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Family | Holidays

5 top tips for travelling with babies or toddlers

Here are the five top tips for travelling with babies and toddlers.

1. Take reusable cloth nappies because they are easy to pack, environmentally friendly and can double up as towels. Coping with supply and demand, however, won’t fit every parent’s notion of what constitutes a holiday.

If taking disposable nappies, be aware that your preferred brand may not be available. One option is to stuff a holdall full of nappies and check it in – they’re light, so your luggage allowance won’t be affected.

2. Consider taking your own travel cot for extra familiarity. Many models are lightweight and fold away neatly and compactly. They also make excellent ‘holding pens’ while you check out a new room for potential hazards.

3. Pack a raincover, sunshade and insect net for your buggy, a non-slip bath mat for the hotel tub, sun protectors for car windows, a waterproof undersheet for small children and a stair gate if staying in two-storey accommodation.

4. If renting a car, consider taking your own child seat. The ones provided by the rental company may not meet the safety standards you’re used to. Use a luggage-wrapping service at the airport to protect the seat in transit.

5. With check-in times of up to three hours before long-haul flights be sure to take plenty of favourite toys and books to keep you and your toddler sane at the airport. Failing that, find a big window where they can watch the planes coming and going.

What to pack checklist

 Cotton short-sleeve shirts
 T-shirts
 Blouses
 Long-sleeved shirts
 Long trousers
 Cotton skirt
 Shorts
 Cotton wrap
 Lightweight dress
 Lightweight fleece jacket
 Tracksuit
 Pyjamas/nightwear
 Underwear
 Socks
 Lightweight cagoule
 Sweater/sweatshirt
 Sunhat
 Sunglasses
 Shirt with built-in SPF
 Comfortable walking shoes
 Sandals
 Swimwear
 Jelly shoes
 Gloves/scarf/thermals
 Torch
 Spare batteries/charger
 Washkit
 Towels
 Universal bath plug
 Detergent
 Clothes line
 Sewing kit
 Travel plug adaptor
 Travel alarm clock
 Wet wipes
 Moisturising cream
 First aid kit (see page 31)
 Camera
 Memory cards/film
 Toilet paper
 Sun cream
 Lip salve