I, clearly, love taking my kiddies on holidays. It’s a different kind of holiday to pre-kiddie life ( of course) but it’s special. It’s “memory-making, chilled out, remembering why we are all here” time.
CHILD-PROOF YOUR TEMPORARY LIVING SPACE
However, no matter what the accommodation-type (hotel, air b’n’b, farmstay, friend’s house) I get into this totally crazy safety-checker mode in terms of baby & kiddie proofing as soon as we arrive.
No one knows what kids are capable of like a parent so I start with moving breakables and shifting chairs (aka make-shift ladders), turning around drawers that could fall on children etc. (not to mention moving things that will cost you a fortune if your little monster cutie breaks expensive items before you leave.)
To help me out with this disaster-proofing frenzy, I find it really useful to pack some baby proofing items – especially those ‘C’ shaped foam thingys for doors (we learnt this the “ouchie” way after a big heavy shower door incident with my little girl in Bali. ) You may want to also consider those lovely rubbery corner covers for coffee tables and hard edges too if you have a new walker.
However, if there is a particularly dangerous piece of furniture ! Move it out! Its not worth it ! Even if you have to store it in the wardrobe or shower cubicle – do it! its not worth the stress and the ambulance trip!!
KEEPING IT CLEAN FOR SNACK AND MEAL TIMES
We often pack a picnic blanket or table cloth for eating on hotel floors. Then we don’t need to worry quite as much about spilling.
The kids love it because we call it an indoor picnic!
TOYS
Everyone knows how much I love my plane toys, but I do also pack “Hotel Toys” – even if we are staying at someone else’s house.
The reason ? Children wake early (or wake in the middle of the night – especially if you’ve changed timezones) and they need something to keep them entertained so that they don’t need to get out of the hotel/ bedroom straight away (and so I can stay horizontal for just a teeny bit longer.)
“Drawing Challenges”
We call this “drawing challenges” and play this on planes or while staying in hotels (it also works in restaurants too while you’re waiting for your food.) If your kids like drawing too I recommend giving this a try. You just need magazine cut outs stuck in a scrapbook and it’s done.
Unlike plane toys, these toys aren’t always disposable and small and they don’t need to be completely silent afterwards. Cheap toys from dollar stores, wind up toys, crafty toys (beading necklaces, paper doll dress up books), balloons and , my personal favourite for holidays, inflatable toys that can be popped when you leave ( and, during the holiday, they can go in the bath and swimming pool too!)
I never regret packing the hotel toys. They help me on Summer Holidays for down time out of the sun, for warm-up times in Winter, for entertainment while I get ready for the day and, also, the hotel toys can be thrown in a bag to become restaurant entertainment while we wait for food to arrive.
Bubbles and bubble wands are always so popular around here. I usually throw a few bottles into the suitcase for an additional outdoor activity
NAPPY CHANGING STATION
We find it easy to pack two change mats: one to use on the go and one to use in our accommodation. It helps make the room feel more like home and means its always set up. Sometimes we set up the “station” on the floor, on a table or large chair and sometimes on the luggage rack in a hotel room.
The wine in this picture is only for decorative purposes…. Of course.
SNACKS
I try to pack healthy snacks for the first few days of a holiday so that I don’t have to search for a supermarket straight away. I find unhealthy snacks are always easy to get my hands on but the healthy ones are better to already have on hand.
Familiar snacks from home also help fussy eaters who aren’t keen on new foods at your holiday destination.
I also pack Hot Chocolate sachets and instant soups in case my Husband and I are stuck in our room with a sick baby.
Oh and another idea that works for us ? My kids love having dessert after dinner but I prefer that they don’t have ice-cream every single day. So I sometimes pack jelly crystals and paper cups. Then I can make jelly with the kettle in the room and set it in the fridge. Cups means that I can just make lots of little portions.
OTHER SUGGESTIONS
It’s a weird “me-thing” because I hate mess but I always pack a foldable laundry hamper. It keeps the room tidy and the ‘cleans’ don’t get all messed up with the ‘dirties.’ We put the full hamper in the suitcase, as is, on the way home.
I also find it handy to take my own travel laundry liquid and, if I wonder about the water quality of the holiday destination, I pack sterilizing tablets too.
Magnet toys are often too fiddly for on the plane but are fantastic for hotel and restaurant toys. Like everyone, we lose pieces as we go so I just mix up the randoms (hence the dinosaur-driven carriage below. )
Hotel forts /cubbies are fun too!
When on holidays we try and make our immediate surroundings as fun as possible. Especially when we need some downtime or one of the kiddies needs entertainment while the other sleeps.
Figurines plus a make-shift fairy garden is always a winner around here.
The beautiful world of Pinterest also suggested I make a cardboard road to bring to a hotel to then throw away before we leave. My baby boy was so happy!
How about giving “baby” a bath in the champagne bucket?
I sometimes bring jelly crystals and paper cups on holiday ( when our room has a fridge and we will be in the one spot for a few days.)
Then its a sweet treat for after dinner without having to do ice-cream.
I’m constantly adding to this list and trying out new ideas. I’ll keep adding for different holidays soon.
