What to pack for 4 yrdd?

[cab]

Leaving for hols tomorrow. Any recommendations what to take to keep 4 yr old dd amused?

sticker books
simple games, like snap etc
pens, paper
lots of books

how long will u be traveling, what about the usual colouring books ect, if its a car journey could you now get one of those nursery rhyme tape, works wonders for my niece aged 4! and sweeties of course .. for all to share x

Rats - forgot the stickers but got the rest Krocket ta. (except dh has limited the number of books this time cos we're always over-weight. (The baggage that is!)

Whitefeather 8 in the morning until 10 at night . Scotland to Turkey. We're off on a Sunsail fortnight . Beach - based but dd will be determined to join us in the day yachts whenever possible - last time jigsaws kept her going but she's gone off them a bit so I'm a bit stumped what to take. (Colouring books a good idea - might get a job lot of comics as she loves puzzles.) Ta.
Any more ideas well appreciated - but kick me off soon please!

M&S has a princess pack (£5) - this kept my dd amused for hours - has colouring, stickers etc in.

Cab,

Which Sunsail place are you off to - we've just got back from a week at Marverde....

Handbag - Maverde it is - did you enjoy it?

Were the pools REALLY cold?

oh gosh long time for a 4year old to be travelling sure she'll be well entertained, good luck! matalan have magnetic barbie cut outs where you change there clothes about 20 different outfits! sure you'll get lots of fab ideas here x

p.s. thanks guys - unfortunately m&s and matalan nowhere near but might make a last minute trip to woolies.

Handbagaddiction - was everyone down with food poisoning?

Cab,

Yes, really enjoyed it, great facilities for both adults and children and so much to do - makes you feel guilty for just wanting to lie on the beach for an afternoon! Staff and other holidaymakers really friendly. Loads of different boats/dinghys/hobbies on offer. And we will definitely go back so that must mean it was good!

Top tips though:

1. It does get quiet chilly in the evenings - so do make sure you take some long trousers and maybe a fleece to put on over your t-shirts.
2. Main adult pool is cold and is not heated. Kiddies pool is great and gets really warm and is really close to the beach and kids club area.
3. It may be worth taking a monitor with you (if you still have one) for the evenings. Depending on whereabouts in the hotel you are staying, they will work when you are in the restaurant area having dinner - useful as a back-up to the baby listening!
4. Definitely have a Turkish bath - fantastic experience.
5. Take a trip on the day yachts to Torba for a nice leisurely lunch - it's really pretty.
6. On the 'no dinner' nights make sure if you want to go out without the small person, make sure that you book babysitting early. They actually spend the entire evening in your rooms and are really good so if you want a complete adult only evening, it's definitely worth it.
7. Not sure if you're doing kids club but for a 4 year old, it looked brilliant. (our dd is only 12 months) They also have a covered outdoor play area - full of little tikes slides, cars, etc and huge sand pit which is great for keeping them out of the sun - as it is still really hot out there during the day until the sun goes down.

Think that's about all I can think of. I do think the place is brilliant though - despite the high number of power cuts!!

Have a great time and if you have any more questions, let me know!!

Handbag - ta I've been twice before. Staying again on ground floor - covered patios opposite side from swimming school so handy as you say for meals etc.
Torba's brilliant isn't it for swimming ashore from the boat, but also hoping to head to Turk Buku and Maya maya (was the restaurant and pool still open there do you know?). Also have a friendly family round at Guvercinlik? (just around the corner) who let us use their shower after incredibly cheap lunches.
DD is booked into the kids club - but likes to be around us a lot too. So we'll see. Was the food poisoning bad?

p.s. the trick to getting babysitters there is to take a lap top and some decent cds!! Hope it works again this year.

Cab,

Posts crossed about food poisoning - sorry! Definitely no food poisoning as far as I'm aware. There did seem to be a bit of a 'bug' going around which they had tracked back to a child that was there at the resort about 8 weeks ago. It was going around the kids club predominantly but some adults got it too. Unless you were very unlucky (which our friends dd was unfortunately), it only lasted 24 hours but affected both ends!! Another friends dd didn't get it at all - despite having played with another little girl that did have it! My dd had it for about 12 hours and only very mildly and only at one end so threw up 04:30 and again several times before 08:00. Had breakfast at 09:00, we restricted her food for the next 12 hours and by the next day was absolutely fine.

They had disinfected the kids club completely several times and had started to get a bit stricter about their exclusion policy (i.e. 24 hours after last 'incident') after we all complained so I would have thought by the time you get there, it'll all be clear.

Hadn't wanted to mention this in my previous post as I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily before you went. I am sure it will have all passed by the time you arrive.

I think the 'bug' lives there handbag - last time it was the exception if you didn't get it. Just hoping it might have gone away...

Better pack the diarolyte (sp?) just in case then!!

Last question - did you find anywhere good to eat in Bodrum? The Secret Garden and the Denizan (just outside the city) are my favourites - but open to new suggestions.

Defo second the nursery ryme and story tape thing - we took DDs and it gave us many happy waffle free hours whilst away this summer - we even bought her a new tape thingy out there when she dropped hers!!

Also a few of the wipe clean learning books from ELC - DD loves learning and this broke up the evenings for her - did an 30 mins every other day.

Ta Twinkie and thanks handbag - shall report back. Off to finish packing.....

We ate somewhere really nice in Bodrum (great fish surprisingly enough) but I haven't a clue where it was exactly or what it was called!! Am also unlikely to find out before you leave tomorrow.......

No worries handbag - I'm horribly allergic to fish - but thanks re gardless.
Have given into my conscience and packed paint, glue, beads and piles of craft stuff cos that's what dd loves best at the moment. Also some mock shop stuff, some baby doll stuff, the bucket and spade and a set of fairy wings but have decided to leave the kitchen sink! (Might however squeeze in a princess dress if she asks nicely!)

When mine were smaller used to give them something new each half hour/ hour (I read you should wrap up mini treats etc and put them in her bag to open at intervals but unfortunately was never organised enough to do the wrapping!).

Twinkie and whitefeather followed your advice and despatched dh to woolworths to buy her a very pink personal cd player which should be great for on the plane/ sailing etc. Ta very much. Wizzysmum that's a great idea - but think I'll keep it under my sleeve for another time.
Dh now been despatched to get batteries for the cd player!