What would a toddler need to take on holiday?

[junkfoodaddict]

Taking my 19 month old to Madeira in 4 weeks. I started writing my 'holiday list' of things to take and became rather stuck regarding my LO.

I need to know what clothes and toys to take basically!

I thought 5 evening outfits, 10 t'shirts, 5 pairs of shorts, 2 shortie pyjamas (have air conditioning in the apartment), sandals, canvas shoes for clothes.

No idea about toys/entertainment. I have a sticker book and aim to buy a couple of books for him and present them 'new' when he's bored but that's about it! Oh, taking colouring book and pencils and a few jigsaws in hold luggage.

Any suggestions?

Will you be able to wash his clothes? I think the most important things to consider would be various medications (calpol, teething gels) and so on.

Clothes sound about right.
Went on hols (ok, only 4 days, but a hol!) with DS aged 18mo, took more clothes than needed, but glad we did (went by car, so weight wasn't an issue). He had some of his favourite toys: some jumboLego, couple of books, couple of cars, favourite teddy, ducks for the bath.
If you run out of clothes/toys, you're not in the Great Australian Outback! I'm sure you'll find a toy or twenty to amuse your dc.
When we got to our apartment, DS was playing with everything he could find: opening drawers and cupboards, running in and out of rooms, climbing the bed (it was lower than ours at home).
He found great comfort in his own, familiar, favourite toys and his teddy.

Hth.

DD was 23 months at our first proper holiday aboard and we had a lot less clothing as we had a washing machine in our villa. S I just had T-shirts, shorts and PJ. No evening outfits as we stayed at home and I find a toddler in normal cloths equally cute. Oh yes, a proper UV50 wetsuit is a must.

Tons of sun cream, sun hat, calpol, plaster and a thermometer. If I would think DD needed Anyang else I would have visited a GP. Do get a good travel insurance.

We had books, some CDs, a DVD and some small games and simple puzzles. It is nice to have something to do in the early afternoon if it too hot to be outside.

We recently went away with our 17 month old, and my advice following that would be to take half the clothes and twice the toys! I found I didn't mind her being a bit grubby, and she only really needed clothes in the evening as during the day she was in her swimming cossie, but she did get bored and could have done with more toys.

Personally I would take less clothes but depends on how dirty your child gets.

2 and 3 year old here, and a holiday in apartment with pool/ beach would mean they spend majority of the day in swim wear. So day clothes rarely worn and can be worn again.

We have just come back from a hot country (40 degrees)

Per child we took:

X1 swim trunks
X1 swim uv suit ( ie covers arms and legs as a tshirt and shorts would in sun)
X1 swim hat ( drys quick)

X3 shorts
X1 chinos
X6 t shirts
X2 long sleeved shirts
X1 cardigan
Underwear

They wore chinos, tshirt, and jumper to fly in. This was for 1 week. We usually travel lighter with just hand luggage but this was a lazy hotel holiday so enough for the week.

Get a reusable happy swim nappy if not potty trained, saves loads of space packing otherwise. (amazon)

Toys wise - they take a small rucksack each on plane( one of those litelife ones that reins can be attached to if you want/ need). Have x3 small travel size books each ( paper not hardboard), a mini megasketcher thing, small drawing book with stickers and crayons. Also holds some snacks and toy cars.

In case we add a few toy animals ( those small hard schleich ones), small ball each for pool, some paintbrushes ( they 'paint' with water from pool!). Oh and foldable bucket and spade. Otherwise they find sticks/ sand / brooms etc to play with along the way.

Oh and they usually wore chinos with shirt in evening, with cardigan if needed. It was still late 30s in temp at night but with air con in hotel and restaurants etc it got fairly cold. They also wore shirt pjs but tucked right in under duvet due to air con that was set permanently so could have happily wore long sleeved

Thank you for the replies. It has been most helpful.
Even though toddlers don't get hold luggage, can they still get away with hand luggage? I really want him to take his little Mickey Mouse backpack with his toys & books and things.
Flying with Jet2.com.

Just wanted to say, have a great time. We took ds1 to Madeira when he was 17 months, and it was fantastic.

I can only remember taking his toy cars.

We took dds abroad when under 2 and never took any toys really, different if in this country but if abroad and hot, beach etc I can't see any need for anything more than a bucket, watering can, spade and ball.. All of which you can buy there. Oh and buy a little blow up boat for the pool!

Couple uv suits etc. I insist on fresh clothes for each day and night... I couldn't bare washing anything on my holiday and they fold to nothing at that age!

Nappy bags, they virtually do not exist outside the UK I found.

First aid kit and good travel insurance plus the EHIC card.

Water toys and small sand toys. I would buy bucket and spade at the resort. Small ball, not an inflatable, they will blow away.

Toys you can easily put in a pocket like cars, animals, happy land figures. Friends took mini pots of playdoh to play in the room during quite time when you want to be out of the sun.

Favourite cuddly toy/comforter into the handluggage.

DD wore UV suits outside the pool when playing at the beach, she hated them in the water, they can be quite cold and clingy to the skin. One year we took a neopren one as the pool was not heated, that worked better. Lots of sunhats and sunglasses if he will wear them.