Family holiday ideas with small children

[Needathickskin]

Currently stuck for ideas for summer family holiday with small children aged 6 and 4.

We've previously rented an airbnb villa with pool in sw France but it’s very expensive and not the most relaxing of holidays - children want to dig holes on beach in morning and spend afternoon in pool. Which is fine - but it’s just childcare in another location, with better weather.

We like sunshine, but neither DH or I like big hotels, hectic beaches or lots of British tourists - the thought of going to a big hotel in Turkey or suchlike is not appealing.

thanks!

How about the UAE?
dubai/ Abu Dhabi is amazing for kids. Loads to do. Water parks, beaches, you basically get waited on hand and foot there

I find any holiday with young children is just childcare in a different location. You still have to do all the mundane stuff but around them wanting to have all the fun with disruptive routines.

4 and 6 is starting to move beyond that (child-dependent of course) and I found we started to have a bit more flexibility with DD1 at around 5/6. She’s nearly 10 now but we have DD2(3) and a baby due in April so no fun holidays for us for a while.

This year, we’re going to Centre Parcs with my parents and my sister and BIL. Our thinking was fun activities for DD1 to do either by herself or with an adult (she has 6 at her disposal who all dote on her). Fun activities for the adults to do in smaller groups. A pool and play areas that DD2 (by then 4) will love plus a few activities she’ll get involved in. DS will be about 6mo by then and will be able to enjoy splashing in the pool or just playing with an adult not doing an activity.

Isle of Wight is amazing for young children.

I think the only way to get out of a holiday being childcare in a less convenient location is to book somewhere which offers childcare. These tend to be big hotels abroad, those big campsites abroad, or center parcs type places. If those don’t appeal, you’re back to doing childcare anyway, so just pick somewhere which appeals to you for whatever reason and accept that you’ll have to look after the kids all day.

I do agree the IOW is great for kids, but you will still be playing on the beach with them and doing kid friendly days out, same as if you go abroad.

Unless you go some where with kids club, this tends to be bigger hotels, then it is just childcare in a different location.

@ohmygolli
We like Abu Dhabi and Yas Water park is the best…but we have expat family there and know it’s crazy hot in August.

yup; it’s just childcare in another location. We have been away in early spring to the Maldives and that was great (kids club), but really don’t want a big, hectic resort for the summer.

@BeingATwatItsABingThing

”find any holiday with young children is just childcare in a different location. “

Me too, plus with disturbed eating and sleep routines thrown into the mix.

If you don’t like big resorts (I don’t either) - there are a few small hotels/resorts with childcare around. Not many but they exist. Not at the cheaper end mind you.

Have a look at:

Bella Mare in Corfu (via Simpson travel) - I think the kids club may be for 5+ though, but perfect for age 5-10
GK Beach in Crete (also Simpson)
Mousses (also Simpson, childcare from tot age)
Country Kids (France)
Villa Pia (Italy)
Casa Badiola (Italy)
Chateau Les Carrasses - Languedoc
St Pierre de Serjac
Longeveau (charente/dordogne border)
La Ferme du Cayla

I would also suggest looking at small family friendly hotels/apartment/villa complexes without a kids club but with a shared pool and restaurant- there will be other kids for yours to play with and cooking is done for you so a lot less work than just you in a s/c villa. Eleonas in Crete fits this bill but there are quite a lot out there.

I think at young ages then anywhere all inclusive is best. Don't need to worry about finding restaurants or cooking in self catering. There are usually organised kids activities and clubs which might even give you an hours leave to read a book on a sun lounger.

Yep!

Last year, we decided to do a holiday from home and went somewhere different every day. No packing involved, standard bedtimes and eating at home.

Monday - wildlife park
Tuesday - swimming pool (fancy one with slides and activities)
Wednesday - trip to the park (eldest was at a sleepover)
Thursday - soft play half term event
Friday - trampolining and pizza

Our DDs both loved it and I didn’t have to pack. Bonus!

My DC loved the children's clubs at Mark Warner. That or Nilsen?

Oh and also on other holidays , my DC nearly always chummed up with some other child on the beach or at the hotel pool - it didn't seem to matter if they didn't speak the same language to dig holes or build sandcastles. Just a thought about the benefits of touristy resorts.

I would've said disneyland paris, lovely little getaway...but British tourists 🤣 I get it.

https://www.olivarsuites.gr/

Highly recommend here. We are booked again for early summer as had the privacy of small private pool plus two bedrooms. No cooking, good location and outstanding service.

Definitely not a ‘brits abroad’ feel. We went with friend and yes it’s always same deal different location with kids but closest to villa stay with hotel perks.

That does look nice Sadly. Were there a fair number of kids staying there and what sort of ages if so?

@SadlyACupOfTeaDoesNotSolveEverything o was looking at this hotel last night! Was the food good and were the rooms over looked?

When our kids were that age the best holidays we did were two P&O med cruises( the kids club and night nursery were amazing) A cruise really was my idea of hell before I went on one and realised DH and had relaxed more than we had ever done since the kids came along.

The other great holidays were Eurocamp. We did 6 Eurocamp holidays when the kids were in primary school. We didn't even need a kids club - the play park , cycle or go cart hire and the pool was enough for them. Found them to be a very safe environment where they made friends at the park and had a great time.

Took them to a villa in Orlando twice too and although great fun was bloody exhausting!

I agree - Eurocamp holidays are brilliant for that age. The waterparks are often amazing and although it's self catering there's always restaurants on site- the holidays are usually pretty reasonably priced so you don't mind eating out.

When ours were that small we also loved the centre parks/ Landal type places in Belgium and the Netherlands.

@minipie and @Nw22 we weren’t overlooked and we didn’t overlook anyone else but I can’t say for sure about every room. It was really secluded and I felt comfortable in a bikini which is not the case around the communal pool!

A gate from the main area leads you to the private beach with lots of seating and good bar/snacks.

There were four other families with kids when we were there and a mix of ages and nationalities (2-12, Scottish, English, Irish, French, Swedish and Spanish as well as a few Greek couples).

The food was amazing and very fresh. Our DC particularly enjoyed the floating room service breakfast in the pool. Knowing full well DS definitely peed in there I had my coffee and fruit at the table!

Paradisus in Playa del Carmen. It's a sizable resort, but only in that it's spread out- it never feels crowded. I'm often the only Brit around, although lots of American/Mexican/South American families there. We've been a few times and always have a wonderful relaxing time, plus the food is AMAZING.

We found campsites in France (usually Yelloh) worked with small kids. The fact that the pool is behind gates and usually not visible from your cabin workednso there wasn't constant harassment to go to the pool. We hired or brought bikes and because we were self catering it was easier. At night they'd go to bed on time and we could sit out and have dinner and drinks in relative peace.

We never used them but these sites often have camps for the kids for a few hours in the morning or evening which is also good. We also got the best cabins we could afford so dishwashers and this and a decent deck.

This is why, for the third Easter running I have booked All Inclusive Tui Blue Sensatori in Majorca. I get fed, there’s a swim-up bar in a heated pool, there’s kids clubs which come at no additional cost and because we go early in the season the resort is nice and quiet & I pay half the price. What’s not to like!??!

casasalmoros.com/

This place is amazing. Beautiful, safe, loads for kids to do and lots of extras like a welcome BBQ, massage for Mum, movie nights etc. There are only three properties, a free bar by the beautiful swimming pool and it is in the middle of gorgeous Spanish mountains. I've just booked my 4th stay.

I would stay in the UK and book either Bosinver or Clydey cottages and time a supermarket delivery of Charlie Bigham type meals!