Butlin's With a Baby
Butlin's has three seaside resorts, at Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness, and runs term-time midweek breaks aimed at under-5s. Cots aren't in the room as standard: you add one to your booking, and you bring the mattress and bedding yourself. Here's what's provided, what to book and what to pack.
Everything below comes from Butlin's own website and booking terms, checked October 2026. Prices and facilities can change, so check with your resort too.
Cots, highchairs and other baby hire
| Item | Provided? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Travel cot | Add to your booking | £10 for under-2s if you add it before you arrive. Butlin's can't provide cots for children aged 2 and over (Butlin's: FAQs) |
| Cot mattress and bedding | Not provided | Butlin's supplies the cot only, so bring your own mattress and bedding (Butlin's: FAQs) |
| Highchair (in your accommodation) | Hire | Available to hire on resort |
| Highchairs in restaurants | Yes | Butlin's restaurants have highchairs and baby cutlery (Butlin's: baby and toddler holidays) |
| Pushchair, bed rails, baby bath, mini fridge | Hire | From the resort Hire Shop; call the resort for prices |
Butlin's booking terms say to ask for a cot when you book, that it will do its best to get you one, and that it can't offer everything families with babies need in all accommodation and facilities. If you'd rather bring a cot of your own, see best travel cots.
Hire Shop numbers from Butlin's FAQs: Bognor Regis 01243 810077, Minehead 01643 703331 (ext 5555), Skegness 01754 614408.
Food for babies
Butlin's says its restaurants have bottle warmers at selected venues and buggy parking at some, and its buffet restaurants open early, which helps with nap-time routines (Butlin's: baby and toddler holidays). Baby food pouches are available for guests under 2 (Butlin's: FAQs).
Swimming with a baby
Each resort has a Splash Waterworld pool, included in the price of your break, with shallow, heated areas and mini slides for babies and young children (Butlin's: activities for under-5s).
- Supervision: children under 8 (and anyone who can't swim) must always be in the water with a responsible adult, and one adult can be responsible for up to two children under 8 (Butlin's: terms and conditions).
- Changing rooms: at Bognor Regis, under-8s must also be supervised in the changing rooms by an adult aged 16 or over, and are given a safety band to wear in the pool (Butlin's: Bognor Regis pool).
- Shallow water at Skegness: the Childsplay area is 0.1 to 0.6 metres deep (Butlin's: Skegness pool). See also the Minehead pool page.
- Swim nappies: we couldn't find Butlin's swim nappy rule on its website, so check with your resort before you go and pack some just in case.
Activities for babies and toddlers
Included in the price, Butlin's lists soft play, Tots Disco sessions, the Little Stars Fairground for children too small for the big rides, and Butlin's SKYPARK at Minehead and Skegness. Character photoshoots cost extra. Live shows for under-5s include Peppa Pig and Justin Fletcher, with open-plan seating and room for pushchairs next to tables (Butlin's: baby and toddler holidays).
Butlin's says shows and activities open for booking 28 days before you arrive (31 days with VIP Early Access), and it recommends pre-booking where you can. Its services for children over 5 aren't childcare, and children aged 8 and under can't be left without full adult supervision (Butlin's: terms and conditions).
Term-time breaks for tots
The Showtime Term-Time Midweeks for Tots breaks are built around under-5s, and Butlin's describes its toddler holidays as suitable from birth to around 5 years old. Term-time midweeks are often quieter, which is easier with a baby.
Getting there without the car
From Butlin's FAQs (Butlin's: FAQs):
| Resort | By train |
|---|---|
| Bognor Regis | About an hour from London Victoria to Bognor Regis station (some services change at Barnham). Taxis are available at the station |
| Minehead | Taunton is the closest station. Bus 28 runs to the resort, from stop S3 across the road from the main entrance |
| Skegness | The resort is about 3 miles from Skegness station, with a direct bus from the station at regular intervals |
Butlin's also says National Express coaches drop off at all three resorts. Under-5s travel free on most National Rail journeys (National Rail), and our guide to pushchairs on trains and ferries covers what you can bring on board.
What to pack
- A travel cot mattress (or your own travel cot), cot sheets and a baby sleeping bag. The Lullaby Trust recommends a firm, flat, waterproof mattress that fits the cot with no gaps, and a room temperature of 16 to 20°C (Lullaby Trust: safer sleep on holiday).
- Swim nappies and a towel for the pool.
- A pushchair or sling, or hire a pushchair from the Hire Shop.
- Snacks, bottles and anything your baby eats that isn't on the menu.
Not sure what else to bring? See packing light with kids.
A greener Butlin's break
- Hiring the cot, highchair and pushchair on resort means fewer bulky things to buy or carry.
- All three resorts can be reached by train plus a bus or taxi, which beats a long drive with a baby.
- Bring reusable swim nappies and a refillable bottle. See sustainable baby travel essentials.
More on staying away with a baby
- Holiday parks compared: Center Parcs vs Haven vs Butlin's side by side.
- Center Parcs with a baby: a free cot and highchair in every lodge, baby swims and getting there by train.
- Haven with a baby: cot and highchair hire, swim slots and tots' pools.
- Hotel cot policies compared: Premier Inn, Travelodge, Holiday Inn and Hilton.