So where do we take our 11 yr old DS that he might actually enjoy?

[rookiemere]

Currently in Tenerife . Nice weather, complex with lots of activities and (kind of) heated pool and DS seems to want to spend most of his time holed up in the apartment on his iPad . He's out at the water park with DH at the minute- but claims that as he has been before he is not excited about it and would rather be at home.

He's ok about summer hols as will be with his cousin and generally things work ok if with other families but we prefer our own space too.

So any good suggestions from others? DS is sporty and competitive (so is DH) but doesn't seem to be much of a joiner. We like warm weather and things to do.

I was going to suggest the Segway tour .

There's an escape room there too if that would be up his street? - search Canary Escape Room (I think) on fb.

Thanks serial just googled and one does exist - but Im not sure we can fit it in with the other activities now. Perhaps we need to come back to do it !

No prob - and if you've found plenty to do then that seems to be mission accomplished.

Hope he (and you!) enjoys the things you've arranged

Mine was awful at 10/11/12. Wifi and TV wanted, hated the heat. Eurocamp with good kids clubs worked quite well, plus evening entertainment like Karaoke (the horror). Not my thing at all, but it kept her happy and if I can have a swim and drink wine on a terrace with a smiler vs a monster, I can put up with a lot

Plus they can wander a bit, go to the shop, make friends and hang out a bit.

Thats the annoying thing Abundant. Left to our own devices we would stay in a lovely location with nice scenery- instead we are in a rather dodgy complex with a full activity schedule thinking. that DS might enjoy and join in and heaven forfend make some friends. Not a chance. I've had to arm wrestle him to do anything although he has generally liked them once started.

But today has been fine and as DH is off on an overnight hike I've been playing a lot more pool and mini golf than normal.

How about a train trip through Europe? Pick a few places for a few days each, mix it up, coast, city, countryside.

Had you thought about sending him on a PGL holiday on his own for a week in school summer holidays? they have some great deals on at the moment. PGL don't let them have devices and its full on activity for 7 days. some of my DC were a bit reserved but they made really firm friends on these holidays and it taught them how to do stuff without the gadgets.

also have a look at Ocean Elements in Vassiliki or club vass for a sailing/watersports holiday. we went for a week and they had a teens club every afternoon where the DC couldn't help but join in. less organised fun than a kids club resort but active and enjoyable for everyone.

train trip or ocean elements sound good - we had thought of neilson which is probably similar. Can't see him going on his own to a PGL sadly.

We did alpine elements at similar age, mountain biking, that worked .
Also city break and rural Central Europe e.g. Budapest and rural Hungary. Lots of spas , lake etc.train travel.
Hiking in Europe.
We often hire bikes and cycle off somewhere.
Things that involve the whole family and everyone gets something out of.
We have found when there are lots of other kids around our kids are more likely to recluse Ito their phones as they perceive that's how they should behave.

Mine were never really into beach / poolside holidays so we tended to revert to theme park or activity based places or beach/ pool with a trip out to sightsee every other day or so .

TBH a beach holiday is all of The Borders family's idea of hell. One or two days intermittently yes. But definitely not consecutively.

Our best holidays have been where you stay in a cottage and do stuff each day. One of which might be the beach!

Bamburgh in Northumberland has a gorgeous beach. You can also visit castles, islands and drive across the causeway to Lindisfarne. I think there was a fun fair at one resort with old fashioned trampolines and a helterskelter.

The Loire valley was amazing as you could visit a chateau one day, canoe another then hire a bike another.

We went to Tobermory a few years ago and they had a challenge to win a prize.

You just need a bit of imagination!

Totally agree, beaches are best in small doses, we tend to do something else for the day and head to the beach late afternoon when they are less busy and the sun is less scorching. Maybe have a bbq or go to a beach cafe for our evening meal.

I know you said you like warm weather but given you have that in the summer why not try skiing? You can ski upto and inc Easter holidays esp in high resorts and Scandinavia. Several resorts have huskies, Sky wires, snowmobiles etc

We've just taken DDs age 11&9 on the basis that we get them hooked young so they'll still wanna holiday with us as late teens and adults when most kids switch off!

We went skiing at half term. I love skiing. That actually worked ok although he wanted to stop quite early.
Yes I guess beach holidays are out for now. we had thought about going to one of ski resorts that turn into mountain bike resorts in the summer.

Bamburgh not too far from us that's a definite idea.

Ours love skiing and camping.

They love both more when we go with friends but still have a great time just with us as a family.

This summer we're thinking of heading somewhere in the Alps to see what it's like in the summer - looks as if there's loads of different things to do.

I like the look of Neilson holidays with watersports included. Would he like that?

DS (11) and I do our holidays just the two of us (DH is in a wheelchair and not really well enough to travel). We are always on the move - it's bloody knackering. But he would be bored as hell at a beach holiday, he'd like some swimming but after that he would want to be up and doing.

We've done two holidays with Tauck - these are very expensive but worth it in my experience. The itineraries give you an idea of what we might get up to in a day. It's not full on dawn-to-dusk organised activities as that would be awful as well, but every day is busy. This year we are going to Iceland, sort of under our own steam - stitching together various shorter tours and day trips with a travel agency.

As it's just the two of us, having someone else to do all the organising is a huge bonus. But might be good for you as well to give you some structure and momentum in the holiday?

Neil son definitely something we're considering.
I'd probably do an organised trip not so sure about DH he prefers organising himself.

ocean elements compete well on price and we found to be a lot cheaper than neilsons. also the resort was actually not huge/sprawling and you got b and b only not full board which again we liked because it gave us a bit of flexibility. shame about PGL could you not find a friend for him in a similar situation and they go together? they do a watersports holiday to france that was good value and good fun. you can do family pgl holidays as well.

not so sure about DH he prefers organising himself

He'd best get on with organising a more active holiday, then!

I think it's an age thing too as our dd is 11, and she is struggling a bit on holidays with us too. She is too big for the things that used to be a highlight for her such as a cool playground etc.

She wants to go swimming but only if dh or I go in with her, she doesn't really like it if we try to sit on loungers by the pool etc. She spends 20mins in the pool, usually bossing dh about and then wants to go to the beach .....on the beach she wants to go back to the pool after 20mins. It's constant!

We do a lot of city breaks and I always research every city really well so we do a mix of things that appeal to her and to us but we went to krakow recently and she claimed she was a bored and didn't want to walk about any more. I think really it is the lack of kid company that is the killer for her. And I undersrtand that, even if it makes me sad as we were unable to provide siblings.

Like OP we have asked her best pal but she gets home sick just yet, we do take the two of them on a more local break every summer and they LIVE for that which reaffirms for me that if she had company she would be a lot happier.

I am hoping it is a phase and she will grow out of it as she has travelled a lot and has always been excellent company on trips

we are going to Singapore later this year and she would LOVE that pool - where is it please?

That pool thing is just like us writinghome I've just done my stint and DH is in now. Segway tour was a great hit though (although I didn't enjoy it so much).