What are your packing tips when on UK holiday - Share with Parkdean Resorts

[YanaMumsnet]

Packing days in advance or running on long to-do lists - we parents have our tricks to get everything we need when organising the family trip. From ensuring you pack waterproofs so you can get outside no matter the weather, to getting food and games to keep everyone happy and entertained throughout the journey, packing for a holiday in the UK could be an exhausting task.

That’s why Parkdean Resorts want to hear about your tips and tricks when packing for your family getaway in the UK.

Here’s what they have to say: “We are the UK’s largest Holiday Park operator with 67 locations in some of the most stunning coastal, countryside and lakeside locations, from the impressive Scottish Highlands to the sunny South Coast.

After over three months of lockdown, we are so excited to re-open our holiday parks this summer and show just how much the UK has to over for a family staycation, allowing you to enjoy these wide open spaces and time with your family.

Choose from a huge range of caravans and lodges, including extra wide accommodation, perfect for families and packed with everything for a stress-free holiday. Dog friendly options mean you can bring the whole family too! For a touch of adventure, you’ll find a variety of pitches whether you’re camping in a tent, or pitching up a touring caravan or motorhome.

For your peace of mind, we have made commitments to protecting our holidaymakers, people and local communities for a safe stay, whilst also introducing a booking guarantee, giving you the confidence to book a much deserved holiday.“

What are your family’s packing essentials and your must haves when travelling together in the UK? How do you keep your DC entertained while in the car on your journey? Are there any items you find you never or rarely use while away? What are your tips for ensuring you have everything you might need while travelling in the UK? Do you have a favourite time of the day to travel and get on with your journey, why is that?

Whatever the things that you pack when on family holiday in the UK, share on the thread below and you’ll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £200 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ
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[EmanResu7]

Surprise travel packs; a bag of small, cheap but exciting things to occupy them on the journey including snacks. We pass them the items when we reach certain milestones, which then keeps them occupied looking out for signs that its nearly time for the next surprise. Amazing how excited they can be with a mini colouring book or one of those party-bag type toys! Also audio books are a great way to keep their minds busy when the "are we there yet" starts.

[Baldwin1973]

What are your family’s packing essentials and your must haves when travelling together in the UK?

We always pack plenty of snacks and drinks for the journey as well as books, phones, chargers, ipads to keep the children entertained. I try and make sure everyone has enough clean clothes and my husband always takes his bike on UK holidays so he can have time to himself. Jumpers and coats always seem an essential part of a UK holiday even in the summer as you never know what the weather will do. We always take our thermos flasks too so we can take got drinks out with us and avoid spending loads of money on horrible coffees. I always pack water bottles too that we can wash out and refill for the girls. I always take black bin liners so I can chuck ion dirty washing which saves me sorting it out at home when we get back.

How do you keep your DC entertained while in the car on your journey?

We usually report to using phones and ipads. Games of I spy and the radio don't seem to work anymore. Our girls are aged 9 and 12 so maybe this is the future. Sweets also seem to help on a long journey.

Are there any items you find you never or rarely use while away?

I always pack too many clothes and shoes - some of which never get worn I'd rather do this though than not take enough.

What are your tips for ensuring you have everything you might need while travelling in the UK?

I always make a list and check everything off as I pack. It sounds ridiculous but if i don;lt then I forget things. Two of our family take daily medication so I can't forget anything.

Do you have a favourite time of the day to travel and get on with your journey, why is that?

Not really. We always disagree about this. I hate an early start but my husband doesn't - inevitably we set off too late (ie 10.30am) and then get stuck in traffic. I don't care though as I hate getting up esp when I'm supposed to be on holiday.

[Feargalthecat]

Lists are my friend. List and tick everything as it's packed and a separate list of things to remember which I add to as I go along, these are usually things I still need to buy or that cannot be packed until the end.

[dt90001]

For family holiday.Exploring something really cool - there are so many amazing historical places in these shores that we don't celebrate enough. Plus some good food.
seatonestate.co.uk

[Sleepybumble]

Always pick up a couple of new activity books for DD for long journeys. Also always take my own mug and pillows when holidaying in the UK.

[Pillowaddict]

We pack an internal bag for each individual for inside the bigger case, swimsuits in a separate swim bag so we can go on arrival or once packed up to go to make the most of pool access! We make sure an activity bag is packed with loads of magazines, board games, tablets etc and always take pencil case with pens. I usually try and plan at least one arts/crafts activity.
If s/c we also take a wee box of essentials: salt, pepper, oil, mixed herbs and ketchup, tea and coffee. Nothing worse than forgetting the really critical stuff like caffeine(and bottle opener!)

[sheilads105]

My kids always took a cuddly bedtime toy for familiarity. The next essential was a pack of cards. We spent many a holiday evening playing 'Newmarket' or 'Rummy'.

[AltheaThoon]

The best piece of packing advice I ever got is to take some time to make a list and tick items off as they go in the bag. I created lists on the computer so I can print them off before going away (different lists for camping holidays and hotel holidays). It makes it so much easier when there's a list to follow!

[dollypops15]

pack in advanced, plenty of spare clothes and towels, make sure you have lots of snacks and colouring books/small toys for morning before you go out.

[MakeTeaNotWar]

I always start packing about a week before we leave and find that I am constantly adding things in and taking other stuff out of the bag as the weather forecast firms up. I pack the kids stuff separate to mine. Essentials for me are eye mask and ear plugs as well as all the chargers.

[sunshinesky]

A list for everything a week before you go so you have time to shop for items or wash clothes to take. Make a last minute checklist for the morning you leave (phones, chargers, tablets, glasses etc).

Leave as early as possible to avoid the rush hour traffic, especially on bank holiday weekends. Put your toiletry bag inside two carrier bags to avoid leakage getting over all your luggage.

Plenty of snacks and drinks, a tablet or DVD player and a new magazine helps occupy kids on long car journeys.

Pack a separate beach bag so you can head straight out before unpacking if the weathers nice.

All the above has been learnt the hard way - forgetting essentials; a child asking 'how long till we get there?' every ten minutes and shower gel all over my clothes on arrival!

[vickyors]

Take the gro clock and blackout blind. Then we take cuddle objects for the kids.. and if we've not got our surfboards in the car, I would take my pillows and duvet. Then I make a list for everything. Oh, and my picnic back pack- go nowhere without that and a plastic backed mat.

[cathwarbur]

I always take iron free clothes. I don't like to have to iron on holiday!

[YanaMumsnet]

Thank you all for taking part in this discussion.
The prize draw winner is @Toombumber. Congrats!

[mummyuk86]

We always find travelling in the afternoon after lunch the best time as our sons are exhausted from the morning antics and full up from lunch. One or both of them usually end up falling asleep in the car.
When packing for our holidays I always try not to over pack. The boys never wear all the clothes I pack. I also always take calpol and a thermometer too.

[MarsBarRover]

We roll all of our clothes up when we pack for holiday. It really frees up space to take extra clothes and your clothes don’t crease in the luggage.

[ailsasheldon]

Pack for all weather. We always take more with us on a staycation than if we travel abroad When we just take hand luggage.

[LadySlytherin24]

I pack weeks in advance, its always my luck that my husband and my two boys wear their "nice" clothes to go play football in and they come scuffed at the knees. If I pack them, they don't know and don't missthe clothing.

[DinosApple]

Pack a beach bag to keep in the car, cossies, towels, talc, sun screen etc. If you're out sightseeing then you can detour to the beach any time rather than plan a beach day. If you do plan a beach day it's in the car ready.

Pack also a wet weather bag to keep in the car, macs, wellies and jumpers. We often head west where the wet weather hits first.

Take an easy first night meal. Nothing worse than the food hunt when you're tired and everyone is hungry!

Click and collect for when you're there!

The rest of packing - I find it easier to bundle a days clothes together for the DC, so leggings, knickers, socks, t-shirt per day. Makes life easier than scrabbling about in a tent for each component.

[StickChildNumberTwo]

I made a list years ago on the computer, so update and print that in the hope that it means we won't forget anything essential. It's not a guarantee, but otherwise I'm bound to forget something essential (like pyjamas!)

[TellMeItsNotTrue]

I have spares of things like chargers that live in the case, so we don't need to remember them, especially useful with things you may want to use before you leave

I take an extension lead or two away with me, depending on the trip, to provide extra sockets and convenience when the plugs aren't quite where you want them

Make a list of everything as you pack it, when you get home cross off anything you didn't use - except for something like rain jacket which you only didn't use because you got lucky with the weather. Leave this in the case ready for when you next go away. We have a few lists for different types/lengths/places trips and it helps me get rid of that nagging feeling I've forgotten something while also reducing how much stuff we take and making packing a lot quicker and less stressful

[Toombumber]

My tip is to bring some plug adaptors, some with usb so you can plug in all your chargers, and also a small lamp (eg screw on ones from ikea) for each bedroom as budget accommodation doesn't have this, eg caravans, but how can you read bedtime stories under the overhead light? Well worth it.

[Megansmumsie]

*Write a list of must haves and store everything you've ticked off in your hallway ready to go in the car- then play tetris getting it in the boot!!
*Fold and roll your clothes, you'll get twice as much in.
*Put rolled socks inside your shoes and always have a separate shoe suitcase to avoid sand/dirt mixing with clean clothes.
*Pack by person. I slice mine and my husband's suitcase down the middle so we have an equal share and our daughter has her own suitcase.
*Pack to music or a tv show you know really well so that it doesn't feel like a chore.
*Stock the car in advance- make sure your first aid or emergency kit is full. We have a first aid kit with plasters and the like, then we have an 'i forgot' kit which has shampoo/bodywash, toothbrush etc in it.
*Take tea, sugar, coffee- at least enough for when you get there so that if you can't get to the shop at least you can have a brew!
*We leave a couple of pillow/cushions in the car, 1./ they great if the kids fall asleep in the car 2./ if the pillows where you are stopping are too limp you can use them to prop them up.
*Take a roll of loo roll and at least one tea towel.
*Take a bag to put dirty washing in so you don't really have any packing to do before you leave.

[MulticolourMophead]

I've just remembered I don't fold stuff for packing, I roll it up as I seem to have fewer creases that way, plus everything seems to pack into the available space better.

I keep medical stuff in the kitchen already packed into a small bag, so I can just pull it out the cupboard and pack it into the case. I do regularly check that it's well stocked, and so far none of us needs to have anything other than a few plasters/bandages, antiseptic cream or painkillers on hand.

[gemima27]

waterproofs! an extra pair of socks and pants! and most important a dress/costume for the littles ones to dance in in the club....they dont want to be in t shirts and leggings!!!
(also a bucket and spade...for the second you get there....thats all they want...even in the rain!)
from an adult point of view...a tea towel!