So last two summers I’ve spent a month in a holiday destination, can’t do that this year, and now I’m feeling lost

[Redrobinbobbin]

As I’ve genuinely forgotten how the hell I fill 6 weeks of summer holidays
I’ve obviously had many many summer holidays to fill in previous years
but it’s like pre covid I cant remember them !

then last two years then summer holidays have flown by as been in holiday for most of them

now I’m thinking the what fuck are we gonna do for 6 weeks
xx

Walking up a mountain is something we’ve never done also never visited a waterfall in the U.K. either

and I fancy the coastal train that is around the Devon area

Youth Hostel in York and Stratford Upon Avon are good too and I was quite shocked how much I enjoyed the bus tours with earphones for audio commentary in both places.

Oh that’s a fab idea as we love a bus or boat ride

Why are people talking about nearly adult children (plural)? Have they misread 9 as 19 or something?

Sorry I missed 9 and read it as 19 especially as the OP said she was more worried about the 16 year old. My comments still stand. The OP is being insensitive and her children need to learn to entertain themselves.

You could start training for walking up Snowden now as a family activity and you could do other peaks too. Walking as a family is something we do often and I know my boys have a passion for outdoor pursuits mostly fostered from a young age now me and DH are getting older we take out time and plan more but we just love the triumphant feeling of walking up big things. Although I did watch Fall on Netflix and it was scary! Snowdonia has many safe routes though just avoid the more dangerous ones it’s all very well planned out Snowdonia. Enjoy 👍

Same. Sorry . Thought was 19

I haven't had a holiday for 12yrs now. Just can't afford it.

I really like Shakespeare and I have a lifelong obsession about writing a book my psychology loving DC says you always need a long term purpose in life this and always trying to lose weight is mine I may fail every year but I keep trying!

i know it’s first world problems
but I just don’t want to end up spending th summer either ending up spending more than than going on the big break by every day spending loads doing actives like rock climbing at the local places etc which would be easy to do if you don’t plan it out

I’ve kept all my clubcard vouchers so we can have Cinema trip etc and will also try to include free and low spend days like different parks and library’s etc
but it might work better with a rough plan

Surely there are other places you can book for a month?

Not this year as left it too late and all too expensive

Will you be working full time?

I like to write out all the dates of the holiday out on one big sheet of paper so you can see it all at once.

Then start filling dates in - start with any plans with family/friends , move on to local events you’d like to go to, then add in your trip away to the coast.

Then add in “chill out days”, so before and after events you plan to be at home/local parks just relaxing.

then see where the gaps are, make a list of who you want to do play dates with and what activities you want to do and then start filling those in.

does that help? I used to find planning the school holidays very overwhelming so now try to be methodical!

Do people really go away for a month? How? Not just the money but the length of time ! Especially with teenagers!

16 year old can get a summer job. 9 year old can go on some day trips with you and spend some time at a holiday club. Doesn’t sound that hard to me, but I’m trying to work out how to occupy a 5 year old while I’m not off work for 6 weeks so…

Sympathies... filling the six week holiday when you aren't going away is actually really difficult. Older children are also much trickier to please...it's not like when they're little and you can take them to a playground and they're happy. I usually do one or two big days out...like a theme park. Then we do a lot of pottering about at home. Reading, baking, sitting in the garden, arts and crafts, trip to cafes, museums, walks, swimming, bowling, shopping, visiting family and friends.

Yes that’s a fab idea
I was kinda gonna do that on my calender but I’m actually going tk wrotebitboutbon a separate sheet like you suggest for planning purposes
will have a look today what local events are on, well of any are listed this early ?

is it a bit too early to start asking friends what their plans are?

When DD was small I worked term time only as a TA so had the long summer to fill but not a lot of money. I would write all the Summer holiday dates on a calendar.

I would then add any prearranged visits to family etc. Then any free events in the area, summer fares, air shows, theatre open days, library and museum events.

I'd find out when the inflatable sessions were at the local pools and the cinema kids club.

Look at the local theatre and add any shows we want to see. Add in one visit a week to any attractions we had season passes for.

Then the calendar would be filling up, add in park visits and play dates and chill out days, my DD liked a BBQ so I'd factor that in and camping in the garden. We live by the coast so any days we had nothing on we'd go for the morning or evening then chill for the rest of the day - you could do the same in a forest, wet land or nature reserve.

The 9 year old would be happy to game every day for 6 weeks but i can’t let that happen

Insensitive 🤣🤣🤣.

Make a bucket list in your phone and add things as you think of them.

Ask your kids what they'd like on the bucket list, I'm thinking things like baking, rockpooling etc.

Rock pooling would be good

Where do you normally go for a month?

7y age difference is not normal family set up - a lot trickier in some ways