Tips & things you found handy on your summer hols.....

[papaya]

.....a few holidays ago i saw a couple with a young toddler, they had took a small paddling pool with them, filled with a little water, made a triangle shape with 3 loungers...the little one was merrily playing in the paddling pool in the 'safety' triangle with a parasol over it, whilst the parents sunbathed on the loungers....

Any tips like this, or tips for things you found really handy that you took with you would be very much appreciated. Its my first summer hol with DD in May....tia

So far on my list.....

• arm bands!

Confiscate some of your lo;s toys a month or so before the holiday, wrap them up and bring them out on the plane - unwrapping activity and reunited with old favourite = happy lo.
Take familiar bedding- we took our kids grobags with us.
Check and double check if you have requested bulkhead seats - often they overbook these seats and only allocate to those who confirm.
Travel in pj's for night flights with a change of clothing for adults and lo in hand luggage.
Take an extra top and trousers for yourself in case lo throws up on you/has an explosive nappy. You don't want to be smelling for the remainder of your trip.
Take enough milk/bottles to last you 1 1/2 times your expected journey time in case of delays.
Can you pre order nappies in your resort/accommodation to save you lugging 3 days worth with you?

This thread is graet, I am taking DS(3) and DD (18 months) away in April so am picking up lots of tips

Portable DVD player

Harness complete with "lead". Means little one can be sat safely in any chair, by attaching the harness and winding the "lead" around it.

Am loving this thread! We're taking DS to Corfu in May - he'll be 8 months. Any thing in particular we should think about taking with us other than things already mentioned here (I think we may need to take a huge back pack on the plane along with putting a suitcase in the hold. Can you put those large 'backpacker' style back packs in the luggage area above your seat in planes?

not used one but something like This? to stop mosquitos

Bump

bump come on experienced travellers.....give us your tips pleeeeaaaaassssseeeeee.......I too am going on my 1st summer hol with my DD this yr there must be more tips???

greyriver...as someone who travels a great deal (dh abroad at present) may i respectfully uggest you ignore all of these suggestions?
They will stress you out panicking about packing and ultimately lugging unnecessary crap across the world-not what a holiday is about.

You're somewhere new-there are always intersting things to see and do and taste and play with.

I don't take anything special with me naywhere,and in last few years,must have been to about 20 different countries and taken about 50 ++ flights with my kids.

I tend to agree with Moondog - you can tie yourself in knots worrying and do yourself an injury lugging bags, buggy and baby etc! We take long haul flights quite often (DS 4, DD 2) and if all our stuff doesn't fit into one medium sized suitcase (for four of us) then it doesn't come. It really makes you disciplined about what you take. We NEVER wear all the clothes that we take - and that's being brutal when packing.

In the past I've hired stuff ie cots, highchair, car seats, even a buggy locally when we've been going for longer than a fortnight.

In flight I take a back pack and make sure I have medicines and a few light snacks (raisins, dried fruit etc) and a small pack of wipes. Of course nappies etc too when they were younger. When they were on formula I would take the 4oz sachets - much easier than cartons or the plastic containers. Everything else is pretty much avail on board and remember children can be very adaptable. IME they don't eat as much when flying so won't starve - even if they end up eating your breadroll and cheese for 24 hours.

We're off to NZ and Dubai in a fortnight - and I'm aiming to take even less this time!

Well said Maggie.
We did Dubai this time last year with asmall suitcase for the four of us (me,dh,6 mth old baby and 4 yr old dd)

maggies/moondog - you've just reassured me. We're about to go to Aus - 7 hrs to dubai then 15 to Melbourne. I am slightly apprehensive about it but I guess we just take it one hour at a time.

Oh Moondog - I've just posted separately asking for shopping/tipping advice in Dubai. Never been before and don't want to miss anything! Would love your input!

Maggi,I'm not big on shopping tbh.
We live in Turkey a lot of the year and went to Dubai to escape a big religious festival.

However,we had a lot of fun.
We stayed in the Jumeirah Beach resort (one shaped like a waveopposite the Burj) which was fab. Everything was perfect.
What was great was the Big Red Bus company city tour-great way to orientate yourself. Went to a lot of the big malls (if that is oyur thing) and also drives you out to where all the mad 24/7 construction is going on.)

I know most people don't come for the culture but we liked the museum too. The kids (6 mths and 4) enjoyed a boat ride on the creek.

Not too sure about tipping-I'm like the queen, dh won't let me handle money,but any guidebook should tell you.

Have a great time!