Holiday with 5yr old - is a kids club a lifesaver or not necessary?

[zenam]

Hi, we have an outgoing, sociable 5yr old girl and are planning to get married in the Caribbean later this year, just the three of us going. Not sure whether to go for a nice resort with kids club and park etc or a more luxury one without hoping she will meet other kids there and amuse herself a little, while we will enjoy playing together I would like an hr or two a day to relax on a lounger and chill. Thinking of Antigua if any of you have been?

I have been to Antigua, once to Galley Bay which is adults only so wouldn't be applicable and once to St James's Club but that was before dc (it was quite nice and does have a kids club). Since having dd we have found a kids club to be one of the essentials unless we're going somewhere specifically for her like Disney, not just so that we can relax but so that she can have fun too for a couple of hours a day, you can't guarantee there will be other children or that their parents will want them to socialise. So I would definitely go to a place with a kids club that way before you go you will know you can have some quality time together especially on your honeymoon. Congratulations by the way!

Hi, thanks for the reply, Galley Bay looks lovely but no children allowed, our first holiday was to Antigua 10 yrs ago so really excited to be going back, we stayed at the Grand Pineapple which was pretty low key but we loved it, this time we are thinking of the Verandah (kids club) or Blue Waters (might offer 2hrs in the morning if 3 kids or more want it so hit or miss). Both look nice, if we were going alone I would go for Blue Waters but if dd is happy so are we! We went on a holiday when she was just turning 1yr old - hard work so have not ventured on a family holiday since. We are off to Turkey in a couple of weeks with Neilson so will see how she likes the kids club and all the activities there - looks good. We used to travel a lot to Oz, Thailand etc so are hoping now she is a bit older we can resume that part of our lives together (though now we have school to work round - typical!).

we travel with our 5 year old DS. Never bother with kids clubs. last summer we went to a resort where there was one (not that we knew) it was fun to have access to things to do - sail/ swim/ pedalo and he did like being invited to evening events - one night we went to a beach bonfire
but the whole rushing around thing with lots of other children doesn't suit us 3.

but we haven't been on a honeymoon with him when one might quite fancy a little time a deux! Congratulations!

Have used a kids club one holiday - DS was 5. Was a ski holiday. Kids club was great, made it into a really good family holiday we all enjoyed, DS enjoyed kids club and ski school, we got to ski 8.30- 3.30 on our own and then pick him up for a final hour skiing together.

Never used a kids club. DS now7. Generally find a kid in a pool with a ball attracts others kids. When DS was 5 and we were on Majorca he buddied up a few days with a German lad over splashing, balls, ice-creams. Neither spoke a word of the other's language.