Places to take the children and things to do before they grow up?

[Greenbutterlfy566]

What places would you like to take the kids and things to do with them before they grow up?

I Have one 7 year old and would love some inspiration of where to go and things to do before they grow up.

To climb a mountain (probably Snowdon) and see the northern lights somewhere.
I’m passionate about going out with my dcs and have done a lot with them. One of their favourites was Skomer island to see the puffins.

Make memories, doesn't actually matter where. Mine lived Normandy at that age, beautiful beaches and they were fascinated by the ww2 museums

The buggers will always remember random bits anyway. We flew to the UK last year from Australia and had a brilliant holiday and they still discuss the best steak ever that they had in Singapore airport.

Camping.
To a ‘back to basics’ campsite where you can have a campfire, cook over the fire, sit out and look at the stars.

it totally depends on what you as a family like to do. Mine like cities and restaurants and travel. None of us would enjoy back basics camping - my worst nightmare, or climbing a mountain , oh the whining and whinging. Their favourite trips were Center Parcs (yes. Honestly, not mine), the highlight of an unsuccessful trip to Disneyland Paris was when I spilt 2 glasses of wine down myself, still the best topic of conversation 10 years later. It’s the incidentals they remember

Lapland if your budget allows.
Especially if you live in an area that doesn't get much snow

London and Natural History Museum
Rome
Fell walking
Euro Disney
A caravan holiday - our two went for 4 days whilst getting a new bathroom fitted and it was their favourite holiday for years.
Also a camping holiday ideally with friends.

Lego House Denmark if they love Lego. We had an amazing holiday last year with our 6 yo and so glad we've done it at a good age.

Our DC sort of fall in with our general plans, we want to cram it in before they're teens (9&10) and protest too much . We're into our historical and archaeological sites and all our trips have been UK based so far.

British Museum (dip in and out, kids love the mummies, Romans and Greeks), London museums generally, Tate Modern for a peek, Kew Gardens, Stone Henge, Maiden Castle, Welsh beaches are beautiful, Hadrian's Wall etc, Harry Potter Tour, walk a bit of the coast path. Camping. They also come digging with us each year (tbf that's a bit niche!).

Abroad we'd like to take them to Italy, specifically for Pompeii and Herculaneum visits, but a hotel with a pool will also go down well.

Yes to them remembering the random bits! Something memorable always happens when we are away. It's all part of the adventure.

Here's some inspiration https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/50-things-to-do.

I want to take my dd to Lapland before she’s too old to believe

This is a great thread! I would really love to take mine to Lapland and have the chance of seeing the Northern Lights.

I know you arent supposed to wish the time away but DS is 16 months and I cant wait til he is old enough to do things and remember them. I'm so bored of being constrained by nap times+

Mine wanted to see london where the Queen lived, big Ben, etc.
Love the science and natural history museum. We also dipped into the various art galeries to see "sunflowers" and things they could relate to. We had some lovely story books that went in and out of fampus paintings so looked those up in Paris and London (they're not so interested now they're older!). Loved Eurodisney.
Id love to do the NC500 in a campervan but dont have a campervan... but we know a few people who have and its stunning, especially parking by beaches and waking up to amazing views.

I dont love camping but the kids do - we camp with some families each year and the kids love it. I think they love the freedom and having friends on holiday they've grown up with. I now feel too old but stick at it for them.

We've been to lots of national trust places for trails. Various landmarks - Stonehenge etc.

Id love to explore Wales and Scotland more and visit the lake and peak district as we've onlh driven through.

Watch turtles hatching.
Safari.
Day of the dead festival.
Venice carnival.
Northern lights.
Norwegian fjords.
Various city breaks - Barcelona, Madrid, Rome.
Shell/ fossil hunting.
Peru/ Madagascar.
Waitoma glow worm caves new zealand.
Cave of crystals, naica, Mexico.
Eftling.
Basalt stacks, Scotland
Dorset coast.
Depends on their age and interests though.
I'm just making a list now for my 2 they are 3 and 5years.
Some of my ideas have come from go jetters.

Thanks everyone. Lapland and London seem to be coming up a lot. How many days would you recommend in London and time of year etc? Best sights?

Also haven’t heard of Lego house before it sounds great.

DS's best memories are always completely random.

Like I took him to New York and his 'best memories' of it were a $3 bagel for breakfast in a local cafe and playing pool in the hotel. Not the Empire State Building or anything like that!

London is great any time of year, sunny days in the spring/autumn are best

My three are older now, nearly adults. We've been to Dubai, Australia, New Zealand (we lived there for a while) all of Western Europe plus Albania, Turkey, Malta, Egypt, all Scandinavia, Russia and the Baltic plus up to the Arctic. Travel as much as you can, avoid beach holidays and go to places that aren't typical tourist places. We are going to South America for three weeks this summer.

In the UK, the Scottish Highlands and Islands, Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire, too many places to mention.

These sort of threads can always result in parents who can't afford these grand experiences in feeling like failures. Kids don't need to see the Grand Canyon for real they just need to be loved and nurtured

Ha! We went to London. Went on the London eye, Westminster, Buck Palace the lot. They reminisce about the pigeons in St James’s Park. There are bloody pelicans in that park but no, they remember the pigeons

Taken mine to Lapland, Disney land, up snowdonia, we have wild camped and taken a narrow boat holiday, been to Prague and Malta- when asked the best place in the world/ favourite ever holiday/ if you could go anywhere in the world where would you go- they BOTH answer butlins it was actual hell for me. Hate the crowds, don't like drinking or bawdy entertainment- but the truth is kids genuinely love it there.

I spent my childhood driving and camping through Europe out to eastern Turkey for a couple of months most years.
I remember all of the world famous places and museums and sites etc.
My biggest fondest memories from under 10ish are -
Lizards puppies and cats
Swimming and seeing octopus and turtles and dolphins
Food - odd small things like collecting pine nuts in rome and spending afternoon cracking them open
Fights/fun with siblings in car/tent etc.
Silly car games especially in long alp tunnels.
Disasters - diesel instead of petrol on outskirts of Istanbu - many a flooded camping spot. Wetting the bed at innaoorioriate age through bitter cold in Bulgaria mountains.
Meeting soon to be lifelong family friends on trips.
Injuries.
How we packed the car when moving on - could do it blind now I think.

Ie - it’s not the things you think which kids treasure and remember. It’s great to go to amazing places and see great things but frankly it’s so often the other ‘stuff’ which can happen anywhere which is best of all.

This is a good list of things to do before 11 3/4

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/50-things-to-do-before-youre-11--activity-list

I agree that kids won’t remember the things you think they would. For my dcs, their favourite memories of the various places we’ve been to have been the friendly dog they played with and the friendly policemen.
I’m sure they do gain other things as well as spending time with family, whatever you’re doing, is always going to be beneficial.
I admit that a lot of places I take them to is more about me. It’s my life too and I don’t want to put it on hold. I want to go to places that I want to go to and having the dcs along is a bonus and I have some fab memories.