What to take on holiday and how to keep entertained on flight.

[NoseyHelen]

I'm writing a list for our hols and don't want to leave anything out so I thought perhaps you ladies could help me?

We're going to the Algarve, to a villa, with our 20 month daughter. The travel cot and highchair are included at the villa. We're taking our own car seat, for which I've just ordered a bag to protect it from the baggage handlers. I've also got a bag for the stroller.
Are there any must have products for travelling?

Also, as a slight aside, how do you keep a child entertained on an aeroplane without a HUGE bag of toys - any ideas gatefully received!!

Plane / airport - small balls, 2pc jigsaws, stacking cups, board books, friction cars, fold up car road map, freebie toys from magazines, colouring book & pencils, mini aquadraw & snacks, snacks and more snacks! This is my standard kit, and fits inside a small suitcase which the DS's wheel themselves [seasoned traveller with two DS's and no DH!]. The rules might change re drinks before then, but currently you can't take drinks through the security section. However, I've not yet had a problem taking through drinks in a bottle or baby cup. They don't just have to be milk either.

Whilst on hols - sun tent, sunsuits & hat with neck flap, tiny paddling pool, flexible bucket & a spade, bowls/cups/cutlery from home, food chopper/blender depending upon how well she eats, sling (great in the aiport before you get the buggy back), UV sun cover for stroller, own bedding for cot (check if supplied, often not, or inappropriate stuff), baby monitors and plug adaptors, mosquito repellent plug in things, lots of high factor sun block, travel stair gate (you never know what hazards you might want to block off), poncho towel for after swimming....

Toddler comics, small and light, available at airport newsagents. Fun to look at/talk about the pictures, doesn't matter if they get lost/torn. Paper and a few chunky colouring pencils and sharpener, crayons melt and pencils should be non-marking. Do nursery or finger rhymes together

Buy drinks for flight after you've cleared security. There is often a Boots chemist in departures selling baby drinks and every cafe and shop sells bottled water. Otherwise you may need to taste your childs drink at security. My 21 mth old learned to drink through a straw at this age, so carton drinks were very convenient. Best to have one of those containers with handles for cartons to prevent them being squeezed, and always supervise child directly drinking from these.

Try not to change a nappy on the plane unless you absolutely have to, plane loos are just not designed for this!!! Trust me.

i once had to change a bery smelly baby on a plane on the seats at the back where the hostesses sit. it was not fun.

why cant they put a teeny tiny changer in the loos?

Every plane I've ever been on has had a small pull down shelf in the loos to change nappies. Hardly big enough when DS2 was 3m though, and impossible with DS1 at 2+ yrs!

does anyone know if you can purchase cows milk on the other side of security check?

going on holiday soon for first time with 2dc and concerned!!! arriving in the late evening and i'm sure there wont be anywhere to buy that once we have arrived (going to a villa)

you can usually get milk - Boots have a chiller cabinet with drinks, sandwiches etc at Gatwick - but it may be UHT.

thanks LIZS i should try the little one on some uht to see if he notices before we go on holiday..dont fancy trying to get a four pinter through check in or as hand luggage....but a bottle of milk is a cure all for most woes!

tried the children with uht milk...1yr old did a shuddery bleugh thing when he drank it and ds (3) said erm mummy this milk is 'old' and is going to make me ill....i tasted it myself and it was a bit like evaporated milk...yuck!...
found something to take on plane for 3yr old...its a crayola fun roll....it is a roll of paper..6m long in a box which rolls out and is covered in activities and comes with pens, is quite small and easy to port and half price in sainsbees.

Where are you flying from? You'll be able to buy milk from a coffee shop at a push. I've flown a few times since the restrictions, and they haven't been bothered by the quantity of bottles or baby cups I've been carrying, I've just had to taste them all. So you could take a few through. I had a cool bag with ice packs in (also took some frozen meals for the first day), and had no problems. Mine are 4 and nearly 2, so their age wasn't a problem to have bottles and cups still.

boots do an aptamil growing up milk not the cheapist but my 2 year old still likes a wee bo bo and she drunk it down without a comment, try that and it comes in pre sealed bottles, think they r 99p for 500ml or 50 p for smaller.

little stickers
bubble wrap
play doh

are all good and keep little hands busy

Just wanted to thank everyone who gave suggestions. I've bought several things that were recommended on this thread.

We're off on Saturday so hopefully we'll keep madam entertained.