Holiday essentials with a 3 year old!

[User202242]

First holiday abroad, and I am an over thinker and over packer! But what have been your best buys for a sunny (hopefully) beach holiday? 2 and half hour flight! Thank you!

Mine are a few years old but I will see what I can remember.

• spare clothes for everyone to take as hand luggage on plane.
• Books, toys, snacks and more snacks for the plane. Take familiar snacks for on holiday too
• Stacking cup are great for playing in the pool, beach and bath toys. Labels all toys

Accept sleep time will be all over the place and they will live on tomato pasta, ice cream and nutella on holiday.

Water shoes for your 3yo
Towelling poncho
Float jacket or swim vest
Inflatable ring
A set of sand toys
Sunglasses and elastic sunglasses strap
Melissa and Doug reusable sticker pads
Calpol sachets

Agree with all of the above... but also I take my tablet with favourite shows downloaded (with child friendly headphones) as a last resort for the plane or when they're exhausted from the pool/beach and just want to flop. Also download things you might want to watch if you're stuck in the room/apartment while they sleep. I know mumsnet will hate this suggestion though 😆

In your handluggag:
spare clothes
if not 100% secure toilet trained put your child in pull-ups
some dry snacks and fruit. We always had cut up grapes, berries and a banana with us.
An empty waterbottle you can fill after securiy, if you have one with a sports cup that will help with the pressure.
Book, pad and crayons, ipad and headphones, we always bought a magazine at the airport - huge treat for DD
Have some things in your hold luggage for the flight back

Hold luggage
Sunhats - several
Suncream - it's really expensive abroad, especially in resorts/resort towns
UV swimwear. DD hated having wet clothes on in the water but she wore it playing at the beach.
A beach towel or towelling poncho
Plenty of tops in case of a messy eater
Travel first aid kit with painkillers, plasters, thermometer, antibacterial cream, anti bite cream and don't forget your GHIC.
Water shoes and general good fitting shoes even for the pool area as it's slippery
Some water toys, stacking cups are really good or a little foam ball.
Treat him for an inflatable when you are there, it's fun

clear spray sunscreen, kids are squirmy buggers and I always (and still do) use that to avoid the inevitable rubbing in of suncream.

Absolutely agree with this. It was videos/ DVDs when we travelled with a small child, but It will give you a short breathing space - it’s your holiday too.