Help! Abroad for the First Time with The DCs.....

[moonblushtomato]

Off to Spain in June and am starting to think about what to pack. LOs are 3 and 5.

Here goes.....

Calpol, plasters, sun cream, after sun, sticker books to keep them occupied at dinner, ........agh! Have I forgotten anything essential??

Arm bands!!

Lot of hats. Stacking cups from ELC take up no room and have multiple uses - from sandcastles to hairwashing....I would take some child friendly immodium type stuff and anti-histamine.

Go to Poundland/B&M and buy cheap water toys, goggles, floats, beach balls, etc and pack them. Will save you a fortune. I'm a huge sticker book lover. Again buy 2 pencil cases and fill them with cheap crayons, pencils etc, notebooks - use them on the plane as well.

A few new cheap toys to entice them inside when its really warm, they can be mustard to get out of the pool. You will have a fab time, best time ever in our house going on holiday with the dcs - mine were 5 and 3 last year and the baby came too

Dioralyte, antiseptic lotion, motion sickness pills. The works and Poundland also good for sticker books. Plastic water bottles you can carry everywhere. Cheap pack small raincoats.

Yes, dioralyte (tho it tastes bloody awful and can never ever get it down them!) just in case of the dreaded runs.

Have already bought 2 blow up beach balls from Poundland - fab! Will go back and get some goggles!

Love the idea of the pencil cases too, watch out Poundland, I'm coming back!!

Thanx wiggles I'm really looking forward to it in a nervous/anxious/panic stricken kind of way!! Just bought a couple of sticker books from Amazon about holidays and airports.

Thought about wrapping up some cheap toys for the flight too??

Can't wait to catch some rays away from this endless deluge......

wearymum of course - good old Savlon, known as "magic cream" chez nous!

Might buy raincoats but don't want to jinx the weather

Sun proof clothing, lots of cheap hats and t shirts. No need for aftersun, dont let them get too much sun. Stay in for your siesta bwteen 12-2

Definitely need to buy some hats, not sure about the sun proof clothing. I've bought some factor 50, surely that will suffice??

I'll be honest I never went mad on the clothes, cheap T-shirts, shorts, a couple of swimming costumes. I will put my hand on my heart and say I have never brought a raincoat, hoodies which they wore on the plane did them and I think one night they needed them when we sat out to watch the mini disco [shudder]

Mine always liked those towelling robe things after swimming, we used to yank them out of the pool around 12, strip them, stick their towelling dresses on and head back for a sleep.

I brought a tube of travel wash with me for cleaning up the odd t-shirt that had got Slushie all over it but had to be worn again and it was really handy when one of the girls was sick once.

The sun in Spain in June is fierce. If you can't entice them inside between 12-2ish then then those sunproof suits mean you won't have to worry quite so much

You will have a fab time

which bit of Spain is it?

Sorry x posted I only used the sun suits when mine were baby babies Loose t-shirts that cover shoulders, necks etc, same with hat. My dd2 was terrible to keep a hat on but she loved bandanas whick kept her head covered. I never went as high as a factor 50, but I kept them out of any prolonged sun for the 1 - 3.30pm period and I reapplied suncream and watched them in the water with the sun.

Suncream is great as lomg as you reappply it very often, especially if they are in and out the water.

wiggle yes I love the idea of those towelling cover up things. Just seen one in Boden but am wondering if anywhere else sells them somewhat cheaper??

A great idea to have a rest out of the sun in the afternoon too.

We are going to Menorca where I'm not sure if we'll be guaranteed hot sun? Might be wrong as haven't been abroad for 7 years!!!

Also hoodies/light jackets are a good idea for the plane, as I remember it can get a bit chilly up there!

I have always gotten mine from Next or M&S. I was a bit sceptical about them at first but mine love them, but I would get the ones that have sides not the poncho ones if that makes sense .

Menorca will be hot. We usually go to Ibiza in May/June and its hot for us.

Menorca shouldn't be as hot as the mainland (good choice )

but June is when the sun is highest & burniest, so def be cautious with sunscreen & covering up either side of midday

\link{http://uk.weather.com/travel/travel-Mahon-SPXX0051?tab=2\have a rummage around weather.co.uk} Average high in June is 24, so it can be quite a bit hgher (but OTOH it's a small island so the sea breeze cools things down)

Strangely just been looking at next website and they have them for girls for alot less than Boden - surprise surprise!

Tho they don't seem to do them for boys...maybe it'll have to be a towelling poncho?

We go to greece in june and our kids hardly wear any proper clothes at all. They spend most of the day at the beach and the pool, wearimg hats, sunglasses, board shorts and sunproof t shirts. They dry very quiclky when they come out of the water, so they dont have to get changed all the time. They hate having to stop playing to get changed and apply more cream.

Ours also do a lot of childrens activities at the hotel we go to and they have to be covered up for those.I guess its different if you will be doing lots of sightseeing , shopping, dining out etc as you will be in the shade a lot of the time. Being on/beside the water intensifies the risk of burning

With the clothing you oly have to cream their lower legs, lower arms and faces/necks. You do of course have to endure the looks of the spanish/italian/russian parenst whose children will be naked except for a bandana. But i can only assume they have different skin as their rates of skin cancer are lower.

Hope you have a great holiday!

Comics are light and easily folded into a bag, usually have a free 'toy' too. Handy for boring queues to entertain and quick to put away.

Yes to a tube of travel wash. Even if no-one is ill, there are always food/drink spills, and you can get away with packing less underwear if you do a couple of quick hand washes a week.

The weather will be hot even if it doesn't seem so. If you are worried about rain, get some kagoules that pack up really small from somewhere like Millets, if the temperature should drop and it is wet, they can be worn over a sweatshirt or fleece. This is also true of returning home and stepping off the plane to a deluge!

The £1 shop do a pack of disposable waterproof poncho's - 3 for £1.

We have bickets and spades from £1 shop - they also do child friendly mosquito repellent bands to wear in the evening.

You will need mosquito repellent in Menorca! The local pharmacies sell all the things you have listed above, and all speak excellent English, if you want to make room in your suitcase for something else!

We went twice to Majorca and both times the pharmacies spoke English and can sell the same things you buy here.

We took Calpol with us as DD has the tendency to need it in the middle of the night so I have at least something handy.

Books, crayons, colouring book for entertainment in restaurants and on the plane.

I bought UV50 suits as DD never stayed under the sunshade, she wanted to build a sandcastle and a moat. As we have a history of skin problems and skin cancer in the family I am overprotective about it.

Nothing to add to all the excellent suggestions here, just wanted to post to say have a great time!

I'm hoping to take DS (5) away for the first time, and have just read through getting more and more excited.
Love holiday stuff shopping!

Comics - a great idea, think I might wrap a couple for the plane. Take a couple for restaurants along with loads of sticker books!!

Thanx, had forgotten about the dreaded mozzies!!

Travel wash another good idea and LOVE the Poundshop ponchos!!

Thanx veggies for dual excitement post!! I love shopping full stop so "Holiday Shopping" is even more exciting. Just been paid so am off tomorrow to get MYSELF a few nice bits!!

Another question from Travelling for Dummies....whats the deal with stuff you can't take in your hand luggage on the plane? (YES it really has been that long since I've been airborne!) Am I right in thinking no bottles of water - eek, a good slurp of water always calms my nerves

You can buy water airside and bring it on, oh and bring a couple of empty juice flask things kids have to pour water/juice into on the plane. My lovely dd2 managed to tip a whole water bottle onto herself and me 10 mins into a flight

I always bring shorts in my hand luggage for the girls to change into when we reach the sunny side

You can buy bottled water after passport control.

I always take a spare pair of clothes and a set of swimwear in hand luggage just in case there are any luggage issues.

I have found the chemists in Spain to be fabulous for any minor complaint.dont worry about the medicines.

i have always taken a portable DVD player for Dds,it's great late afternoon when they are getting tired. Also attracts potential friends,we put a towel in a shaded area and they have an hours rest.

Snacks,I take loads,little biscuits etc or buy when there. Are you self catering/hotel?

I take full extra outfit for dd who is 3,also extra t shirt for dh as strangly every trip he gets something on him.

Wet wipes/nappies are very expensive in Spain so take plenty.i have never been able to find nappy sack either.

I always pack buckets and spades as they are expensive out there,both my Dds love a plastic tea set as well.
It's a short flight,I always use my hand luggage allowance for heavy items.