Family Holiday Tips for UK Travellers 2026

For families with young children (under 5), stick to short-haul European destinations — the flight is manageable, time zone adjustment is minimal, and you\'re never more than 4 hours from home in an emergency.

• Book a package holiday — the ATOL protection provided by package holidays is particularly valuable for families (more to lose financially if the operator collapses), and the all-in pricing makes budgeting much simpler
• All-inclusive for young children — an all-inclusive resort eliminates the stress of finding child-friendly restaurants three times a day, keeps costs predictable, and usually includes kids' clubs
• Book early for peak school holidays — summer (July–August) and October half-term prices peak dramatically. Booking 6–12 months ahead secures both availability and the best prices. Prices can double between March and June booking for the same August week.
• Ask about family-specific rooms/suites — interconnecting rooms or family suites are significantly more practical than booking two standard rooms. Many all-inclusive resorts have specific family villa categories.
• Check kids' clubs — for parents of toddlers to 12-year-olds, a well-run kids' club transforms a holiday. Look for: qualified staff, age-appropriate activities, structured timetables and flexible drop-off times.
• Check airline bassinet/COTS availability for babies — long-haul carriers have bulkhead seats with fold-down bassinets for infants under 12 months/10kg. Request these at booking — they're limited and go quickly.

The most common question: what age is too young to travel? There is no universal answer — some parents take newborns on beach holidays, others wait until 2 or 3. Practically speaking:

• Babies under 6 months have no time zone awareness but are dependent on feeding schedules and routines — jet lag affects parents more than them. Keep destination short-haul.
• 9–18 months is often the hardest age — mobile, curious, easily overstimulated, hard to contain on a flight. Many parents find this the most challenging travel age.
• 2–4 years is when travel starts to become genuinely fun — children understand what's happening, engage with new environments, and start forming holiday memories.

Baby & Toddler Essentials

• Portable travel cot (if the hotel can't guarantee a cot in good condition)
• Baby monitor that works via Wi-Fi (so it doesn't need a local SIM)
• Familiar sleep toys/comforters — sleep disruption abroad is worse without them
• Baby sunscreen (mineral-based SPF 50+)
• Sun hat and UV-protective swimwear
• Portable baby food pouches for the flight
• Enough nappies for the journey plus 2 days at destination
• A lightweight stroller that folds to cabin bag size for city exploration

Seat selection:

• For babies: request bulkhead seats with bassinet (book early — very limited availability)
• For toddlers and older: book an aisle seat so you can access the aisle without disturbing others
• For families of 4+: book in a 2+2 configuration across the aisle rather than in a row of 4 — it gives each parent access to the aisle and you're still effectively together

Entertainment for different ages:

• Under 2: Familiar toys, board books, snacks. Keep to routine as much as possible.
• 2–4: Sticker books, audiobooks (Toddler Fun Learning is excellent), Play-Doh, small cars or dolls
• 4–8: Tablets with downloaded content (Disney+, Netflix kids offline), headphones, activity books
• 8–12: Their own tablet with their own content. Gaming apps. A cheap tablet just for travel avoids battles over parental phones.
• Teenagers: Noise-cancelling headphones + their own entertainment. The best approach is to treat them like adults on the plane — they resent being managed.

Snacks: Pack significantly more than you think you need — hunger amplifies grumpiness exponentially at altitude. Bring favourite familiar snacks from home.

The honest truth: teenagers often don't want to be on holiday with their family. The key is to involve them in planning and give them genuine agency during the trip.

• Let them choose one activity per day — a non-negotiable family activity (dinner, the main sightseeing) plus their own choice activity gives them buy-in and something to look forward to
• Give them their own spending money (even a modest amount) — financial independence dramatically improves the adolescent holiday experience
• Ensure they have fast Wi-Fi — non-negotiable for most teenagers. Check hotel Wi-Fi reviews specifically before booking.
• Choose active or adventure destinations — New Zealand, Thailand, Bali, Dubai and Caribbean all offer activities (surfing, snorkelling, zip-lining, bungee jumping) that genuinely appeal to teenagers who would otherwise be uninterested in "lying on a beach"
• Don't micromanage — give older teenagers (15+) some independent time at the hotel pool or nearby beach while you do things separately. They feel respected; you get peace.

• Every family member needs travel insurance — children are included in most family policies, but check the definition of "family" in your policy (some require all to travel together, some cover any trip by any named family member)
• Children's vaccinations — the same travel vaccinations recommended for adults apply to children; check with your GP as some vaccines have minimum age requirements
• GHIC cards for all children — free at nhsbsa.nhs.uk and essential for EU destinations
• Sun safety — children burn faster than adults; apply SPF 50+ every 2 hours and keep babies under 12 months completely out of direct sun
• Water safety — set clear rules about swimming only in lifeguarded areas and always within sight of an adult; ocean rip currents kill children every year at beach resorts
• Food safety for children — children's digestive systems are more vulnerable; in high-risk destinations, be especially careful about water, ice, uncooked salads and street food

• Give older children their own backpack — from age 4–5, children can carry their own small backpack with their entertainment, a water bottle and a snack. This is practical and builds independence.
• Packing cubes per person — one set per family member makes finding individual items in a shared family suitcase infinitely easier
• Checked luggage vs cabin bags — families almost always need checked luggage; book the allowance at the same time as your flight for the cheapest rate
• Bring your own child car seat if hiring a car — car seats provided by hire companies are often old, poorly maintained and improperly fitted. Airlines carry child seats in the hold free of charge.
• Familiar comfort items — never pack a child's comfort toy or security blanket in checked luggage. These are hand-luggage-only items — if the checked bags are lost, losing them is catastrophic.

See our full Packing Lists Guide for complete lists including family extras.