Very soon we are will make our annual pilgrimage to the Motherland (Italy), we have been travelling regularly with our boys since they were a few months old.
For me this means careful preparation and before we go I scour the web in search of products that are going to make the journey that little less painful. I have popped the best of the best (from my experience) below!
So here are my essentials for multiple parents as tried and tested by us after a great deal of investment:
Travel Grobag (Age of the little travellers: zero - 18mths): the GroCompany make loads of brilliant products for children and we were avid fans of their standard Grobags. The great thing about the travel ones is that they come in and extra lightweight 0.5tog (so
perfect for leaving in a nappy and letting them just sleep in that for those extra warm nights). The other great feature is the holes on the back which allow you to strap them into a car seat with the Grobag intact - perfect for those 'car to bed manoeuvers'. Patterns are adorable and when you come home you can still use them for late night trips.
Munchkin Miracle 360 Sipper Cups (Age of the little travellers: from as soon as they learn to drink): I first picked up a couple of these when I was in the US. Tired of spilt drinks but keen for them boys to learn how to drink from a cup their awesome design means you can tip them, throw them, hang them upside down (the cups not the kids) and there isn't a spill, they undoubtedly end up on their side on the floor and there is never a drop spilt. Also the two parts are easy to clean and easy to assemble.
I had also tried WOW cups which we already available in the UK at the time. Unfortunately WOW Cups didn't cut it, the lids would not always form a watertight seal which often resulted in leaking and even the lids flying off after a throw, not so with the Munchkin Miracle! Sturdy design in a variety of bright colours, my blue and green ones are nearly two years old now and have stood the test of time so I am delighted to see that they are now available in the UK for all to benefit, they also do a 'Trainer version' with handles which is slightly smaller. This year I will be buying a couple of extra ones so two can be permanent travel ones.
Travel High Chairs (From when they can sit up):
Couple of recommendations here after trying 'oh so many' different products! Firstly the Totseat we were lucky enough to land an offer of buying a full price one and getting a travel version for free and as a multiple Mum I love any BOGOF offer. So two years down the line these are still going strong we still take them everywhere since we find quite often restaurant and pub highchairs have broken straps and with twins it is vitally important to ensure that both boys are sitting safely at all times. Made from durable fabric and adaptable for every chair we have some across when we go abroad we are often asked what they are and where they can be found. They also fold away into a little pouch - no space consumed at all!
For visits to Grandma and overnight stays with relatives we also have the Chicco Pocket Snack Booster. Lightweight and fold to nothing so can live in the car without taking up space these boosters are as happy sitting on the floor as they are strapped to chairs. They are adjustable height-wise which is an added bonus meaning you can raise them to be the same height at a dining table as everyone else (we know how important that becomes at around two years old). Detachable tray and safety harness. Look out for offers on these since investing in two warrants a good deal on them!
Inflatable Cot bumpers (a good alternative to taking two travel cots abroad): another US purchased which can not be found over here are The Shrunks Wally Inflatable Bed Rail I have two of these. They come in small little pouches with a pump, take minutes to inflate and have a cool safety valve feature which means they don't deflate in between pumps. I prefer these to other designs because they have a suede affect fabric on the bottom which means they stay in place all night and if you have a fitted sheet over them a single bed magically turns into a toddler bed.
C-Gear Sand mat: brilliant find this mat, great for days on the beach because it keeps sand at bay. I didn't believe it at first but it really works and makes holiday days on the beach less stressful because if you have your little ones playing or sleeping in the shade they don't get everything covered in sand, you won't even need to hire loungers with one of these. Even if they decide to tip sand onto the mat a quick brush and it sieves away leaving the mat clear again. I also purchased the beach bag from the range - no more sand in with my belongings! The only drawback with this for travelling is weight. For UK trips with a car this isn't a problem but the large one weighs in at 3kg and is annoyingly bulky. We got away with it by stowing it on the pushchair for the flight. You could also buy a smaller one which resolves the bulk and weight issue! Either way - a worthwhile investment!
Frostfire Moontent: I am throwing this in the holiday section as it is a serious tent. We have one of these and use it both as a beach shelter and play tent for the garden. Super easy to pop open and stick out on the lawn and equally wherever else you may want to travel to. Enormous inside with plenty of space for both twins and Mum and maybe even Dad to play in. Drawbacks are that packed away, whilst being light, it is probably two wide in diameter to fit in a standard luggage case but if you are driving to your holiday then this will stow just fine. Forget expensive kids tents and one purpose beach shelters - watch this tent on Camel Camel Camel for a price drop and grab something that will give you the durability you are looking for and the kids lasting fun!
So what's new for this year's holiday?
Lighter less bulky towels: I have invested in Some Dock and Bay microfibre towels which are in the washing machine as we speak. So far I've been impressed, four (two XL beach towels and two medium sized ones) of these towels are weighing in at less than one standard beach and fold so thinly this will free up lots of space in our luggage. They seem very soft and durable but I will update after the holiday to give a full verdict on them.
Bags, Bags, Bags: I have a little obsession with collapsable bags and this year is no different. I have invested in a Cabin Max Metz bag, a backpack targeted at travellers who only want to travel with hand luggage I thought that for parents of multiples who always need a way to carry as much stuff as possible in an efficient way these might fit the bill. The bag has arrived and is comfortable on my back with plenty of space so I'll be using this to carry onboard for the flight laden with snacks, entertainment, nappies, wipes, as well as my bits. In addition I also purchased a Go Travel Foldaway Tote bag at the bargain price of £5 so when I arrive at the other side I have a lovely looking shoulder bag that has oodles of space as a changing bag as well!
For me this means careful preparation and before we go I scour the web in search of products that are going to make the journey that little less painful. I have popped the best of the best (from my experience) below!
So here are my essentials for multiple parents as tried and tested by us after a great deal of investment:
Travel Grobag (Age of the little travellers: zero - 18mths): the GroCompany make loads of brilliant products for children and we were avid fans of their standard Grobags. The great thing about the travel ones is that they come in and extra lightweight 0.5tog (so
Munchkin Miracle 360 Sipper Cups (Age of the little travellers: from as soon as they learn to drink): I first picked up a couple of these when I was in the US. Tired of spilt drinks but keen for them boys to learn how to drink from a cup their awesome design means you can tip them, throw them, hang them upside down (the cups not the kids) and there isn't a spill, they undoubtedly end up on their side on the floor and there is never a drop spilt. Also the two parts are easy to clean and easy to assemble.
I had also tried WOW cups which we already available in the UK at the time. Unfortunately WOW Cups didn't cut it, the lids would not always form a watertight seal which often resulted in leaking and even the lids flying off after a throw, not so with the Munchkin Miracle! Sturdy design in a variety of bright colours, my blue and green ones are nearly two years old now and have stood the test of time so I am delighted to see that they are now available in the UK for all to benefit, they also do a 'Trainer version' with handles which is slightly smaller. This year I will be buying a couple of extra ones so two can be permanent travel ones.
 |
| Totseat in Action |
Couple of recommendations here after trying 'oh so many' different products! Firstly the Totseat we were lucky enough to land an offer of buying a full price one and getting a travel version for free and as a multiple Mum I love any BOGOF offer. So two years down the line these are still going strong we still take them everywhere since we find quite often restaurant and pub highchairs have broken straps and with twins it is vitally important to ensure that both boys are sitting safely at all times. Made from durable fabric and adaptable for every chair we have some across when we go abroad we are often asked what they are and where they can be found. They also fold away into a little pouch - no space consumed at all!
 |
| Chicco Pocket Snack |
For visits to Grandma and overnight stays with relatives we also have the Chicco Pocket Snack Booster. Lightweight and fold to nothing so can live in the car without taking up space these boosters are as happy sitting on the floor as they are strapped to chairs. They are adjustable height-wise which is an added bonus meaning you can raise them to be the same height at a dining table as everyone else (we know how important that becomes at around two years old). Detachable tray and safety harness. Look out for offers on these since investing in two warrants a good deal on them!
Inflatable Cot bumpers (a good alternative to taking two travel cots abroad): another US purchased which can not be found over here are The Shrunks Wally Inflatable Bed Rail I have two of these. They come in small little pouches with a pump, take minutes to inflate and have a cool safety valve feature which means they don't deflate in between pumps. I prefer these to other designs because they have a suede affect fabric on the bottom which means they stay in place all night and if you have a fitted sheet over them a single bed magically turns into a toddler bed.
 |
| CGear Sand Free Mat - look no sand! |
C-Gear Sand mat: brilliant find this mat, great for days on the beach because it keeps sand at bay. I didn't believe it at first but it really works and makes holiday days on the beach less stressful because if you have your little ones playing or sleeping in the shade they don't get everything covered in sand, you won't even need to hire loungers with one of these. Even if they decide to tip sand onto the mat a quick brush and it sieves away leaving the mat clear again. I also purchased the beach bag from the range - no more sand in with my belongings! The only drawback with this for travelling is weight. For UK trips with a car this isn't a problem but the large one weighs in at 3kg and is annoyingly bulky. We got away with it by stowing it on the pushchair for the flight. You could also buy a smaller one which resolves the bulk and weight issue! Either way - a worthwhile investment!
Frostfire Moontent: I am throwing this in the holiday section as it is a serious tent. We have one of these and use it both as a beach shelter and play tent for the garden. Super easy to pop open and stick out on the lawn and equally wherever else you may want to travel to. Enormous inside with plenty of space for both twins and Mum and maybe even Dad to play in. Drawbacks are that packed away, whilst being light, it is probably two wide in diameter to fit in a standard luggage case but if you are driving to your holiday then this will stow just fine. Forget expensive kids tents and one purpose beach shelters - watch this tent on Camel Camel Camel for a price drop and grab something that will give you the durability you are looking for and the kids lasting fun!
So what's new for this year's holiday?
Lighter less bulky towels: I have invested in Some Dock and Bay microfibre towels which are in the washing machine as we speak. So far I've been impressed, four (two XL beach towels and two medium sized ones) of these towels are weighing in at less than one standard beach and fold so thinly this will free up lots of space in our luggage. They seem very soft and durable but I will update after the holiday to give a full verdict on them.
Bags, Bags, Bags: I have a little obsession with collapsable bags and this year is no different. I have invested in a Cabin Max Metz bag, a backpack targeted at travellers who only want to travel with hand luggage I thought that for parents of multiples who always need a way to carry as much stuff as possible in an efficient way these might fit the bill. The bag has arrived and is comfortable on my back with plenty of space so I'll be using this to carry onboard for the flight laden with snacks, entertainment, nappies, wipes, as well as my bits. In addition I also purchased a Go Travel Foldaway Tote bag at the bargain price of £5 so when I arrive at the other side I have a lovely looking shoulder bag that has oodles of space as a changing bag as well!
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