Holiday location and advice? SEN

[Earlybirdtweetiepie]

Is there a location you would suggest to holiday with 2 under 5's? One of which has additional needs (suspected sensory: food aversions, meltdowns with mobility issues and global delay)

We obviously haven't been anywhere for a few years due to our LO struggles, but it would be nice to save and plan for one in a year.

So I was wondering given the circumstances, where would you suggest? Little local place for a weekend? All inclusive? Any specific places or packages that would be easier? Would you just avoid a holiday? A few days more manageable than a week? Abroad a bit of a stretch and too much to manage?

For us self catering max 2-3hrs from home quiet place somewhere we could keep the daily routine the same but manage trips to things that our kids would enjoy. Like a farm petting zoo or a pebbly beach (not sand with sensory needs). But with lots of down time we don’t do “whole days out” even now. It’s not really a holiday for the parents just a change of scenery tbh. As they got older we like activities so actually our favourite holiday is skiing (we save up still self catering & take bag of food from home).because it’s the same routine every day and as teens our AuDhd daughter finds that easier to cope with.. Plus we avoid peak season for as long as possible. Often go back to same place but different accommodation as well so the town/beach maybe the same but new place to sleep feels more holiday. Hope you find something that works for you. Depending on your child’s needs there are disabled friendly accommodation providers.

Leafy Fields was great https://www.leafyfieldsglamping.com/autism-friendly-holidays

How about Eurocamp or Center parcs (uk and europe). Self catering in your own space may be a lot easier than trying food off a buffet in front of a lot of guests. Depending on where you are in the uk, obviously depends on the driving distance. There’s a few sites within a couple of hours drive once off the ferry.

That looks fantastic to he honest and its not far from us, so if it descended into chaos we can get back relatively quickly.

Yes I think staying close to home is likely the best way to introduce breaks. I think abroad will need to be built up to and perhaps when she can hopefully communicate her needs.

We did all inclusive in Greece. My Sen son (asd/Arfid) didn’t touch anything food wise. But we went prepared. Contacted our travel agency who arranged an extra 15kg medical allowance which meant we could take an extra suitcase full of all his safe foods that he eats.

we didn’t prebook any trips etc and took days as we went. We managed a private boat hire (luckily my oh has his boating license) a trip to a neighbouring town as well as the usual beach and pool days.

we were dreading it because we avoided them till this year but it was so successful that we have booked another for next year already. Our boy at the end of the week didn’t want to leave.

TUI Blue lagoon princess in Halkidiki. Lovely quiet resort, no sun bed wars, staff so accommodating. My SEN child loved it there

Do your dc enjoy swimming? I found that booking a modest villa with private swimming pool in Lanzarote was better as we could do our own thing re timetables and food. We didn't go out very much at all and just played in the pool all day and watched a film in the evening. Lanzarote used to be the cheapest for villas and car hire but tbh with under 5s I'd probably stick to day trips and playing in the garden.

We went to Leafy Fields when visiting Diggerland. My DS was 4 at the time and loved it.

I meant to say we tried going to France for a caravan when girls were your ages in June so not school holidays and honestly the travel logistics of the long ferry long drive to plus hotter weather it was just exhausting as parents and neither of them can remember it much yet they remember the great memories of going back to the same beach /village in Cornwall loads as it was easy, calm and familiar, only short ish drive.
Actually our first trip was with a 18mth to Australia utterly bonkers in hindsight it turned into just survival mode but we had close family who hadn’t met our DD at that point. I was That Parent with the child on the 15hr flight who refuses to settle not fun at all and never repeated! We resorted to asking a pharmacist in Sydney for meds to help her sleep on return flight as we were going all the way through no stops they worked for 6hrs only!

Calvert trust Exmoor has good facilities