Weekends away are the perfect place to make happy memories with your family, yet it can be a bit overwhelming knowing what to pack. So, here are a few of the must-haves for when you are travelling with children. Being organised and pre-empting behaviour is key to this, meaning you will have a fun and (relatively) stress-free weekend!
Organised Changing Bag
The best place to start is with a changing bag that has plenty of compartments, making everything you need easy to access. You can pack everything you need for each day out from changing supplies and snacks to a first aid kit and your purse. Just because something is organised, doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Go for something stylish like a leather baby changing bag or something heavily patterned. Make your changing bag a functional accessory and you will feel good and be organised. Snacks
Any parent will know that it is hard to reason with a hungry child. So, you should always carry a few snacks to keep them happy throughout the day. Things like biscuits and crisps travel much better throughout the day compared to trying to carry fresh pieces of fruit, so stick with non-perishables. You could pick up some fresh fruit from local vendors to help support small businesses as an added extra snack!Entertainment
As well as food, another essential to keep children happy is entertainment. Whilst you probably have fun things planned for the weekend away, it is a good idea to have a few toys on hand if you want some time to relax or if they are getting fidgety. Depending on their age, you could get them a small backpack that can fasten at the front, filled with a couple of toys. This will teach them about responsibility whilst also freeing up a bit of valuable space in your bag!
Small First Aid Kit
Children are excitable, but even more so when they are exploring new places. This means injuries are more likely to happen! Pack a small first aid kit containing antiseptic wipes, waterproof plasters, blister plasters, tweezers, disposable gloves, bite and sting cream, burn cream, safety pins, dressings and eye pads.
This should cover you until you can get back to your accommodation where you can tend to the injury properly. I know this sounds like a lot but you can usually buy small versions of the creams and then you can just put a couple of all the other things in. This should help to prevent having to cut a fun day out short!
A Portable Charger
We rely on our phones for many things, so having it run out of battery would be far from ideal. Trying to navigate a new city with hungry children in tow and no map is a situation most parents would want to avoid. So, having a portable charger in your bag just incase is the best idea. If you use the charger throughout the day, simply put it on charge when you get back to your accommodation and you’ll be good to go again the next day.