De Kempervennen - tips please!

[rainbowfudgee]

Any advice for packing or activities to book please? Family of 4 in a 3 bed eden premium cottage, kids age 5 and 8. We have booked bikes and ski lessons.
I'd love to do the zip wire but not sure about age range.
Any other good activities for this age or general tips please? We have 10 nights booked- end of August. Thanks!

Ooh we go then too! Following!

Will be there at end end of Aug as well. Was thinking of a day trip to Efling. Have a 3yo and 6yo so struggling to find activities both can do.

Jedi same ages here. DD will be 4 in a month but so many activities are 4+. I thought we’d be able to get more out of the ski centre (sledging basically) but apparently the sledging is more like bobsledding and is for 8yrs+. Gutted about that!!!

My DC liked the mini farm - there’s baby goats and rabbits to cuddle.

Just be aware that there’s no oven in the accommodation which surprised me.

You will have a great time! We went this time last year.
We also stayed in an Eden premium. I really liked that it was away from the centre but very fast to peddle everywhere. It was great value for the money.
There were no towels and no bath math, so don't forget these and your swimming towels. Premium don't have a BBQ either so maybe a couple of disposable ones?
My eldest was 5 so we just did lots of swimming, cycling - very easy to cycle outside of the park too due to Holland's amazing cycle paths which are totally separated from the road. We also did ski lessons and my husband did water skiing. Apart from that just the play ground, animal farm and 'beach'. There was a cool inflatable thing on the water which my dd was desperate to do but I think you needed to be 8. Oh and we also did a pedalo- not amazing but fun!
We also went to de vosserman one day, you just go to reception and show you are staying a DK. It was fun to see a different pool and they have a cool indoor pirate cove.
Next year we are going eperheide and are going to go to eftling too, which people have really recommended.
Also we were able to book all activities once we were there. Apart from bikes it's seemed more laid back than UK with regards to booking activities. We were there last week in August when Dutch kids are back at school so not sure if that is why.
Have an amazing holiday.

That's really helpful thanks!

Any recommendations for eating on or off site?

Hi, we went to kempervennen a couple of years back. On site restaurants looked OK but we really liked the pizza place in westernhoven, plus another nice restaurant across the road. Lots of places in valkensward, good market there too but can't remember the day. Also bergeijk has lots of places. No oven is a pain but all the supermarkets sold potato cubes in their veg section which we just fried. We shopped at Jumbo, a couple of big ones nearby.

Agree the Cycling is amazing. They work by way of numbered pillars so you can plan routes by going from e.g. 18-21-42-36 etc. We cycled in the area just across the road which was traffic free, lovely lunch at a pub in borkel!
We loved that holiday, definitely go back soon I think!

Just remembering things! Safari Park near efteling was good. We weren't hugely enamoured with efteling but I know others love it. We cycled to the Belgian border which the kids loved, one foot in each country!! The bowling on site was terrible!! Lanes really rutted and two annoyed kids!! I found a place once we'd come home that I wished we'd known about, terspegelt. You need Google translate but it has a fun pool you can go into for the day.

We lived Efteling. This year been to Disneyland for the first time and genuinely couldn't say it was any better than Efteling despite being twice the price. At Kempervennen we occupied ourselves easily for a whole week with the pool, playgrounds, mini farm and bikes, didn't feel the need for any paid for activities. We pooled our free activity tokens to have a pedalo for an hour. It's a lovely park.

Yes no oven was a slight nuisance, we bought a frozen pizza and realised we couldn't cook it. Also we found bread strangely expensive in the shop so bought a bag of flour, eggs and milk instead which made breakfast pancakes for the whole week.

Im there too!!!! Booked after reading about it on mumsnet

We are booked for end of August! Previously been to de Vossemeren but trying somewhere new this year.

Main tip - because of the Euro/£ exchange bring as much of your own food as you can pack in your car. Also bring a couple of sharp knives for kitchen prep and foil for making up packed lunches.

Just booked some bowling (was the lumpy lane De Kempervennen or somewhere else?!) and Ninebot but my teens mostly happy to spend their time in Aquamundo!

Great info everyone, thanks.

Love Kempervennen There is a lovely pancake/Waffle House De Famille Suykerbuyck about half a mile outside the gates (turn right outside gate and it’s on the other side of the road at junction)
Efteling is brilliant and bonkers, wish I’d taken kids there when they were young.
Have to say, we’ve been twice and never got on zip wire- always fully booked but bowling is good.

De Vossemeren last week have confirmed there is still a bbq ban in place.
Only electric bbqs/grills currently allowed.

We are booked for bank holiday week there.
Please check kempervennen in case it's the same.

NExt week’s weather looks great! What are people packing clothes wise?

Too much!!!! Weather looks similar to here so just our normal clothes. And about a zillion other bits n bobs. We leave on Friday!!!

We love it here. Bbq is allowed so we bought a small one from the market dome for 12 euros
Lidl close by is fab for big food shop.

Packing- bring a bottle opener/ corkscrew. Kitchen is pretty well equipped but most oven. Clothes wise- comfy shorts and the shirts plus shoes you can cycle in. We have hired bikes as our cottage is at the edge of the site. 5 mins ride takes you to the lake, market dome or anywhere else. Bring helmets if you have them- 10 euros each to hire. A couple of swimming costumes per person would be useful. Warm leggings and hoodie for the snow dome plus salopettes if you have them- you can hire but cost adds up. Skiing is excellent. Fab instructors and snow is perfect.

We haven't eaten in the market dome as it's pricey, very hot in there and busy. Prefer to eat in the cottage. Buffet is 26.50 per adult plus drinks! Luckily my DH is on cooking duty.

Weather is ideal- low 20s and there's lots of shade. Everyone is very casually dressed. We brought buckets and spades for the lake beach- sand is good for playing in.

Enjoy your holiday!

Zip wire isn't fully booked...I'm doing it tomorrow morning! 😀

Glad to hear you’re having a great time rainbow thanks for the tips. Bottle opener wasn’t on my packing list so thanks.

Just packing the car now and off to find the corkscrew now. Thanks for all the tips.

What are the rules like for men's swimming wear please? We are going to be in Belgium but would love to know for both.
I asked on another thread but am nobby no mates as no replies yet.

Lucky you, I was looking forward to our bbq but have decided to drag along our big electric grill instead

@MintTpls normal swim shorts are fine. We went at Easter and had a great time. The entertainment was okay and we sat in the dome in the evening for a few drinks.

We booked most of the activities when we were there and the availability was good.

BBQs are allowed and you can buy charcoal etc in the shop there.