice lunches out and then DH and I managed the odd hour with our books while DC napped.

Swimming in the afternoon and then easy dinner back in the villa. - bread, cheese, meat, nibbles, pasta etc.

DC in bed for 8pm and then a few glasses of wine for us.

🥺 aww this made me a bit emotional

We went to the Caribbean on an all inclusive with our two kids this year . A three year old and an 18 month old . It was one of the best weeks of my life . My 18 month old terrible sleeper slept through the night every night ; we must have exhausted him ha) & our three year old was already a great sleeper but slept fantastic at night plus took a nap every day. We didn’t have to clean or cook for a full week, kids had a blast , we loved seeing them having so much fun ! They had a kids club too which we used for one day but honestly it was more fun to have the kids. They both napped late afternoon and my husband likes to get away from the sun so I got an hour or two to myself every day to enjoy a drink by the pools/ocean. My husband enjoyed being inside the hotel room relaxing instead .

We've only done short UK breaks. Cornwall with a 5 month old, New Forest at 1, 2 night breaks at theme park hotels. They're... mostly fun. The main thing was the lack of sleep - DS was up late and woke even earlier than usual. It was miserable being trapped in a hotel room at 5am (middle of nowhere so couldn't go for a walk) waiting for breakfast to be open.

It's parenting in a new place so be prepared for that and it'll be fine.

Yes! Had x 2 lovely holidays under the age of 3. Really enjoyed the plane, the flight was just under 4 hours. iPad (Bluetooth headphones) this was a novelty btw! And then colouring books, snacks and then plane food! No bother!
We went all inclusive and also ate out so had the options of different buffet food aswell as restaurants! Nap times in the pushchairs whilst we had some quiet time! Kids mini disco which she loved!
Evening drinks on the balcony!
Obviously not going to be the relaxing holiday pre children but no housework and no cooking and both of us off work is a big bonus! Had a lovely time!!