The ultimate family holiday packing checklist for 2024
With the New Year fast approaching, it’s time to start planning our family holidays for the next year. Whether you’re going on a one-week holiday to sunny Spain or a city break to France, it’s important to pack everything you and your children will need.
To help you out, we’ve come up with our ultimate family holiday packing checklist that covers different types of holidays and children of all ages.
Hand luggage
Depending on the age of your children, you will need to pack certain items in your hand luggage to be used in the airport or during your flight. Opting for luggage like backpacks or suitcases with wheels can make things easier, especially if they include exterior pockets to allow easy access to belongings.
If you’re travelling with children under the age of 2, you must make sure to pack the following items: Nappies, nappy bags, wet wipes, dummies, bibs, bottles, blankets, and a changing mat. Also, be sure to include some of their favourite snacks if they have started eating pureed or solid foods.
Regardless of the age of your children, always pack a change of clothes – even the adults in the group should do this. Accidents can happen and sometimes luggage can be lost, leaving you without anything to change into upon your arrival.
Following on from the last point, it’s highly important to include any medication in your hand luggage since you may need it at some point during your journey. Electrical items should also be kept on your person in case they become damaged in the hold.
And you can’t forget entertainment for the kids. Kids can get bored very easily so ensure you prepare yourself for the worst – especially since flights can be delayed for long periods. Phones and tablets are a no-brainer!
Unless your plane has Wi-Fi available, you’ll need to download some films, music, or games for them to play. Packing a charger will also prove useful as well as headphones – not everyone wants to listen to Cocomelon on repeat.
Alternatively, you could pack some puzzle books or board games to play together. Just make sure that these aren’t too noisy, heavy, or involve individual parts that could go everywhere.
Main suitcase
With the pre-holiday excitement kicking in, packing your suitcase can seem like a chore but it’s important to not miss any key items. We’ve broken it down by the type of holiday you’re going on to help you out.
For starters, it’s useful to be aware that infants will often get their own luggage allowance of around 10kg. While they won’t be able to carry this kind of weight around, it means you can fit in some additional items that are too big for yours. If you can fit everything into just a few suitcases, great! You’ll have less to lug around with you.
Warm holidays
Whether it’s relaxing by the beach or walking through a sunshine-filled city to do some exploring, you must pack the essentials to make sure your family isn’t affected by the sun. The good thing about visiting a warm country though is that you can pack light.
Both adults and children should take T-shirts, shirts, shorts, swimming costumes, socks, pants, towels, trainers, flip-flops, dresses, and skirts. You’ll also need sunhats and sunglasses with suitable UVA and UVB protection – UV400 is best.
It doesn’t matter if your kids tan well or not, applying sun cream is a must. Sunburn can cause lots of health problems, so it’s best to protect their skin at all costs. The label must have a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30+ to protect against UVB and a minimum of 4-star UVA protection. Make sure that any bottles being reused have not expired.
If you plan to head to the beach or have a pool where you’re staying, it can be a good idea to take some inflatable toys, goggles, and games. While you can buy them there, it will save you money and you’ll know for sure that you have room to take them home with you rather than leave them there.
Another useful tip is to bring a waterproof bag for any damp swimsuits. That way you can take your belongings home without them soaking everything else in your case!
Cold holidays
Not every family heads out on a beach getaway for their family holiday, and if this applies to you, you’ll need to pack some essentials to ensure your family is both comfortable and safe. On these holidays, layers matter. Make sure each family member has several jumpers, trousers, jeans, hats, gloves, and scarves.
If your holiday revolves around skiing or some other snow-based activity, you’ll need specific equipment. While you can often rent this at your resort, do take a few pairs of ski socks, jackets, boots, and hand warmers. And don’t forget sun cream – the cold can be deceptive but sunburn is still a possibility.
Travel essentials
There are also other essentials you need to take with you when travelling with children – some of which you may not have previously thought of. If you have kids who are not yet able to walk all of the time, you’ll need to take a pram.
Most airlines will allow you to place a pushchair in the hold for free in addition to your cabin bag allowance but do check this with the airline first. Often, you’ll be able to take this to the boarding gate where it’ll then go in the hold.
You’ll also need to think about your transport to and from the airport. If your children require car seats, you must provide these if driving yourself or booking a taxi. While you can take a booster seat with you on holiday, carrying one can be an additional effort that isn’t necessary. All you need to do is to request a child seat when organising your airport transfers. These are subject to availability and additional fees may apply. If you do decide to bring your own, you will need to verify that any child seats are compatible with the vehicle booked.
*This is a collaborative post
