ready bed/travel cot /other suggestion for a toddler on holiday

[cthea]

Looking into options for our 22 month old when we go on holiday. The villa owners can provide travel cot at £50 extra per week. Or we could take our own. We haven't got one (I asked around a bit and no-one seems to have one to lend). We are going for 2 weeks, so looking for something less than £100. Or is it not worth the hassle (taking into account the luggage space/weight) and should we just accept the offer there locally.

We thought of getting something we could then pass on to friends who've just had a baby boy. This is for our 3rd and last DC so won't get any use after September. Is a ready bed good? Or a travel cot? Or one of those UV shield pop up tents?

If he still sleeps in a cot at home I would definitely use a travel cot so it is the most "familiar" to him. I would just take the owners up on their offer as we have way too much luggage anyway (I pack for every eventuality ), but if you don't mind taking your own I was looking at Kiddicare the other day online and they have lots and am sure some are under £50.

Last summer we went away when DS1 was 25 months and DTs were 5 months and DS1 just slept on the floor (we put two duvets under him and took his own duvet and pillow from home), but he was sleeping in a bed at home by then so would not have taken well to going back into a cot (also a bit older than your DC3).

Oh, thanks for that. DD2 never had a travel cot, she sleeps in a toddler bed or single big bed. You are right, she might not take to a travel cot. She could sleep with DD1 or DS, I suppose. I feel a bit reluctant to spend much as we've made it so far w/o one (DS is 9.5). Then I think if I bought a ready bed we could take it camping, but even that is only a once a year affair and we already have plenty of stuff for it.

With three kids we've often just made up a bed on the floor from spare bedding/cushions etc. for the smallest or least fussy depending on where we were. If your DD's used to a normal bed I wouldn't bother with a cot (certainly not for 50quid).

Thanks, Sunny. I guess it will be so hot (Malta) that even if they sleep all 3 in one big bed they won't fight over the duvet. We won't get a travel cot and will only hire one from the owners if they insist or if the children are uncomfortable.

Dunelm Mills currently have an aerobed sleepover bed on offer for 20 quid - a single airbed and pump in a little rucksac. Its a neat package for not a lot

or what about those dream tubes?

expensive but might be handy at home when he moves to a bed?

this travel cot is the one i have and is brilliant and longer (120cm) than many of the others.

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I've pretty much decided against a travel cot as they are too heavy to carry on a plane. DD2 is nearly 2 so it'd have to be a pretty big one and she wouldn't get much use out of it afterwards. The tubes thing sounds interesting and worth looking into further. Also the areobed. (Good idea to google with that name.)