Packing list for a holiday with kids
Nappies, travel cot, the cuddly toy and your child’s passport: everything children and babies need on top. Combine the list with beach, ski or camping.
Holiday with kids
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Combine it with a second list
A trip is often more than one list. Add a second one: matching sections are folded together and nothing appears twice.
With a baby, a toddler or a school-age child
How much you pack for your child depends mostly on their age. With a baby, the “For the baby” section takes up the most room: nappies, bottles, formula or baby food, plus a travel cot and baby sleeping bag if your accommodation does not provide them. Ask ahead whether there is a cot and a high chair, and you free up space in the car.
With a toddler, add a change of clothes, waterproof dungarees and a favourite toy, and the pushchair often still comes along even once they walk. School-age children like to help pack: their own backpack with a book, headphones and snacks makes them more independent. Cross off whatever no longer fits your child.
Keeping kids busy in the car and on the plane
Long journeys go more easily with small things handed out one after another rather than everything at once. A colouring book and pencils, small toys and travel games fit into one bag you keep within reach. Audio stories and kids’ headphones help in the car as much as on a plane. Download films and stories to the tablet beforehand, because the signal on the way is often weak.
On a plane, drinking or sucking a dummy during take-off and landing can help babies. On a car journey, plan breaks where the children can move around. Sick bags, wet wipes and a change of clothes belong within reach, not in the boot.
A first aid kit for children
Children tend to fall ill on holiday just when the nearest pharmacy is far away. That is why the first aid kit holds a thermometer, children’s fever medicine, nasal spray, a travel sickness remedy and oral rehydration sachets in case of diarrhoea. Add plasters, a bite and sting gel and a tick remover.
Which remedies suit your child’s age and weight, and how much to give, is best agreed with your paediatrician or a pharmacist. If your child takes regular medication, pack enough for the whole trip and a few days more. Having the paediatrician’s phone number helps when a question comes up on the way.
What people often forget on a holiday with kids
On a holiday with kids, what goes missing is often what is simply there at home: the cuddly toy for falling asleep, the night light, the bottle brush, the changing mat. Pack the cuddly toy last and only tick it off once it really is in the bag.
Papers are easy to overlook too. For travel abroad, every child needs their own passport or ID card. Check in good time what your destination requires and how long the document must still be valid. If you travel alone with your child, a consent letter from the other parent can save questions at the border. The vaccination record, the child health record and your child’s health insurance card belong in your hand luggage as well.
This list deliberately holds only the things for the children. Combine it with the template for your destination, such as a beach holiday, ski holiday or camping: sections with the same name are merged, and duplicates drop out.
Frequently asked questions
How old should a baby be before travelling?
There is no single age. Whether a trip suits your baby depends on their health, where you are going and how you get there. Talk to your paediatrician first, especially for long-haul trips, hot climates or destinations that may call for vaccinations. If you are flying, each airline sets its own minimum age for infants, so check with yours before you book.
How many clothes does a child need on holiday?
Children change far more often than adults, because meals, sand and play leave things dirty or wet in no time. Allow a little more per day than you would for yourself, particularly with toddlers. For longer stays, one wash halfway through usually beats bringing everything twice. Keep a full change of clothes in the bag you carry, not in the boot or the hold.
Does my child need their own seat on a plane?
Many airlines let babies and young children travel on an adult’s lap, while older children need a seat of their own. Where that age limit lies, what it costs and whether you may use a car seat on board is up to each airline. Ask as well about taking the pushchair or infant carrier to the aircraft door. It is easiest to settle all of this when you book.
How do I keep track when packing for the whole family?
One shared list works better than a stack of notes, with a section for each area rather than separate lists per person. Packing the children’s things in their own bags makes them easier to find once you arrive. In Packlist you combine this list with the template for your destination and tick off what goes in. Afterwards you can save it as your own template and pack from it again.
How it works
“Start with this list” opens the template – once you have signed in with your email address.
Add more templates, such as “Before leaving” for the water, the heating and the plants. Nothing appears twice.
Create the list, tick it off, archive it after the trip – and pack it again next time.
Good to know
- Can I change the list?
- Yes. Your list is yours: add, rename, move and delete items. The template stays as it is.
- Does it cost anything?
- No. No subscription, no ads. All you need is an email address, no password.