This is a collaborative post: Yesterday we booked our first blended family holiday abroad. I haven’t taken the kids since they were babies; I’ve had to get them new passports and everything which is more stressful than booking the holiday, and almost as costly. (Have you seen the price of stamps? £1.10 each! I almost cried).
We’re going to one of those French holiday camps which looks fabulous for kids but very loud for parents; fortunately it’s very close to the beach so if the screeching by the pool or the overly enthusiastic entertainment gets too much, we can head off for a bit of sun, sea and sand. n my experience, with a bit of good weather, children can entertain themselves on the beach for hours as long as there’s an ice cream offered at some point.
Packing for a family beach holiday requires careful planning, particularly as we are limited to one car for the six of us for the week.
Here’s a family beach holiday checklist to help with packing!
Sun cream
And lots of it. Protection from the sun is really important; sunburn is painful and very dangerous and so packing a good amount of sun cream of the right SPF is crucial. Good, effective sun cream that you can apply in the morning and be confident it will last for several hours is definitely worth it. However it can be quite expensive, and buying it on holiday is insanely so, so it’s definitely not something to leave to chance.
Hats and sunglasses
Everyone needs good sunglasses and a sun hat which they lose on pain of death. I suggest counting them all in and out at the start and end of the day.
Swimsuits
The kids all have swimming costumes, however buying an extra one each means they should have something clean and dry to wear to the beach or pool each day. I’m looking at getting two or three bikini sets which won’t add much to the packing but will avoid having to re-wear something soggy or sandy.
Beach cover ups
Having something to put over the top of a swimsuit or bikini to stroll down to the beach, grab a drink, take a kid to the loo or just get your skin out of the sun is important. Light beach cover ups can be rolled up and kept in a beach or handbag when not in use.
Beach shoes
Flip flops or sandals for everyone, preferably ones that can be worn in the water if it happens to be stony, to protect little feet. Jelly shoes are back in the shops, and although I recall them as being wildly uncomfortable, they do stay on when paddling.
Beach towels
Towels do take up a lot of space in luggage – good quality beach towels perhaps less so – but they are vital! You need something to sit on on the beach of course, and something to clean/dry yourself off with if you take a dip in the sea. It’s important to pack enough beach towels for everyone to have one, and consider bringing extras in case some get wet or sandy. There’s nothing more miserable than a soggy towel.
Beach bag
A large, waterproof beach bag is essential for carrying all the gear to and from the beach. With four kids, it needs to be pretty big, we might even need two.
Drinks bottles
Getting dehydrated is a real risk when spending your day on the beach so making sure that everyone has a filled water bottle before you leave the campsite is important. Once again they’re very easy things to lose so we will have to count them in and our, and make sure that they don’t get left behind after day trips.
Water toys and games
Adults might love just lying in the sun, reading a book (which I’d definitely add to the list!) but kids usually on the other hand often demand some kind of entertaining. Water toys and games, such as lilos or balls, will deflate when not in use keep everyone entertained.
Consider taking some travel games, or packs of cards, in case the weather isn’t great or you want to get out of the sunshine.
First-aid kit
Accidents always happen when kids are hyped up on sun and sugar, and so it’s always a good idea to bring a basic first-aid kit with essentials like plasters, antiseptic wipes, and pain killers otherwise it could be a long schlep back to the camp.
