Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Centerparcs Kempervennen

17 replies

scienceteacher · 19/08/2006 14:12

If anyone is interested in Kempervennen (Netherlands, about 2.5 hours from Calais), then please ask.

We have just returned from there and it was excellent.

OP posts:
belgo · 19/08/2006 14:14

I have two small kids, is it suitable for them? We've been to Erperheide centre parcs, Belgium, and that was great.

Original poster
scienceteacher · 20/08/2006 10:26

The supervised kids' activities start at age 4. They have sessions called Wannabee...Artist, Cook, Indian and Farmer. My 4 year old loved these.

They also have kids' entertainment from their 'PPTV' entertainers. The only one that mine went to was the Bingo, and it was really well done.

You pretty much have to look after your own kids until they are ready to go off by themselves. There is plenty to do for the little ones. The pool has a children's area (a little castle with its own slides and fountains). There are plenty of playpens in the pool area for you to contain your children when you are taking a quick dip yourself. There is also a petting farm, large children's playground and safe beach in one area. There are lots of little playgrounds scattered around and an adventure playground for slightly older kids.

They have every combination of bike to hire - child seats on the back, babyseats on the front that you can put your carseat into, trailers, wagons, tandems, jogging buggies, bikes with stabilisers...

The cottages are very child friendly. They have a looseat, a cot, a playpen in the storage area, and this wasn't even a special Children's cottage.

The restaurants all have plenty of highchairs, children's boxes, crayons etc., and there are playareas while they are waiting for their food.

OP posts:
emsiewill · 20/08/2006 11:20

How would it be for an 8 year old and a 10 year old? Is there enough to keep kids of that age entertained?

Original poster
scienceteacher · 20/08/2006 12:40

An 8-year old can still use the children's club (Wannabee...).

At 8 and 10, I think it really depends on how sporty and active they are. There are activities, such as archery and climbing, that cater for 8+.

Other than that, there's swimming, cycling, and using the playgrounds.

OP posts:
zamantha · 08/08/2013 14:22

Hi All, Thinking of kempervennen for teens next year. Want to book Ski lessons and water ski lessons in advance - how much in advance do you suggest?

Are there any Dutch villages or towns of interest nearby for a one day trip?

Suttonmum1 · 08/08/2013 16:53

I took my 2 boys (then 8 and 11) last year May Half term We booked in March and all did the snow boarding for beginners. Whole thing was excellent and good value esp as Dutch half term is not that week. Older one did the high ropes, also did Archery, climbing and the white water thing. they enjoyed it all. Also had cheap fishing rods and camping chairs and they spent ages with Dad fishing.
Next year is a World cup year and if you go around then it will be good fun as Dutch are football mad.

NB If you need bikes book them as part of the package as they can get booked out.

secretscwirrels · 08/08/2013 16:54

I took mine when they were 9 / 11 and it was great. Very similar to UK Centre Parcs but a little more shabby. Much cheaper though. All activities multi lingual.
Efteling is a theme park worth a day trip. Nothing like any theme park in the UK. Very Gothic.

zamantha · 09/08/2013 07:29

Thank you for tips - were you able to book snowboarding in advance? And is there a white water rafting on site?

bruffin · 09/08/2013 07:49

We went last year when ours were 14 and 16 and they love it. Spent a lot of time water skiing. We booked some water skiing in advance but more when we got there.
We have been to quite a few centerparcs in Europe since dcs were 3 and 5 and they lived all of them. Also did a a split holiday with centerparcs and duinrell whichwas really good.

Suttonmum1 · 09/08/2013 08:56

Booked snowboarding package in advance. The rafting is just down the rapid river water, but I think they might turn the water up a bit as they kit the kids out with helmets and an individual sort of surf board thing. Boys really enjoyed that one.

zamantha · 09/08/2013 09:10

Really useful advice.

Am wondering - always done active holidays to suit my DCs but next year they will be 17 and 14 - last holiday with family for one DC possibly. Are they too old? Or do you see older teens about?

secretscwirrels · 09/08/2013 09:43

zamantha My 17 year year old still loves UK Center Parcs, we were there in February and I was slightly worried they might have outgrown them. It turned out we had a brilliant family holiday. The only thing is the evenings are a little tame. We did bowling and a family quiz and they played badminton.
The Dutch ones tend to have some kind of live entertainment in the evenings, mainly targeted at younger families.
The rafting is just on the rapids in the pool. My two did it and loved it. They go down on body boards.

zipzap · 09/08/2013 10:17

We did Het Heijdebos a couple of years ago with a 6 & 3 year old and all had a great time. Both dc would love to go back and if you ask ds1 where his ideal holiday destination is, 'the Netherlands' is his immediate response which surprises some people.

They have a dome the same size as the swimming dome that is full of tropical plants and trees, a full on jungle environment complete with tropical birds and even a few animals plus a huge climbing frame but that's doing it an injustice - it's big enough for adults, includes caves and a little stream, rope bridges, a little zip wire, think of a whole dome full of a Chrystal Maze jungle themed set to play all over.

bruffin · 09/08/2013 13:26

Pictures of my dc at het heijebos on my profile zipzap, but that was about 8 years ago.
Zamantha as I said above my teens loved it. They did 4days waterskiing,wakeboarding, archery and high wire.and the pool is open until 10pm.

secretscwirrels · 12/08/2013 15:08

bruffin I'm vaguely thinking of a Dutch CP for October half term.
How would you compare CP with Duinrell for older teens?
In particular the indoor pool. I was looking at CP De Eimhof which we haven't been to before.

bruffin · 12/08/2013 17:41

Eemhoff has a flowrider which is an indoor surf machine which my dcs liked. You can buy a band for the afternoon so they can go in and out as much as they want while you are in the pool.There is also a big slide and the rapids. Its best to book a lesson first the lessons get full quick so get in early.
The climbing tower thing is excellent as well. It's a 3 sided tower and my did it twice.
We had one of the VIP cottages with a deck on the river which was nice. It's also good for a day trip to Amsterdam.

secretscwirrels · 12/08/2013 17:52

Thanks, that sounds good and a bit different from our usual Sherwood forest.
Just need to break it to DH who goes on holiday under sufferance Grin

New posts on this thread. Refresh page