Essentials for a 6 year old

[nurseshortie]

Hi everyone we are travelling first time with rc on 30th sept around the med on Indy.. our 6 year old daughter first cruise.. what are the essentials we should take for her please ?? X

 

 

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[Woodmnky]

My son is 6. These are some of the random things that we bring with us specifically for him:

 

Kids medicines (I've used these way too often on a cruise)

 

Take & Toss cups. They are $1.98 on Amazon for a set of 4 cups with lids & straws. The glasses in the dining room are pretty heavy and collect condensation so they are slippery. I feel so much better with him having a kids cup and they are cheap enough to throw away or forget. Also a small container of dish soap to wash them out if you want.

 

I always bring a couple of quarters and pennies for any pressed penny machines that he finds.

 

My son is very sensitive to loud noises, so we bring some ear plugs for the muster drill and other loud times.

 

I let him bring his Kindle along with 1 or 2 small toys.

 

(we drive to the port and only cruise the Caribbean, so this may not be easy for you)

I always bring a few snacks to keep on hand for excursion as well as him just being hungry for a little something in the stateroom.

[Skippy]

Aside from clothes and swimsuits, a jacket or sweater (it can be chilly in the dining room), Dramamine, chewable pain relievers just in case. If you're flying, something fun to keep her occupied on the plane whether it be a tablet, coloring books or books. Headphones for the tablet. Other than that I can't think of anything special to pack for the kids.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Long pants and full socks are required for ice skating.

 

Water bottle to fill and take ashore.

 

Plenty of sunscreen.

[jlrn366419]

• prepackaged snacks for port days and hangry moments.
  
• inflatable pool noodles or 1 of the smaller foam pool noodles and a few beach toys. (not a necessity but we always do beach days and it makes it more fun)
  
• If he can't swim yet, a puddle jumper flotation device. Less cumbersome and more comfortable for emerging swimmers than a traditional life jacket.
  
• socks for adventure ocean-not necessary but the less bare skin touching the carpet in there, the better imo.
  
• sweatshirt or sweater for venues/dining room that are prone to being cold.
  

[cb at sea]

Happy parents...clothes, meds....that's all I can think that a kid NEEDS. The rest is just "fluff".

[famof4togo]

There will be a Pirate parade for her age group...so I packed pirate gear for my 6 year old last week....

 

I didn't bring any "toys" other then I let him use his tablet ONLY at the first dinner (since no early kids club release for that meal) and the dinners can take over 2 hours...

[Talex831]

We always bring cards (Uno, Skipbo) and one or two other travel games (Yahtzee). We like to find a place to hang out and play them on sea days. My boys have never gone to the kids clubs in 13 cruises. We spend our time together.

 

 

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[andrew2346]

I packed a small kit with: chewable childrens dramamine, liquid tylenol, liquid motrin, hydrocoritsone, aloe, tweezers, bandaids, neosporin, and tweezers. Nice to just have those things in your stateroom just in case.

[sportmorgan]

Sticker books like the Usborn ones were always very popular with my girls and good for a little downtime.

 

 

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[Jerseygirl1416]

Goggles for the pool. My boys eyes were always sensitive to the chlorine in the pools when they were younger.

[Cel_cruise]

My 6 year old is bringing:

- her iPod/headphones for the plane and in room music and subway surfer when she needs downtime

- 3-4 books

- googles (this will be our first vacation not bringing her float device - she is a great swimmer now)

- bingo

- a lot of clothes - more than a normal person will need but they are small and I just can't predict her pickiness in this area.

- foam hand soap container for bathroom sink

- glow sticks for nightlight each night (the battery candles work well too but glow sticks are more fun)

- some window clings for the balcony door

 

Of course we always pack toiletries, band aids, medicine etc. Also a few pre-packaged snacks (pretzels, granola bars, gold fish) as well as some of the glad or ziploc plastic containers with Lids for ship snacks. Several ziplock bags as well for the family.

 

The containers can also double as a shower 'toy' or container if needed.

 

My kids LOVED the kids club on our last cruise and get so mad if we have plans away from them. We cruise next week (ages 6 and 10) and it will be interesting to see if that has changed!

 

 

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[leosmom08]

We brought along a life jacket for our son on our last cruise. (It has a slim profile.) We couldn't be sure of availability for a child size life jacket on our shore excursions. I'm glad we did.

 

He also wears a swim shirt/rash guard to easily transition from the pool to Windjammer for a bite to eat. He didn't wear much else! Now that I think of it, we also had a second swim suit so one was always dry.

[Bizzie07]

Just the normal things you would take on holiday plus sea sickness tablets. We always gave our daughter the tablets before we sailed to make sure she was ok - and it worked.

[holden0301]

We never travel without blank pads of paper and crayons/colored pencils. Our kids aren't allowed to use electronics at any meal.

[LeeW]

Extra bathing suit and lots of kid sunscreen.

Edited April 7, 2017 by LeeW
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[melski]

In addition to regular medicine, I bring kids dramamine, swimmers ear drops and eye drops.

 

I will bring a kids snorkel mask, snorkel and fins if we are doing a snorkeling excursion. If not, don't worry. Of course bring goggles.

 

I put an entire day's clothes (day, evening, underwear and socks) in a ziploc bag for my 5 and 9 year olds and label the day they should wear it on. It sounds excessive but our first cruise when they were going through 3-4 outfits a day...breakfast outfit, change into suit, different outfit for lunch, bathing suit, then another outfit for the kids club and finally dinner clothes. Now they know to get the labeled bag, wear the clothes again and don't touch anything else. I will save an relatively clean outfit for any accidents or wash in sink.

[VPIcruiser]

Our third child is six and going on his 8th cruise. I agree with packing kids meds - better to be prepared. We have packed books to be read while waiting for dinner and a stuffed animal or two. He might have put some toys in his backpack. We packed one pair of jeans for ice skating. Googles for the pool.

 

For pirate night, the kids get a bandana and face paint.

 

I probably forgot something, but if so, hopefully we can buy it.

[Talex831]

Goggles for the pool. My boys eyes were always sensitive to the chlorine in the pools when they were younger.

 

 

 

Ugh! Thank you! We leave in a week and always forget goggles! We have purchased a pair of goggles on every vacation we've ever been on because I always forget them! Thank you, getting them out now!

 

 

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[crosby99]

What we always forget....a bucket and spade

Apart from what mentioned above especially medicines the only extra thing we bring is blackcurrent cordial for main dining room

[AussieCruiser2332]

I agree with suggestion of slim life jacket and snorkel gear if you plan to do these on any excursions. If you pack your own you know they will fit and this makes for a much more pleasant excursion.

Also agree with two swim suits so one is always dry. Also think about shoes - we only packed one pair each of thongs, sneakers and beach shoes for our son and got caught out when the sneaker got very wet one day.

Enjoy!

[Skippy]

I didn't bother bringing the snorkel stuff. We used the rental equipment and it was fine and they ended up not liking it anyway. The water was too salty for them. They are used to pools.

[Cel_cruise]

I didn't bother bringing the snorkel stuff. We used the rental equipment and it was fine and they ended up not liking it anyway. The water was too salty for them. They are used to pools.

 

 

This is a recurring problem for us...my kids hate salt water too.

 

 

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[MaritimeR&R]

I made a craft box for my granddaughter and filled it with ocean and beach themed stickers, paper, scissors, markers, etc. It gave her some quiet time before bed and during the day when she didn't want to do an activity with Project Adventure. I also packed a bedtime story book.

[cruzinlisa]

Medicines definitely. Kids (mine at least) manages to get sick at the most inopportune times. For example a couple years ago (she was 4), we flew to Orlando for a Disney cruise. Middle of the night Friday night (cruise leaves the next day), she starts screaming bloody murder about her ears. We were in Cocoa beach and no minute clinics or anything except a real urgent care clinic which did not open until 10 or 11. So we ended up using dr. google to find a home remedy of some ear drops and make a trip to CVS for supplies. Found out after we returned that she did have an ear infection. The drops and ibuprofen kept her more comfortable.

 

I also like to bring a couple of very small toys. Like figurines, small stuffed animals, a barbie or something. We usually pack a backpack with a couple of toys and prepackaged snacks to take on excursions, meds, light blanket (which will also be used in the car) which is her carry on bag.

 

She will have her tablet because I am not driving 12+ hours to Galveston without something to keep her entertained in the car. I don't think she will be allowed to use it outside of the cabin though- because I am afraid of her losing it.

 

Sunscreen and life jacket, floaties or puddle jumper are needed for beach excursions.

 

The key IMO is to try to keep things small. If it can fit in her backpack, she can carry it and then its not a big deal.

 

Question for those who have sailed Royal- so are the kids cups real glass? Do they at least have smaller glasses- like juice glasses? Or can we bring a plastic one from the buffet (surely those are plastic right). My 6 year old DD would be upset if I gave her a "sippy cup" because she is not a baby. But I am not sure if she can handle a big heavy full size glass.