Update on:
If you’re anything like me then when it comes to packing for a family holiday, you’ll pack everything except the kitchen sink and still manage to forget something.
I’m not really sure how I ALWAYS manage to forget something.
Imagine what a nightmare it’d be if we forgot to pack our kiddo’s fave snuggly!
We’re all super-busy and looking for someone else to do the thinking for us. We’ve got enough on our plate, am I right?
That’s why I’ve made this handy essential toddler packing list for your family holiday in the UK.
My essential holiday packing list for your UK family vacation with a toddler is a lifesaver – well, a time saver!
Read all the way to the end and find my bonus FREE printable checklist!
What Should You Pack For a Toddler Holiday in the UK?
If you’re planning a holiday in the UK for your family vacation then you need to be prepared for every type of weather, no matter the season.
I find the simplest way to make sure I’ve packed everything my toddler needs is to follow a room-by-room essential holiday checklist.
So let’s start with the bathroom and toiletries.
Bathroom and Toiletries
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Child-friendly 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner
- Child- friendly body wash
- Flannel
- Baby oil or moisturiser
- Hair brush / comb
- Hair ties
- Nappies and nappy cream if needed
- Potty / Toilet training seat
- Bath towel
That’s one room down. On to the next.
Want to ditch the diapers before you go on vacay? Here’s how we potty trained my two year old in less than 3 days!
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Bedroom
- PJs (a good rule of thumb is to pack 3 sets for 7 nights plus one extra set just in case)
- Dry nights mattress protector
- Your toddler’s fave snuggly
- Nightlight if your toddler needs one to sleep
- Dummy / pacifier if your toddler uses them
- Extra blanket
- Bedtime stories – let your toddler choose their favourites to pack
- Gro bag (I really love toddler sleeping bags, and you can read about how they help improve toddlers’ sleep here)
- Travel cot – check to see if the place where you’re staying has travel cots available to use. If not you might consider buying one like this to take with you
Want a new book to read with your little one at bedtime? We highly recommend any of these brilliant dinosaur books for toddlers.
Okay, that’s sleeping sorted. Let’s move on to clothing.
Toddler Holiday Clothes
- Vests
- T-shirts
- Jumpers / Cardigans
- Shorts
- Leggings
- Skirts and dresses
- Trousers
- Knickers or pants
- Socks
If there are laundry facilities available at your holiday destination then simply pack what you need. But if you’re not sure there’s a washing machine when you’re staying pack one for each day PLUS two extra.
Tired of battling with your toddler to brush their teeth? Read these top tips on how to brush a toddler’s teeth.
Outside Clothing
It’s best to be prepared so pack for every type of weather for your UK holiday:
- Coat or jacket
- Rain coat or puddle suit
- Wellies
- Sandals
- Running around shoes
We always say it’s better to take something and not need it, than to need something and not have it.
Kitchen
This is the smallest list, and so probably the most likely to be forgotten.
- Sippy cups
- Toddler cutlery
- Follow-on milk if your toddler has it
- Favourite snacks (don’t assume you can buy your toddler’s favourite snacks everywhere. Buy them at home and pack them to take with you so you don’t have a grumpy toddler on holiday!)
Essential Extras
You’re not going to want to miss any of these things, so it’s a good idea to double check this list to make sure you don’t forget something essential.
- First aid kit (check before you go that it’s fully stocked)
- Calpol
- Gripe Water
- Your toddler’s usual medicines if they have a regular prescription
- Nail scissors
- Fan
- Baby wipes / wet wipes
- Anti-bac wipes or disinfectant (I always disinfect anything my children are likely to touch when we’re on holiday)
- Rubbish bags
- Hand gel / sanitiser
- Stair gate / baby gate (check to see whether or not the place you’re staying has one available to use. If not you might consider buying one like this to take with you)
- Camera
- Car seat
- Pushchair (see my recommendations for toddler strollers here)
- Toys – let your toddler choose a few of their must-have toys to take on holiday, especially if there’s a chance of wet weather!
- Colouring book and crayons
Worried that your toddler might not sleep too well on holiday? Here’s 5 tips for a better night’s sleep.
What Do I Need for a Toddler Day at the Beach?
If your UK vacation is near the coast, chances are you’ll be spending at least a little time at the beach. Here’s what to take:
- Sunhat
- Suncream (we always use UPV50+ even on cloudy or hazy days if we’re near the ocean. Sea air tends to burn sensitive skin far more quickly than away from the coast)
- After sun lotion
- Swimsuit / swimming costume / wetsuit
- Swim nappies if your toddler isn’t potty trained (you might want to consider using reusable swim nappies)
- Beach towel – we love poncho beach towels with a hood. There are some cute fun ones for kids
- Sunglasses (aim for at least UV400 protection)
- Water wings / swim noodle
- Beach tent or a parasol for shade
- Cooler to keep your snacks and drinks nicely chilled
- Bottles of water
- Beach toys
It’s really, really important to protect your toddler from the sun. So even if you forget everything else, double check you have suncream, a sunhat, a tent for shade and water to keep hydrated.
Toddler Holiday Checklist: FREE Printable Checklist
So there you have it. Everything you need to pack for a toddler holiday in the UK.
Double check this list when you’re packing to make sure you don’t forget anything.
It’s also a good idea to make a note of emergency contact numbers, and let your loved ones know the address of your holiday home.
To make life a little easier, I’ve put made this pretty printable packing checklist, which you can download for FREE!
Get instant access to your FREE copy of my pretty packing checklist here!
What Next?
Read these posts next or bookmark them for later:
- 21 Non-Toxic Toys Your Toddler Will Love
- Best Dinosaur Books For Toddlers (Girls Love Dinos Too)
- 20 Toddler TV Shows (when you don’t have Netflix)
- How To Quickly And Easily Make Puzzles For Preschoolers
- 5 Simple Habits That Will Improve Your Toddler’s Sleep
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Hi, I’m Jennie and I’m the blogger and content creator behind the award-winning blog GinGin & Roo, a UK parenting and lifestyle blog.
The swim stuff always gets us. We try to go to the lake once a month to swim and kayak and it feels like an adventure just trying to make sure we packed all the right stuff. Great list!
Great list, I have bought a nightlight on several vacations bc of forgetting ours! Will pin this for later!
Saving this list to use for my littles. Thank you!
Saved! We’re just planning our first trip with a toddler and a baby and I’m so overwhelmed with what I need to bring. Thank you for the list, it would be of great help!
Toddlers definitely require more things than their small size! But it is great to have a helpful list like this to have handy. It is well organized and very helpful!
Author
Hey Keri,
Toddlers need so much stuff! Making the list kinda highlighted to me why we always take so much luggage on our family vacations – ha! And I only included the essentials for toddlers. I’m super-happy that you found this toddler packing checklist helpful!
I Love how you split it up in rooms 🙂 very helpful 🙂
Author
Hey Linda,
I always manage to forget something when I’m packing for a family holiday – especially with a toddler – so I find the easiest way to remember everything is to organise my packing checklist by room. I hope you find this packing checklist useful too!
Thank you for this Awesome list !
Author
Hey Akshaya,
So happy you found this packing list for toddlers helpful!