Crieff Hydro Big Country childcare

[LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett]

We've booked a short break at Crieff Hydro. DS is 11 and they do free 'childcare' up to the age of 12. Can't find any reviews on it from parents with older DCs and just wondering if anyone has used it for 11/12 yos? Have a sneaky suspicion DS is going to think it's 'babyish' - any thoughts?

Not been recently or with older DC but looking at the available activities it's likely to include:
quad bikes, Segways, mountain bikes, football, tennis, basketball; also archery, clays and air rifles, horse riding, cinema and also they have games consoles and ipads.

Doesn't sound too babyish or boring to me. :)

It's been 10 years since I took older kids. Back then they separated them out by age so the older kids were with other older kids.

They do have loads of other activities if you don't want to use the childcare. My two always made friends there so never a worry about not having a partner for badminton or whatever.

My DS is 8 and went once last summer and said it was really boring. He really didn't want to go back but the previous year he absolutely loved it. I think your son will enjoy it if there are other kids his age there. I wish I had spoken to them last year and asked a bit more about what my DS was doing.

I should add my DS absolutely loved his stay at Crieff Hydro last summer. It was just the childcare he didn't like and i am not really sure why.

I think at 11/12 theywouls be vvv bored. I'd book them in for some of the outdoor activities - not free bit they'd have a great time. Or hang out in the leisure club.

My two year old loved it, no idea if an 11 yr old would. Think there's a balcony bit with activities for teenagers but this is not part of big country.
Try calling them, I've found the helpful and honest.

I'd book them in for some of the outdoor activities - not free bit they'd have a great time

I think that if they do them through the kids club they will get to do some of the activities included in that as they list them under the available activities in the kids club section of the website.

In OPs shoes, I think I'd just give them a call and see if they can tell you what a typical session for the older kids would include. they must have a weekly plan that they base things round even if it does change depending on weather.

My DD was 7 or 8 when we took her, can't remember how old but she complained it was too babyish and that they had to entertain the younger kids, not the staff, so she only went to one session.

TBH I found crieff hydro very overpriced and unsuitable for her age group. She is mature for her age though. She also doesn't like outdoor activities so that had an impact on our holiday too.

My DS won't go, he's 8, he thinks it's too babyish. We go every year and the last time he would go to Big Country he was 6, and he moaned about it then!

Thanks everyone. TBH we quite like hanging out together (it's the first holiday with DDog too) so I'm not too fussed about booking him in - but then the thought of three hours peace a day was so very tempting . We'll do some activities as a family and hopefully he'll find people to pal up with to go to the pool, etc.

Thanks.

I seriously doubt the free childcare at Crieff Hydro will include any of the outdoor activities (quad biking, Segway etc). Last time I took the kids up there it was £45 each for the quad bikes. Bloody good fun though