Feeling really lost holidaying with a toddler. Please help :(

[Litsy]

This feels like a first world problem, so sorry in advance for that!

We took my DS away to an AI when he was 8 months and it was great.

He's now 20 months old and I've got such bad anxiety over where to go or what to do. He's that little boy who's got boundless energy, can't sit still, has to run/climb/grab everything and knows his own mind. Think endless tantrums.

I love him to bits as he is and wouldn't change a thing, but I don't know how this translates into going on holiday.

We're very fair skinned and he can't sit still, so it feels like another AI is out. We will be chasing him around the complex constantly.

Long flights feel like they'd be a challenge.

I'm thinking city break with a beach preferably? Somewhere that's great for a little boy with endless energy would be amazing.

Please help if anyones got experience or ideas?

Thank you in advance x

Eurocamp with a pool, try the Netherlands/Germany/France/Spain

I did a 2500 mile road trip around California and Nevada when mine were 18 months and 3 years old, worked really well. Take a holiday where you can do things you like, kids fit in to most trips

We have been to Park Dean at Camber Sands for the last 2 years for exactly this reason.
It's all contained, has a great water splash park for little ones and has a lovely flat sandy beach on the doorstep.
Low key and cheap, but also very low stress with toddlers.

Isle of Wight is very good for that age group!

www.kiddieholidays.co.uk/things-to-do-on-the-isle-of-wight-with-toddlers/

Agree Eurocamp or similar would be perfect. You want safe, child-friendly, playground on site, kiddie pool and things nearby like a wildlife park, aquarium, etc. Loads of MNers do Eurocamp, so if you ask for recommendations of good ones with young DC I'm sure you'll get lots of advice.

Somewhere with a decent warm kids pool, so you can put him in a baby swim float and he can kick his legs and splash as much as he likes but not go very far! Perhaps somewhere like Centre Parcs where some of the restaurants have soft play so you can take him there while you’re waiting for your food. CP also has a crèche so you can have a break too, and most of the CP villages have a little sandy lakeside beach too.

This is where uk beach holidays come into their own. Toddlers can spend hours on the beach playing with sand. Quick paddle in the sea, ice cream and they are happy. As an adult I found them more relaxing than going abroad, worrying about sunburn and sunstroke and religiously guarding the pool in case the toddler fell in.

At that age we did villa holidays with DC - either a private (gated) pool or a complex with a shared pool. We hired a car and went out most days - either to the beach or to local parks / attractions / local town. We'd go out for lunch, DC might have an afternoon nap and then we'd be back for a swim.

In the evenings I'd do simple food at the villa, DC would go to bed and we would have a drink on the terrace (and some peace!).

As they got older AI hotels worked for us but for the toddler years a villa was perfect.

Don't go until he's older. It's not much of a holiday IMO, more like hard work. I think days out locally are better.

Yes, this was perfect for us! Admittedly a holiday all about DS1, but he was happy and exhausted by the evening, so object achieved.

We tend to do UK caravan holidays for this reason. We had three children close together so going abroad just sounded like hard work. I was quite snobby about caravan parks but we've done loads of them and the kids love it. We went to Berwick Haven last year and it was brilliant, loads of gorgeous beaches, boat trips, a fantastic leisure centre pool etc

I know going abroad is the only holiday some people will consider though so if that's you, I'd definitely do eurocamp

I agree we did UK beach holidays until youngest was four. Self catering in Devon Dorset Isle of Wight, Pembrokeshire. Much easier than dealing with airports flights and hot temperatures. You have your own car to visit different beaches and farm parks etc.

We've found self catering to work well for us. Less pressure on meal times (and adhering to schedule of hotel etc) and can put toddler to bed whilst we stay up chatting on balcony etc.
Majorca is easy to get to, and not too hot in May/September for toddlers - we go in the height of summer but we like it hot!

I was also going to suggest Eurocamp. The space on the site and around the pitch is just what you need.
What date are you looking at?

Center Parcs. There's loads to do on your doorstep. It's self catering so you have flexibility or there are lots of places to eat. It won't be relaxing but it will be fun.

Another vote for Eurocamp style holidays. We loved Landal holiday parks in the Netherlands. Nice accommodation, lots of space, playparks, pools.

We're finding a decent AI is perfect. Our daughter is very high energy also and she loves the pools, kids clubs, okay areas etc. We also rented a pack of toys on our last one so when we went back to the apartment she was entertained

Butlins. And pay for the food so he can just have what he wants from a buffet for breakfast and tea.

The only relaxing holidays I had when mine with that age were Bosinver in Cornwall and Clydey cottages in Pembrokeshire. Totally set up for little ones. Both pricey though.

Beach holidays in Belgium and Netherlands might work better - gorgeous beaches but not the extreme temperatures of the Mediterranean. Loads to see and do for children and adults.

We've just done Center parcs in Holland. Ferry over night from hill to Rotterdam so no long flights. Eat on the ferry. Park was 1.5 hours drive from Rotterdam very straightforward driving.

The place itself was fab. Loads to do. Lake beach swimming pool perfect for toddler. Hire bikes and ride out it's super safe. Would highly recommend and it's way cheaper than Center parcs uk.

My boys are 3 and 10 months.

I did a 2500 mile road trip around California and Nevada when mine were 18 months and 3 years old, worked really well.

^

Here we go

Villa holidays are my fave with young dc. Then you have your own space, can do a mix of activities, eating in & out etc and have your own space in the evening when they’re in bed.

We have been a few places with our DS's at varying ages. What we have found best is somewhere which is half board with a good children's pool not too late a dinner (Greece tends to be better then Spain for earlier dinner) and then hire a car so we could explore. All DS's are interested in was a playpark and the pool but being out in the morning meant we could then find a playpark, be back for nap time then swim from about 3ish when it wasn't so hot but then that tired them out for bed!

Eurocamp tent, on a quiet French site with pool. You go at their pace. So easy. We would be up early, get bread from the bakery delivery, eat, then plan the day in 2 halves- choosing our activity from sandy play area, beach, pool, or town for an ice cream and wander. In the middle of the day we'd return to the tent for lunch and for toddlers to nap out of the heat, have a siesta or read.
Bed at 8 for toddlers, red wine and books outside the tent for us.
Honestly, simple but less stressful than anything else we ever tried with little ones.
Became our annual holiday!