The Ultimate Family Holiday Packing List for Babies, Toddlers & Kids (2026)
Everything we pack for a European family holiday as a family of five, plus the practical tips we've learnt after travelling with three children.
Introduction
Packing for a family holiday can feel almost as overwhelming as the journey itself. Between remembering passports, making sure you've packed enough swim nappies and wondering whether you'll be able to buy your child's favourite snacks abroad, it's easy to feel like you're taking the entire house with you.
After travelling with our three children over the years, I've learnt a lot about successful packing and it is definitely worth giving it some thought ahead of the trip to avoid stressful times on holiday, Im afraid the days of last minute packing went out of the window for me as soon as I had kids!
This isn't a packing list that tells you to pack seven T-shirts or eight pairs of shorts. Every family holiday is different depending on how long you're away, where you're staying and whether you'll have access to laundry.
Instead, think of this as the guide I wish someone had given me before our first family holiday. It's packed with the things we always take, the little tips we've learnt along the way and the products that have earned a permanent place in our suitcase.
Whether you're travelling with a baby for the first time or heading abroad with older children, I hope it helps you feel a little calmer and a lot more organised.
⬇️ Don't forget to download our free printable Family Holiday Packing Checklist at the end of this guide.
✈️ Before You Leave Home
Packing actually starts long before you unzip your suitcase.
There are a few jobs I always try to tick off before we leave, again to avoid stressful times in the airport or away.
Before we travel, I always make sure our passports are still valid and our travel insurance is sorted. I also like to double check our baggage allowance and our airline's pushchair policy as we have always taken a travel stroller with us.
If you're travelling with a Yoto or tablets, download everything before you leave. Airport Wi-Fi isn't always reliable, and you'll be so glad your children's favourite stories and shows are ready to go.
If you're travelling with formula fed babies, it's also worth checking what your airline allows and whether you need to pre order any specialist milk or food for your destination.
💛 Tinies & Co Top Tip
Download stories, films and playlists the day before you travel not on the way to the airport. It's one less thing to think about on an already busy morning.
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🧳 What Goes in Our Hand Luggage
Hand luggage is as important as the main luggage in my opinion and I’ve really tried to edit this over the years to balance to pack as light as possible balancing everyone’s needs. The easier you can carry it the better leaving you hands free so you can deal with the kids. Also as tempting as it is to load the stroller pockets with things as you do at home, it’s worth avoiding this as they will need to come out when you fold it for the plane which can be annoying.
That said, we always pack as though there might be a delay because, with children, you dont want to be caught short.
For babies, that means enough nappies, wipes, bottles and feeds to comfortably cover any unexpected delays. I also pack a muslin, a comforter and a spare change of clothes.
For toddlers and older children, I always include snacks, refillable water bottles, entertainment and one complete spare outfit.
Don't forget spare underwear for older children too—it's one of those little things that's easy to overlook until you really need it.
When it comes to keeping everyone entertained, we rely on a handful of activities rather than filling our bags with toys. Our Yoto Mini, sticker books, travel magnetic tiles and Water Magic books come on almost every trip with us.
💛 Tinies & Co Top Tip
Always pack one complete change of clothes for every child in your hand luggage—including underwear and socks. Hopefully you'll never need them, but you'll be incredibly grateful if you do.
✈️ Airport Outfits
Airport days can be long, so comfort always wins in our family.
For the children, I usually choose comfortable joggers or shorts with a T-shirt and a lightweight zip-up hoodie. Airports, aeroplanes and air conditioning can all vary in temperature, so having an extra layer that's easy to take on and off is invaluable.
For babies, I nearly always travel in a sleepsuit or romper if possible. They're comfortable enough to nap in, make nappy changes much easier and are far more practical than complicated outfits on a busy travel day.
Shoes should also be easy to slip on and off, particularly if you're travelling through security with little ones.
💛 Tinies & Co Top Tip
Save the beautiful holiday outfits for when you arrive. Travel days are all about comfort, practicality and making everyone's journey as relaxed as possible.
👕 Clothing
When it comes to packing clothes, I don't think in terms of numbers—I think in terms of our holiday.
Every family holiday looks a little different, so rather than trying to work out whether we need six T-shirts or eight, I think about what we'll actually be doing each day.
For us, a typical day usually looks something like this:
☀️ Breakfast, exploring or kids' club
🏖️ Pool or beach
🌅 Shower and dinner
Packing around those three parts of the day makes it much easier to stay organised and avoids overpacking.
If your children are planning to spend time at the kids' club, I'd also suggest packing a few comfortable outfits that you don't mind getting a little messy. Arts and crafts, painting and outdoor play are all part of the fun, so I tend to leave the brand new holiday clothes for family days out or evenings.
Our Clothing Checklist:
For babies:
Daytime outfits
Sleepsuits or rompers
Lightweight cardigan
Lightweight sleeping bag
For toddlers and children:
Comfortable daytime outfits
Evening outfits
Swimwear
Pyjamas
Underwear
Socks
Lightweight jumper or cardigan
💛 Tinies & Co Top Tip
Rather than packing individual items, think in outfits. It makes getting everyone dressed much quicker each morning and helps avoid taking far more clothes than you'll actually need.
👟 Shoes
Shoes are one of the easiest things to overpack.
We've found that three pairs are usually more than enough for a European summer holiday.
Comfortable trainers for travelling and exploring
Sandals that can be worn in the evening
Pool or beach shoes to protect little feet from hot paving and slippery surfaces
For babies who aren't walking yet, don't worry too much about shoes—they'll probably spend most of the holiday barefoot or in your arms.
💛 Tinies & Co Top Tip
Make sure everyone wears in new shoes before you travel. Holiday blisters are no fun for anyone!
🏖️ Beach & Pool Essentials
This is probably where we spend most of our holiday, so I like to keep everything together in one packing cube or section of the suitcase.
Having all of our swim essentials in one place makes unpacking much easier when we arrive and means we're not hunting for goggles five minutes before heading to the pool.
Swimwear - for babies and young children I prefer UV sunsuits which cover more of their bodies
Swim float vest or armbands if young
Swim nappies
Swim hat
Sun hat
Sunglasses
Goggles
Swim inflatable
Pool or beach shoes
Beach bag
Reusable water bottles
Lightweight muslin or towel for babies
If your children love building sandcastles, it's also worth deciding whether you'll pack beach toys or buy a small bucket and spade when you arrive. We usually buy inexpensive ones at our destination rather than using precious suitcase space.
💛 Tinies & Co Top Tip
If your children will be spending lots of time in and out of the pool, it’s worth making sure they have two sets of swimwear each. Having a dry costume ready for the afternoon makes everyone much more comfortable.
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👶 Baby Essentials
Travelling with a baby inevitably means packing a little more, but there are a few items that have become complete non-negotiables for us over the years.
Baby Essentials Checklist
Nappies
Baby wipes
Nappy sacks
Portable changing mat
A second portable changing mat for the hotel room
Nappy cream
Muslins
Bottles
Formula (if needed)
Bottle brush
Small bottle of washing-up liquid
Sterilising equipment (if required)
Comforter
Dummy (if used)
Baby carrier
One thing I always pack—but rarely see mentioned—is a second portable changing mat.
I like to leave one set up in the hotel room so we've got a little changing station ready to go, rather than unpacking the changing bag every single time Bertie needs changing. It sounds like such a small thing, but it makes the room feel much more organised and saves time throughout the holiday.
I also never travel without a small bottle of washing-up liquid and a bottle brush. They're invaluable for washing bottles, sippy cups and reusable water bottles in the hotel sink, particularly if you're staying somewhere without a kitchenette.
💛 Tinies & Co Top Tip
If you're travelling with a baby, a lightweight baby carrier is often just as useful as your pushchair. We use ours constantly for boarding flights, wandering around airports and evening walks when little ones are ready for a nap.
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👉 Best Baby Carriers for Travel (coming soon)
💊 Our Family Holiday Medicine Bag
This is one area I never compromise on.
I'd always rather come home with a few unused medicines than spend precious holiday time searching for a pharmacy because one of the children has a temperature. Every family's medicine bag will look slightly different, but these are the essentials that come on every holiday with us.
Our Family Medicine Bag
Children's paracetamol (Calpol)
Children's ibuprofen
Children's antihistamine (such as Piriton)
Oral rehydration salts
Thermometer
Plasters
Bite and sting relief cream
Mini Sudocrem
Prescription medication (if required)
💛 Tinies & Co Top Tip
I always pack both paracetamol and ibuprofen. If one of the children becomes unwell abroad, it's reassuring to know we've got everything we need without rushing to find a pharmacy.
🧴 Toiletries
This might be controversial, but as a family of five, I rarely bother with travel sized toiletries.
Yes, they're lighter, but we tend to get through a lot of shampoo, conditioner and body wash during a family holiday, particularly when everyone is showering after the pool every day.
For me, it's worth using a little extra suitcase space for the peace of mind that we have everything we need, rather than spending time trying to find our favourite products abroad or paying inflated prices in a hotel shop.
Of course, if you're travelling with hand luggage only, travel-sized products make much more sense but if you're checking a suitcase, I'd definitely consider taking full sized bottles.
Our Toiletries Checklist
Shampoo
Conditioner
Body wash
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Hairbrush
Hair ties
Children's SPF 50+
Aftersun
Hand sanitiser
Sanitising wipes
Travel detergent
💛 Tinies & Co Top Tip
I always use travel detergent them for rinsing through swimwear, washing children's clothes after messy meals and cleaning bottles or reusable water bottles in the hotel sink.
Final Thoughts
Packing for a family holiday will probably never be completely stress-free, but I've found that having a simple system makes all the difference.
I hope this guide helps make the packing a little easier, so you can spend less time worrying about what's in your suitcase and more time looking forward to your holiday.
⬇️ Download Your Free Family Holiday Packing Checklist
If you'd like a printable version of everything in this guide, we've created a free Tinies & Co Family Holiday Packing Checklist that you can print or save to your phone before every trip.
Whether you're travelling with a baby for the first time or packing for the whole family, it's designed to help you stay organised without the overwhelm.
FAQ
What should I pack in hand luggage when flying with children?
Pack everything you'll need if your checked luggage is delayed. I always include a complete spare outfit for each child, snacks, drinks, wipes, nappies (if needed), medicines, entertainment and a comforter. Being overprepared for the journey makes travelling with children much less stressful.
What should I pack for a baby's first holiday?
Alongside clothing and nappies, I'd recommend packing a travel stroller, baby carrier, portable changing mat, muslins, bottles, formula (if needed), a comforter and a few familiar toys. Don't forget practical extras like a bottle brush and a small bottle of washing-up liquid if you'll be washing bottles in your hotel room.
What medicines should I pack for a family holiday?
Our family holiday medicine bag always includes children's paracetamol, children's ibuprofen, an antihistamine, oral rehydration salts, plasters, bite and sting cream, a thermometer and any prescription medication. I'd much rather take what we need than spend precious holiday time searching for a pharmacy abroad.
How many clothes should I pack for a family holiday?
Rather than counting T-shirts and shorts, I think about how we'll spend each day. We pack for daytime, the pool, evenings and bedtime, which helps us stay organised without overpacking. If you're staying somewhere with laundry facilities, you can often take even less.
What are the best travel activities for kids?
Our favourite travel activities include the Yoto Mini, Usborne sticker books, Water Magic books, suction spinners, travel magnetic tiles, LCD drawing tablets and simple travel games like Uno Junior and Top Trumps. We've shared all of our favourites in our guide to the 12 Best Travel Activities for Kids.