To get little suitcases for the kids?

[Alittlebitwary]

We are flying abroad at Christmas and it's the first time we've ever gone anywhere for 2 weeks.
No washing machine so will need 2 weeks worth of clothes, plus spares in case of potty accidents / spillages.

DH says we should get my 3 and 5 year olds their own little suitcases for them to pull along.

I think it's a terrible idea as inevitably they won't want to carry them, and also as we fly home late (land at midnight) I'm pretty sure we'll end up carrying the kids / 3yr old will be asleep, never mind their suitcases!

Are we better sharing 2 large cases between 4 or us, or is he right and we should get them to have their own?

2 large for 4, I could not think of anything worse than having small suitcases amongst other stuff to keep track of

Yeah it's a terrible idea! Pack them little backpacks with their stuff for the plane in, that are light enough for them to carry themselves.
What we do is pack 2/3 suitcases to be in the hold then two big cabin size bags for DH and me to carry and the kids have their own with snacks, games etc in

I don't disagree but even having backpacks to carry in case they won't would mean we probably would leave something behind

We travel with as little as possible

Rucksacks then you can put them on your back instead. Split your clothes a bit in each suitcase in case one case goes missing (hardly ever happens but best be prepared)

Large suitcases for the main bits and perhaps trunkis which they can ride on for the cabin?

I think it's a terrible idea as inevitably they won't want to carry them, and also as we fly home late (land at midnight) I'm pretty sure we'll end up carrying the kids / 3yr old will be asleep, never mind their suitcases!
Bang on the money there OP! 2 large cases between 4 for checked luggage. Split everyone’s stuff equally between the 2 in case 1 goes missing. For hand luggage get them backpacks they can carry easily themselves and then if they are asleep when you land it won’t be hard for you to carry them either. In the backpacks goes a change of clothes, toys for the plane, precious cuddly toy if they have one, ipad and headphones with shows ready downloaded, no spill water bottle (empty through security, refill on the other side) and a selection of non liquid snacks. Take another backpack for you and DH with a change for each of you, whatever you guys want for in flight, baby wipes and an additional change for your youngest just in case.

Oh and small cases (with 4 wheels) for you and husband for in the airport then you can rest their backpacks on top

Where are you going? (I’m just nosey)

Excellent advice I could have written this myself 😂 agree with all of this especially the snacks/sandwiches!

Did your husband mean proper suitcases or the Trunki ones you pull along and tots can ride on top of?

We got one of these for my DD and it's the bane of my life, she pulls it/sits on it for ten minutes and then we have to carry it plus her for the rest of the journey. Avoid if you can!

We are going to Australia in a few weeks for 3 weeks with a 2.5 year old and 7 year old. Similar situation of needing 2 weeks work of clothes plus some wedding and events outfits.

We are taking 3 maybe 4 medium suitcase for the hold. We have a 1 piece at up to 23kg limit each on our tickets so we can't do two large suitcases. I travelled before and 23kg each for me and DH was just about right. So I'm thinking either the kids can share a case or if needed have one each. We are also visiting family so taking presents etc so need to factor that into the space requirements. Pretty sure we will be maxed out on the 23kg x 4 limit to be honest.

Then cabin bags we have got the kids little suitcases. Me and DH have backpacks. Basically I thought as long as it wasn't 4 suitcases/wheeled back for cabin bags it would be fine. If youngest doesn't want to walk or pull her suitcase I can do it while carrying her with my backpack if needed.

We never had trunkis as we always saw parents carrying them around, so obviously the kids were not riding on them.

However my brother got a suitcase with a scooter that folded down out of it, which was much more useful as it was a proper carry on suitcase size and also had a normal pull handle you could use as well. That actually worked. I'll see if I can find a link.

Ooh thanks for the advice!
We're going to Egypt! I had left DH in charge of ordering suitcases, and for once I was glad he ran it past me before doing it 🤣

They do have their own backpacks so they'll be carrying those.

Even if we get a third suitcase to have either in the hold or as carry on, won't this be tricky to get around once we're out of the airport at the other side?

Then cabin bags we have got the kids little suitcases. Me and DH have backpacks. Basically I thought as long as it wasn't 4 suitcases/wheeled back for cabin bags it would be fine. If youngest doesn't want to walk or pull her suitcase I can do it while carrying her with my backpack if needed.
It’s more that the suitcases have to go up into the overhead then you have to get them down, open them in the aisle… kind of annoying. Good for the just in case stuff you may need but the stuff you know you definitely want in flight, which is probably all of the kids stuff, is better housed in a backpack that you can keep right by you all you flight. Of course though there’s no reason why the emergency change of clothes and Great Aunt Ethel’s fragile present can’t go in the Minnie Mouse suitcase and the kids toys in your backpack! But I’d definitely consider ease of access when packing your carry ons!

www.micro-scooters.co.uk/micro-eazy-ride-on-3in1-suitcase-7808#selection.color=5940&selection.size=5454

This. But each kid usually had a little backpack too.

I think they're a bit young to fully embrace it.

Ds3 (7) took his own hand luggage sized suitcase abroad in the summer. It was the exact right size for all of his clothes plus some toys (10 days of hot weather).

We couldn't have touched it if we wanted to. It was HIS case, he was extremely proud of having his own one, clearly felt like the bees knees and he handled it 100% himself - including checking it in, lifting it in and out of the taxi etc, wheeling it everywhere needed.

BUT he wouldn't have done this last year!

A backpack is fine but a suitcase is a bad idea. It'll definitely be left behind at some point during your holiday and you'll all be jumping like monkeys going back to look for it.

Yes get them. It's so exciting for them to get to pack them up and gives them an airport job!

Mine have small 4 wheel cases as their hand luggage and love them. They've had them since nearly 2 and just turned 4. We've never pulled them in the airport except when we had a large delay but I had case strap/clips so just clipped it to my one.

Don't get a trunki! They are very annoying, don't turn, annoying to open and close. Kids played on them but hated pulling them. Basic kids 4 wheel mini suitcase much better. We got ours from tk maxx.

Kid size suitcases are allowed under the seat and they double up nicely as a footrest too.

When we went to the US we took 2 large suitcases for us and 2 DSs.
They had their own little wheelie cases ( probably Tweenies or something) with all their bits in for the flight.
I stupidly thought though that I could use their luggage weight allowance for the large cases but that wasn't the case so we were slightly over so we all had to put a pair of trainers each in our hand luggage!

Oooh those scooter ones look great! Though once they realise it's a scooter thing won't they just want pulling along on them by us indefinitely?? Looks like it's to pull by a parent, unless I haven't looked properly and they can scoot it without us?

Also forgot to mention we are probably going to take the buggy too so would have that to push / carry at each end (just in case 3yo wants a nap on hol so we're not tied to the room). I guess we could just stick a child and their backpacks under that at the other end!

If you've got no chess to washing services and are worried about accidents I'd consider taking some of those bottles of travel wash liquid for clothes. The last thing you want is to have to bring back soiled clothes that haven't been washed in a while amongst your other clothes in the suitcases. You just use the liquid in the sink or a bath tub and let the clothes soak.

Thanks, I do usually take a tiny tupperware of washing powder and last year I got a mini washing line for any little bits as youngest was newly potty trained, so that was helpful. There's a laundry service in the hotel, but I think it's quite expensive and I'm not sure if it's "per item" so we've just said we'll take 2 weeks worth any any washing we do get done is a bonus for our return!

Also the kids have a ridiculous array of pretty little summer dresses that they barely wore this "summer" because the weather was so shit, so I'll be happy to take a decent selection with us!

I follow the travel mum on Instagram and they go with hand luggage only for 4 of them and I do think oh that seems so much easier. But then I'd never be able to decide what to take and what to leave 🙈

Yes I wouldn’t take a suitcase as handluggage.
i think every flight we have taken in the last year when my Ds has been 3/4 years old he has either fallen asleep so wants carrying on arrival, or he hasn’t fallen asleep and has been tired as carried.

we have taken travel pram still at 3 so that went overheard as hand luggage and once off could just place tired or sleeping child in pram and shove coats or other stuff underneath for the walk through security and luggage collection ( some airports its 15mins, standsted last year took almost 2 hrs from landing to get out!)