Lifestyle and Parenting blog based in Surrey.

Friday, 30 August 2019

Our Summer Holiday What I pack for small children


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In a few days away from heading off for the second time this summer as a family of four to the new Mark Warner Paleros Resort in Greece as one of their ambassadors (which I am so excited about!) and as I delay the packing marathon I wanted to share what I found really useful on our 1st trip this year and what I’m planning to take away this time.

Most airlines allow you to pack your children’s car seats on board, but obviously this adds massive bulk onto what you have to carry and if your travelling to resort by couch a baby’s car seat may not even fit. Our local taxi company have been really helpful, looking after our car seats for us, so we’ve taken the girls to and from the airport in their normal seats. Sophie also has a Bubblebum* seat that we’ve taken to use for short journeys whilst we are away which deflates to save precious packing space.

When Sophie was tiny we took our full pram away with us, which was really useful as we used the bassinet for her to sleep in rather then a travel cot that seemed so big for her! But it is big to shift around, and as it has to go in the hold it can get easily damaged. When we went to France we borrowed my sister’s Bugaboo Bee which was much smaller and on our upcoming holiday we are taking the BabyZen YoYo* which folds up so compactly that you can take it as carry on luggage, so you don’t have to worry about how to get baby to luggage reclaim when you get off the plane. As it also lies flat we will also be able to use it to take Chloe to the evening childcare for her to snooze in peace whilst we have our dinner.


Both girls will be going to morning childcare to give us a chance to enjoy the water-sports, cycling and chill out time, so Chloe will hopefully be having a morning feed whilst she is at the creche. Luckily Mark Warner are able to provide a steam steriliser for her bottles and pump so I don’t need to worry about packing these! When we went to France, I didn’t want the hassle of bottles, but during this 2 week break, Chloe decided that she didn’t like bottles and then I had a battle trying to get her back on them, so if I wasn’t going to a resort that was able to provide a steriliser I’d take the ‘self sterilising’ bottles that you can use a microwave to sterilise them in a few minutes. I’m also packing a bottle brush and mini bottle of washing liquid to was then our sink first.

As we aren’t going to take our big pram for Chloe to sleep in, I’m going to pack her Sleepyhead* which she loves and makes a travel cot much more cozy for her and hopefully she will sleep well making us all have a better holiday!
In our villa in France we didn’t have AC or fans(!) so Chloe just slept in a vest, but as the rooms at Mark Warner have air con I’m also going pack her two light (1 tog) sleeping bags. During the day I’ve packed cotton rompers for Chloe to wear and a couple of UV swim outfits for both girls to go swimming in and a baby float* for Chloe to bob around in.
Although Mark Warner provide pool towels, I’m taking the girls hooded towels from JoJo Maman Babe* so they can we super snug when they get out of the pool.
Sophie is much easier to pack for (although much fussier about what she will wear!) I’m packing 4 sets of shorts and t-shirts to wear to kids club and a backpack and water bottle to take to club. I’ll also throw in a coupe of her sundresses as she loves them and can wear them on the two nights we are having dinner out of resort or to children’s tea which is earlier than the main dinner service. I’ll also be packing a few pair of PJs for her as we’ll take her in them to evening childcare after her bath ready to watch a movie and go to sleep in the little camp beds they have for the younger children.

I am also going to take some of her favourite snacks from home that will survive the heat, such as dried fruit so I’ve got something when she is hungry in the afternoon. I think it is unlikely that she will want to have a nap in the afternoon, but to help her have some quiet time I’m packing some sticker books, I’ve ordered some of her favourite Usboune Dolly dressing up books that she loved doing with her cousin in Greece along with a few small toys and that she will choose in her trunkie* to take on the plane as well as the ipad which we will load up with some her favourite programmes that she can watch on the flight.
We love our tea/milk and biscuits in bed at the weekend and on holidays, so I’m going to pack a packet of (non chocolate - melt risk!) our fave biscuits and tea bags (they are never the same abroad are they!?) for the mornings and a non spill cup for Sophie. Mark Warner supply UHT milk for kids which Sophie drinks happily.I’ve also packed some 1st aid things, plasters, antiseptic wipes, painkillers and indigestion remedies so we’ve got them to hand if we need them!Lets hope we've got everything we need!

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