Travelling with a little one - what to take!

I've now done a fair few trips with my two girls, both in the UK and abroad and I have to admit there are pro's and con's to all of the different types we have tried!  From all inclusive hotels, a Mark Warner (child care provided!) holiday, through to self catering apartments in the UK and abroad and also villa's - they all have their equal share of advantages and disadvantages.  I think what I'm trying to say is that travelling with babies/kids is never going to be completely stress free and there will always be things that could make a holiday more relaxing and easier!
In terms of what to take, I have googled countless times to give me ideas and now have excel spreadsheets for all the different holidays, but each time I go back to them the kids have grown up a bit more and so the list has changed (again!).  But there are some things which I've listed below which I think are useful to have, some more age specific than others, but food for thought for you anyway.  And for those of you who can travel outside of the school holidays, I'd say do it now before you get tied into half terms and summer holidays, where the prices jump up dramatically!!!

1. First Aid Kit
This is an obvious one for the list but I thought I should put this as my number 1 as we have always needed something on holiday, whether it's just a plaster or the full works!  Marlow First Aid trainer Claire Street can provide you with these and she has even written a blog about keeping the kids safe on holiday - take a look here

3. Sun suits
These are quite literally one of the best inventions!  My kids wear these for all of our beach holidays and they never burn and generally come back home the same colour as they left!  They provide sun protection, usually to factor 40 or 50 and they range from short sleeveless suits, to full body cover plus hats.  They really work well and are for babies all the way through to age 9 I believe.  Jojo Maman Bebe sell lovely ones, along with John Lewis.

2. Simply For Flying Log Books
These are great fun and are a lovely way to document all of the places your little one has travelled to since they were born!  The details of the fight are entered and then you can take them to the pilots who write comments in the books - my kids love them and I'd highly recommend them!  Link for these are here

4. Gro Black Out Blind
Staying anywhere other than at home you never know until you get somewhere what the curtains are going to be like (not something you really ask when booking your holiday!!!)!  However, from past experience staying in a room with nothing more than voile curtains at the windows can mean a very early start for little one's.  We take our Gro Blind's to each destination we've gone to and they have been, at times, essential!

5. Trunki Boostapack
We only came across these this summer, as we were hiring a car and were looking for other options which would mean not taking the girls huge car seats with us on the plane.  These Boostpacks are a great idea as they double up as a rucksack and then with a push of a couple of buttons transform into a booster seat!  When they are being used as a rucksack they are a little heavy (but that may be due to the amount of stuff our girls packed!!) but they were much easier than carrying two big car seats through the terminals!

6. Ella pouches
These pouches are great for weaning babies and also older toddlers too - as meals but also as fruit snacks.  We took loads of these on one of our first trips abroad (as first time/new parents) with a weaning baby as we weren't sure what would be on offer at the hotel (and how suitable it may or may not be) and they were really handy to have.  

7. Toys!
I think the key here is to keep it simple and take toys that could have multi uses, some ideas:
Stacking cups - great in the pools, bath and on the beach to make sandcastles
Folkmanis Squigz  - these are brilliant rubber toys that stick together and are so much fun, can be used as entertainment on the plane or in the bath/pool.
Lottie Dolls - plastic dolls that can be used in the pools and on the beach.  If you're not a Barbie fan these dolls are just gorgeous as they are just little girls (in terms of their features) but with big ideas, so you can get fossil hunter Lottie, astro adventurer Lottie, boarder Lottie, brownie Lottie and the list goes on.  
Pass the Pig - Probably more suitable for thoses age 3-4+ but we played this all week on holiday this summer!! Small to travel with and very simple.
Stickers - for little one's these are a must - my daughter covered all her arms and legs in stickers on one flight but she was so happy and kept amused I let her be!  There are loads of great sticker and activity books on the market.

Some other ideas that you have recommended to me:
1. Babyzen Yoyo Pushchair - this pushchair collapses small enough to be taken on the flight as hand luggage - amazing!!
2. Travel wash and Vanish bar of soap
3. Mosquito repellent and antihistamines 

I hope you have found this useful - feel free to add any more ideas into the comments box below, as I'm sure we can all help each other with good ideas to help our trips go as smoothly as possible!  Happy Holidays!