Ideas for Feb Half Term - Mum and Two Teenagers

[MummyMoving]

Hi there,

I am looking for Feb half term holiday ideas. My husband has to work, it will just be myself plus two children - one of whom is in his GCSE year.

Does anyone have any recommendations? I am looking for fun and inspiration for the children - everyone has been having a hard time and we have money saved (not been on holidays abroad before).

Thank you!

My dc would scream if I booked vacation in feb half term of Y11 so check first. It’s an important time for study.

Would seem a shame to go abroad for first time without your dh? Maybe a long weekend in a major city like Edinburgh or Manchester

Better to save cash and go away straight after gcse for a long weekend when it’s still cheap? Pay fine for other dc missing school

Thank you - these are all very helpful thoughts! A UK long weekend sounds like a good plan 🙂

what sort of thing would your kids consider "fun" and which area are you starting from?

Thank you for your response. We are starting from near Guildford. In terms of fun, they have enjoyed seaside (West Wittering), water slides, also musicals and escape rooms. Not sure if I should be introducing them to something new!

Tenerife is warm in February and has a great water park, Siam Park.

York.

Ok so if you want water slides and beaches then you need to be flying to North Africa, the Middle East or canaries at that time of year.
try Edinburgh if you’re just doing a few days in the uk, flights from LGW can be cheap.

Does the GCSE student want to go away?
Is there art coursework, music recordings etc due after half term? Is there a second set of mocks?

DS - now Y12 - absolutely put his foot down about going away in Y11, after Christmas break, a view shared by his school and my DBro (HoY or a different high school).

Some kids work better away from home.
We're thinking of a UK cottage. DS old enough to be left to study in the morning, lunch together and afternoon hike / activity, then more study late afternoon/early evening then games or a film before bed.
This worked brilliantly with an older sibling and helped them focus.
Alternatively if a break is needed, I totally recommend Seville for a traditional sightseeing type holiday. My teens loved it. Malaga also. Lovely and warm on feb.

We did only short city breaks, went over Easter to Prague before GCSE and Germany (Hamburg with added family visit) before A-Level.

That meant DD had a couple of days to relax and decompress before sitting down again with her books.

I would look at some UK cities like York or Edinburgh, enough for 2-3 days but not pulling them fully out of revision.
Alternatively Amsterdam? Lots of flights from Gatwick and an easy town to nose around. Will be cold though.

Thank you so much these are all extremely helpful comments and are helping me to clarify my thinking. Good luck to everyone's Year 11s x

This you need to go a long way for sun in Feb although Morroco could be nice. For UK City breaks Liverpool is lovely.

I’m looking at the Canaries for half term with my 17 and 11 yo’s (17 yo is in yr 12).

She would also have been very unhappy to have been taken away at any point during the school year in yr 11 though!

If you want this country, We like going to centreparcs in Feb as my kids 12 and 14 love the pool and lodges. We usually pay for a couple of activities but then just enjoy the walks and kids can stay in the lodge if they want so would suit your oldest if they want to study as well.

We have also done Disneyland Paris for a long weekend as the kids love the rides and we are Disney lovers. Tenerife (Costa adeje) is also great for winter sun.

I'd wait until after GCSEs and have a family holiday abroad. It seems unfair for DH to miss out too.

No way would I go on holiday in February in GCSE year. DS is year 11 and mocks run from mid Feb to early March so needs Feb half term to revise.