The essential family holiday packing checklist
Going on a beautiful summer holiday, whether you're travelling abroad or staying in the UK, is never without its stresses, especially if you're the one in charge of the family packing.
From making sure your hand luggage has all the important documents including forms and passports, to keeping the kids fed and entertained and ensuring you haven't left behind any essential cosmetics and medical bits, it feels like there are a million things to think about.
With this in mind, we've created an essential holiday checklist for families for you to follow, hopefully ticking off one huge mental load before you head off on your adventures.
A complete guide, we're covering what you need to pack for you, the kids, your partner (if you're kind enough to offer, of course!) and even the gadgets you'll need for a successful summer holiday.
We've even included a handy 'extras' packing list to cover any of those random things you need when away but never think of when buried under a pile of summer dresses and shoes.
Here's our essential holiday checklist for families...
Hand luggage
From hand luggage you can take on the hold to a back pack with all the car essentials, there are some things you need to keep to hand when travelling. It's worth checking on the airport website for hand luggage restrictions. Here's what you need to consider packing:
Passports
Any important travel documentation
Phone
Purse/wallet
Keys
Hand sanitiser (100ml or smaller)
Small First Aid/medicine bag (check airport guidelines on permitted medicines)
Tissues/wipes
Snacks (solid foods are permitted but items such as hummus, jam, honey etc are to be treated as liquids. Best to check full airport guidelines and avoid nuts)
Reusable water bottles
Books, tablets and small collection of toys
Headphones
Neck pillow and eye mask for longer journeys
Pen
Sunglasses
Spare clothes for children
Nappies if needed
Travel potty if needed
Baby formula if needed (there is no legal limit on how much you can take in hand luggage but double check your airport before flying).
Holiday packing list for babies
Travelling with a baby and young toddler can really take up space when it comes to your baggage allowance so allow plenty of time to gather everything you need. Plus, be sure to check what your accommodation has on offer, like travel cots, bed guards, bottle warmers and high chairs, as it may save you some vital space. Things to consider packing are:
Nappies
Wipes
Portable changing mat
Formula
Toddler cutlery
Water beakers
Baby food
Sterilising equipment (travel version)
Dummies/teething toys
Toiletries including nappy creams, shower gels and body creams
Hairbrush
Medicine
Bathmat
Baby suncream
Cot and bedding
Light baby sleeping bag or cotton sleepsuits
Comforters
Toys
Sunhat
Swimwear and swim nappies
Pool float
Vests
Plenty of light clothing such as rompers
Muslins
Pram
Small fan (one that attaches to the pram can work wonders)
Holiday packing list for kids
Let's face it, this is where all our luggage space goes so it's essential we don't over pack anymore than we need to. It's worth looking at what your accommodation also includes to reduce how much you need to take. Here's a basic guide on what to pack for the children in the family:
Tops/light t-shirts (enough for one a day plus a few spare)
Shorts and light trousers (enough for one a day plus a few spare)
Swimming shorts/costumes (two per child)
Sunhats and caps
Goggles
Armbands (if needed)
Underwear
Socks
Trainers, sandals and pool shoe
Light jacket/jumper/cardigan
Pyjamas
Holiday packing list for her
Perhaps the trickiest person to pack for is yourself as you become so focused on not forgetting anything else you end up having just five minutes to cram your stuff into whatever space is left.
Our top tip for travelling is to lay out all your outfits exactly how you would wear them before inserting them into your suitcase. That way you know exactly what you've got and won't forget any essential details.
So make sure you have all you latest summer buys with you on your holiday with this checklist:
A collection of evening dresses and outfits (ideally ones that can be mixed and matched to create new looks).
Casual outfits for the day as well as sight-seeing trips (shorts and t-shirt combos work well).
Light jacket, cardigan or jumper
Jewellery and accessories
Trainers, sandals and flip flops
Pool cover up
Beach bag
Sun hat
Sunglasses
Pyjamas
Underwear
Socks
Holiday packing list for him
If you're happy help out your partner when it comes to packing for him, here's a handy check list to follow or hand to him:
Tops/shirts (enough to cover the trip)
Shorts and light trousers
Hoodie or light jumper
Trainers, sandals and flip flops
Accessories including belts and jewellery
Swimming trunks
Sun hat
Underwear
Socks
Sunglasses
Kids entertainment and extras
It's essential you bring plenty of entertainment for the children whether that be for a flight, car journey or the holiday itself.
We highly recommend buying a few new toys (or hiding some of their favourites a few weeks before travelling!) to really capture their imagination.
Our kids travel checklist is:
Tablets and chargers
Pens and colouring books
Reading books
A collection of their favourite toys
Some of their favourite snacks (especially for fussy eaters)
Any comforters or bed time essentials
Pool toys
Beach toys
Beach towels
Cosmetics and toiletries
All your beauty bits can add a lot of weight to luggage and take up plenty of space so where you can, we recommend purchasing some travel-sized bottles of your favourites or decant into travel-size containers. Also, if you are struggling with space, you can leave some items to purchase at the airport or at your destination.
Shampoo and conditioner
Shower gel
Contact lenses and solution if needed
Fragrances
Sun creams and after suns
SPF lip balm
Makeup bag
Makeup remover (plus cotton pads to remove)
Moisturiser
Toothpaste and toothbrushes
Hair brushes
Hair accessories
Razor
Health and medical
Make sure you have ordered any repeat prescriptions in good time before your trip. Don't get caught out without these essentials in your luggage:
Paracetamol
Ibuprofen
Calpol
Antihistamines
Travel sickness tablets
Indigestion tablets
Bug repellent
Plasters
Small First Aid kit
Any essential family medication
Technology and gadgets
From handy travel must haves that can track important items to everyday essentials, consider packing these:
Hairdryer and styling tools (depending on what's available at accommodation)
Luggage tracker
Kindle
Speaker
Additional extras
Of course, the above is all the essentials for when packing for a family but there are holidays where you might need more than just your clothes.
For those of us who like to be extra precautious when packing and never want to get caught out, here's a list of optional extras:
Waterproofs if hot weather isn't a guarantee
Wellies
Wet suits
Sewing kit
Travel handwash
Blackout blinds (ideal for later mornings when travelling with children)
Self catering essentials – tea towels, bedding, food
Bikes or scooters
Children's bedroom monitors
Car seats - check airport guidelines when travelling abroad.
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