Planning your first beach getaway with your little one? Travelling with toddlers and babies needs a good deal of preparation, particularly if it is your baby’s first time out to a tropical beach destination. At the same time, travelling with a toddler can be lots of fun and relatively easier than travelling with young children. The occasional tantrum notwithstanding, all your toddler cares about is having you around indulging and cuddling them.

To get you excited, here are 5 tried and tested tips that will set you up for a stress-free vacation with your little human.

Kid-friendly accommodation

A beach vacation with your toddler can be a lot of fun if you prepare well, which begins with picking a toddler-friendly property that provides professional and well-trained nannies, caregivers, and nurses to help you make the most of your family vacation.

Another essential to look for are dedicated and safe play areas for toddlers. Some features to look for are nurseries, play parks, kiddie pools, and any specials for young children. Explore an all-inclusive package that would include any additional costs of the special events scheduled during your stay.

Some questions to ask when exploring a toddler-friendly beach property:

Does the resort employ certified caregivers and nurses?

What is the baby to staff ratio?

Is the nanny service included in your package?

How many hours a day can you avail of the service?

Never too early to pack

Start packing for your toddler at least a week before the trip. When travelling with young children, it’s never too early to begin packing. To get going, jot down a quick list of the essentials that your toddler uses from morning to night and take it from there. You’ll find yourself adding to this list even the night before the trip, but by that time you would have given yourself a week’s head start.

To avoid last-minute rush and to have one less thing to do in the week before the trip, buy extra supplies of diapers, wipes, sunscreen, etc. when doing your monthly/fortnightly household shopping.

Beach bag for baby

While packing for the trip, make a separate, ready-to-carry beach bag with essentials such as wet wipes, baby powder, bug spray, hand sanitizer, a couple of swim diapers (the rest can go in your luggage), a lightweight beach blanket, a change of clothes, soap, and of course, waterproof sunscreen. Consider adding medication for minor ailments such as tummy ache or sunburn if your hotel or resort is not located right at the beach. Don’t forget to throw in arm floaties and a couple of favorite toys.

Trust us, this little bag will be a blessing when you arrive at your destination and can’t wait to get to the beach. Pack the sun hat and water shoes separately to avoid the bag becoming bulky. And skip the towel; your beach resort will have plenty of those.

Pack the stroller

While you may not be able to use a stroller in the sand, it’s a good idea to pack lightweight umbrellas for rain even if you intend to spend most of your time at the beachfront. From airports to local sightseeing to nap times, there’ll be plenty of times you’ll thank yourself for bringing it along. Imagine having to leave a pool party in the middle to back to the room because suddenly it’s naptime!

However, before you decide to take the stroller, do check with your hotel concierge to ask them for the best strollers that you can borrow or rent. For example, if you’re at Disney, ask them for the best stroller for Disney World. Another alternative is to buy an inexpensive umbrella stroller when you get there, use it, and pass it on to another family before you leave.

Lastly, remember that it’s your vacation, too!

While you can never plan or prep too much for travel with young children, it’s important to remember that this vacation is also your rare chance to unwind and put your feet up. Therefore, every decision that you make—right from choosing the air carrier and hotel to how you’ll spend your days on the trip—must be as much about yourself as it is about the comfort of everyone else in the family. You can give your family a memorable, fun-filled vacation only when you’re having a good time. So pamper yourself with a spa or escape for a candle-light dinner, but whatever you do, leave the guilt at home—remind yourself that you’re on holiday!

We wish you a good time and hope these tips will help you make the most of family vacations with your little one.