extended holiday with 3 yr old-would be grateful for any advice!!!1

[Mollymom]

Going on an extended holiday to NZ and Australia in October(few hotels and hiring a camper van in both countries for).

Would you recommend taking a cheap fold up buggy for DD? She will be 3 when we go-she does walk alot but I think a buggy would be useful (DP disagrees-he thinks we will be ok cos he will carry her if she gets tired!!!).

What toys/entertainment for DD would be good to take?

And any other pearls of wisdom? We have never doen anything like this before-only done European package hols before now...am a tad daunted

Well I'd certainly think about taking a small folding buggy. Are you taking a car seat or hiring there? We bought a fab car seat that has wheels that pop out underneath and a handle at the top. Think its called a 'sit and stroll' that might be an idea.

I'd take small puzzles and if you can, a portable dvd player for her for in the camper van/plane. Also a dolly, every little girl needs to take her 'baby'.

We did one week in a campervan in Florida last year which DD loved.

Hope you have a fab time

We are hiring car seats with the camper vans so thats not a worry. I just want to take a very cheap buggy so maybe she can sleep at airports etc-will try and persuade DP.

You are so right about the baby-she has just started getting very into her baby (its called 'big boy'!!!!) Hope she doesn't shout its name out.

thanks for advice-will be buying a dvd pplayerx

might be worth you thinking about buying a quinny (the one that folds really small into a travel bag). We read good reviews on them on here about being the only buggy you can actually take on the plane (into the cabin) with you and not have to check in.
We bought one quite cheap on ebay. Otherwise you have to check them in and its a pain not having in airport and also, 99% of the time you don't get them until baggage claim and you need it before then.

who are you flying with? Emirates are pretty good ref buggies as they have them at (most) departure/arrival gates in the terminal in Dubai if you are going that way

I took my ds to NZ aged 3. Definitely need a buggy for airport if nothing else!

Walking a lot at 3 is not the same as keeping up with adults in the heat or when tired. Especially when adults also carrying bag with snacks/drinks, swim stuff etc. Or is he expecting you to be the pack horse while he carries her...

How does your dp think he'll manage to carry her, carry bags and cases and handle tickets, buy snacks in shop, have a cup of coffee while she's sleeping etc at airport... Buggy is also useful for piling stuff on/in if dd doesn't want to use it. Every time you get up for some reason (need toilet, drinking coffee), or can't get a seat etc he will be standing holding dd. Might seem easy now, but what if it was 2 hours. Plus you can strap her in when she is awake and not have to keep worrying about where she's running off too in a busy airport...

You have to put the buggy through the xray, but they let you take it right up to the plane still. You then get it back as you get off. They did manage to break the plastic bar that held it closed, but only because someone tried to force the buggy up for me to put ds in.

Don't take too many toys on the plane, my ds barely used any of what I took and I had to keep ducking under the tray/seat to retrive stuff as it fell off his tray. The airline gave us a pack with pencils, magazine etc in anyhow. Check if your airline has those little tv's in the back of the seat in front, most do now but not all. They usually have a kids channel with cartoons running on it.

As for when you are there you'll need what you would on any long journey. Stuff to keep amused in the car/rv.

Hope you have a fab time, it's beautiful over there and you are going at the perfect time of year. In NZ try and go to the Argadome which your dd will love:
www.agrodome.co.nz/Agrodome/Sheep-Show_IDL=6_IDT=1055_ID=7900_.html

and also the kiwi fruit farm here:
www.kiwi360.com/
Be warned the kiwi karts go much faster than you would think. My ds thought they were cool, just like the rides at disneyland had been! He still remembers bit of it even now.