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  • Home
  • Why You Should Visit The Isle Of Wight
  • Ferry travel advice & discounts
    • Discount Isle of Wight Ferry Travel
    • Isle Of Wight Ferry Beginners Guide
    • Wightlink's Tesco Clubcard deal – is it the best discount?
    • Using Wightlink’s Multilink deal for cheap ferry travel
    • Cheap Isle of Wight Ferry Travel For Caravans
  • Holiday parks, hotels, camping & cottages
    • Family holiday parks & caravans >
      • 10 Of The Best Isle of Wight Caravan Holiday Parks
      • Park Resorts And Parkdean Resorts Isle of Wight Holiday Parks
      • Which Isle Of Wight Holiday Park Should I Stay In?
      • Last Minute Deals And Discounts At Holiday Parks
      • Is There A Haven Holiday Park On The Isle Of Wight?
      • Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park Reviews and Facilities
      • Lower Hyde And Landguard Holiday Park Teview
      • 6 Tricks To Save Money At Isle Of Wight Caravan Holiday Parks
    • Hotels & guest houses >
      • Isle of Wight Hotels - a beginner's guide
      • 10 Best Isle Of Wight Luxury Hotels
      • Warner's Bembridge Coast & Norton Grange hotels
      • 5 Best Isle of Wight Coach Tour Holidays And Trips
      • Isle of Wight Hotels With A Sea View
      • 5 Ventnor Hotels And Guest Houses
    • Spa Breaks & Romantic >
      • 3 Best Isle Of Wight Spa Break Hotels And Spa Days
      • Romantic Isle Of Wight Holidays For Couples
    • Camping & glamping >
      • 20 Isle Of Wight Camping And Touring Parks
      • Isle of Wight Glamping
    • Cottages & self catering >
      • 10 Best Places To Stay In Shanklin
      • 10 Best Places To Stay In Cowes
      • 10 Best Places To Stay In Newport
      • 10 Best Places To Stay In Sandown
      • 10 Isle Of Wight Wheelchair Accessible & Disabled Friendly Holidays
      • Brambles Chine And Linstone Chine Self Catering
      • 5 Isle Of Wight Holidays Including Ferry Travel
    • Lodges & hot tub holidays >
      • 5 Best Isle Of Wight Holiday Lodges
      • 10 Best Isle Of Wight Hot Tub Holidays
      • 10 Best Isle Of Wight Holidays With Swimming Pools
    • Quirky & AirBnbs >
      • 20 Quirky Places To Stay On The Isle Of Wight
      • 10 Best Isle of Wight Airbnb Holiday Homes
    • Group accommodation >
      • 10 Best Places To Stay For Large Groups
      • 8 Best Isle Of Wight Manor Houses For Hire
    • Accommodation advice >
      • What Time Of Year Should I Visit The Isle Of Wight?
      • Which Isle of Wight Town Should I Stay In?
      • Where Is The Cheapest Place To Stay?
  • Festivals, days out & attractions
    • Festivals & carnivals >
      • Major Festivals And Carnivals
      • Isle of Wight Festival 2022 Lineup And Tickets
      • 10 Unforgettable Isle of Wight Festival Moments
      • Isle of Wight Festival History
      • Cowes Week - Attractions And Accommodation
    • Free days out & attraction discounts >
      • Free Days Out On The Isle Of Wight
      • Discounts To Isle Of Wight Attractions
      • Itinerary For A Budget Isle of Wight Holiday
      • 10 Ways To Save Money On Isle Of Wight Holidays
    • Attractions for children, teenagers, adults >
      • Activities For Toddlers On The Isle Of Wight
      • Activities For Children And Families On The Isle Of Wight
      • Activities For Teenagers On The Isle Of Wight
      • Activities For Adults On The Isle Of Wight
      • Activities For An Isle Of Wight Stag Do
      • Surviving An Isle Of Wight Holiday With A Toddler
    • Quirky days out >
      • 10 Quirky Days Out On The Isle Of Wight
      • 10 Things You Can't Do On The Isle Of Wight
      • 10 Things You Can Only Visit On The Isle Of Wight
      • Isle Of Wight TV & Movie Tour
      • 10 Reasons To Visit The Isle Of Wight
    • Days out in Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor >
      • 10 Things To Do In Bembridge, St Helen's and Seaview
      • 10 Things To Do In Cowes And East Cowes
      • 10 Things To Do In Newport and Carisbrooke
      • 15 Things To Do In Ryde
      • 15 Things To Do In Shanklin And Sandown
      • 15 Things To Do In Ventnor And South Wight
      • 15 Things To Do In Yarmouth And West Wight
    • Rainy day & winter attractions >
      • Rainy Day Activities On The Isle Of Wight
      • Itinerary For A Rainy Isle Of Wight Holiday
      • Winter Days Out On The Isle Of Wight
    • Zoos, historic attractions, gardens >
      • Isle of Wight Zoos And Animal Attractions
      • Historic Attractions On The Isle Of Wight
      • 10 Isle of Wight Gardens And Parks
    • Day trip itineraries >
      • Day Trips From Portsmouth To The Isle of Wight
      • Day Trips From Southampton To The Isle of Wight
      • Day Trips From Lymington To The Isle of Wight
    • Car journey games & viewpoints >
      • 5 Isle Of Wight Car Journey Games
      • 15 Best Isle Of Wight Car Park Viewpoints
      • The Isle Spy Car Journey Game
  • Beaches, tides, watersports & weather
    • Which Is The Best Isle Of Wight Beach For...
    • Isle of Wight Beaches Interactive Map
    • Isle Of Wight Tide Times
    • Isle of Wight Weather Forecast
    • Isle Of Wight Surf Forecast
    • Isle of Wight Watersports
    • The Beach Holiday Checklist - 5 Accessories
    • Mobile Version Of Isle Of Wight Best Beaches
  • Walking, cycling & public transport
    • Walking >
      • Walking The Isle of Wight Coastal Path
      • 10 Best Isle of Wight Walks (Circular, 3-9 miles)
      • 10 Isle of Wight Short Walks For Children (1 Mile)
      • Isle of Wight Themed Walks
      • Isle of Wight Treasure Trails and Treasure Hunts
    • Cycling Holidays On The Isle of Wight
    • Public Transport
    • Isle Of Wight Car Hire
  • Dog friendly
    • Dog Friendly Isle of Wight Accommodation
    • Dog Friendly Isle Of Wight Holidays
  • Food & drink
    • Eating Out On A Budget
    • Pubs And Restaurants With A Sea View
    • Family Friendly Pubs With Playgrounds
    • Isle Of Wight Supermarkets
  • Useful information
    • Boring & practical stuff >
      • FAQ
      • Which Mobile Phone Network Has The Best Signal On The Isle Of Wight?
      • Cheap Parcel Delivery And Sending Mail To The Isle Of Wight
      • Isle of Wight Map
      • Isle of Wight Newspapers, News Websites And Radio Stations
    • Souvenirs
    • Should I Move To The Isle Of Wight?
    • Les Vacances Sur L’île De Wight
  • About
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    • Who Is The Isle Of Wight Guru?
    • Isle of Wight Copywriter
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5 steps to surviving an Isle of Wight holiday with a toddler

Rather shockingly we once had a holiday off the Isle of Wight which gave us an insight into the stresses and strains of seaside visits with a toddler. Normally we have the advantage of knowing which beaches sell mini milks and which have baby changing facilities which are clean enough that you don't feel you should have brought a litre of dettol with you. 

For once we were in the dark (Sidmouth, to be precise) and I've gleaned a few tips which I can now pass on to Isle of Wight visitors who are arriving with their own little ankle grabbers.
Ice cream
Knowing where to find ice creams is vital

1. Think twice about staying in a hotel with a toddler

Our party split in two. Half stayed in a hotel, the other in a self catering chalet. At my insistence we went for the latter. Prior to having children I associated hotels with lazy mornings spent in the spa, reading the papers, sipping a latte and ordering room service. Post-children it is more a case of trying to finding a distraction at 5.30am which will keep the little one at least reasonably quiet until breakfast starts two hours later.

​Prepare yourself for glares over sausages and eggs from fellow guests who have sussed out which is the child who kept them awake all night. And enjoy your evenings spent sitting on the bed in silence and in the dark watching the hotel’s strange selection of Freeview channels with the subtitles on whilst the little one sleeps. I heard about one family who managed to find a cot on wheels which they then pushed into the en-suite once the baby was asleep. This would certainly not have worked for us, our daughter once woke up when my knee creaked.

See our guides to child-friendly Isle of Wight Holiday Parks and Isle of Wight Lodges.
Self catering
Self catering has a lot going for it with a toddler

2. Don’t be too ambitious

Prior to children we visited New York City, where I subjected my wife to five days of turbo sightseeing. Every landmark had to be seen, despite the city heat, every street had to be walked. At one stage we had a falling out over whether we really needed to walk across Brooklyn Bridge (my desire), or whether it would be enough just to look at it from a distance (my wife’s desire). In the end we walked half way in a beautiful metaphor of how a marriage should be, although it didn’t feel quite like that as we huffed and puffed and muttered rude things.

​Some parents try to maintain this dawn 'til dusk attitude with a toddler on holiday, stubbornly carrying on as if the little one wasn’t there. In Sidmouth, I escaped on my own one evening to the rather disappointing town of Seaton and saw a baby being unsuccessfully rocked in a car seat on the beach at 9.30pm. I would certainly never dare judge another parent, but you can’t help feeling the enjoyment of being on the beach is hampered somewhat by the cries of a newborn.


If we manage a sandcastle, a picnic on the beach and a reasonable night’s sleep then I consider that a successful day out. We can trudge round New York again when she’s a teenager.
Sandy beach
Keep it simple on your days out

3. Research the Isle of Wight's toddler friendly things

We found Sidmouth pretty good for toddlers – there were quite a few attractions to keep us happy, although the beaches were a bit stonier than I would have liked. I’m obviously very biased, but from my limited experience of East Devon I would say that the Isle of Wight is more geared up for younger children. 

​There are nice seaside playgrounds (Gurnard, Ventnor clifftop, Appley and Sandham Gardens are all good) as well as seaside paddling pools (Appley, Ventnor or East Cowea). There are lots of 
toddler friendly beaches which have sand, clean water, parking and emergency ice cream sellers (Sandown, Shanklin, Appley, Colwell, Yaverland, St Helen’s). There are also plenty of animal attractions on the Isle of Wight and the (free) Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary which are good for children.

But there are also things on the Isle of Wight which are unsuitable for toddlers. One of my favourite beaches is Priory Bay but the main way to access it is by walking through woodland from an adjoining beach. Once you are there, there are no toilets and no ice cream sellers so you’ll end up with a sobbing child and a nappy full of sand. Other nice beaches are down steep steps and slopes (such as Hanover Point, Whitecliff Bay and the aptly named Steephill Cove) so they are achievable with a bit of effort, but not as straightforward.

Our guide to days out for toddlers on the Isle of Wight covers the things that we think are suitable in more detail.
Bembridge lifeboat
Bembridge lifeboat station is a free day out

4. Prepare for rain

Our week in Sidmouth was not a great advert for holidays in the UK. The sun occasionally emerged for a few teasing moments before disappearing again. I’d say we had about 5 hours of sun all week, and a couple of days of rain…in July.

​Luckily, we found an excellent indoor play centre in Honiton which kept us entertained, and we also had access to an indoor pool so we could schedule things around the fairly accurate weather forecast.

​The Isle of Wight is 
well equipped for indoor attractions, but expect them to be busy when it rains. On one day last summer we had well over 1000 people read our rainy day guide, who presumably all then headed to the same places. There are a handful of indoor play places, some public pools, cinemas (if your toddler somehow has a 90-minute attention span) and a few other attractions which have enough indoors to fill the time until the sun reappears.

Read our full list of Isle of Wight rainy day places here.
Muddy field
Prepare for rain whilst on holiday

 5. Read the Isle of Wight tide table

Wide open sandy beaches are perfect for falling over, jumping over two inch waves and building imperfect sandcastles. Turning up with 6 bags under your arms to find that the beach is entirely underwater is frustrating, to say the least. We made this mistake in Devon, although thankfully the sand did slowly emerge just in time for a bit of castle construction.

So, alongside the weather forecast, also check the Isle of Wight's tide times.
Whitecliff Bay
Whitecliff Bay on the Isle of Wight doesn't have much beach at high tide

RELATED GUIDES FROM ISLE OF WIGHT GURU:

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20 quirky places to stay
30 days out for children & families
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5 Isle of Wight holiday lodges
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Which is the best beach for...?
Bedroom at Hambrough Hotel
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Days out

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Saving money

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Eating out

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Walking

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3-9 mile walks
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