Holidaying with young children can actually be a real challenge. At home you have everything that you need in terms of convenience – teething gel, nappies, favourite foods and toys. Of course, one of the things that can spoil a family holiday is lack of sleep, but the holiday at home offers the luxury of your own bedrooms.
If you do decide to holiday at home, the trick to making it work is planning. Without a decent plan, there’s a risk that you’ll end up just slipping back into your normal routines. Make sure that you have at least one exciting activity lined up each day, and get all the family involved in planning them so that there’s something for everyone. Also, think about where you’ll eat. If you’re going to have some of your meals at home, will they just be the usual, or will you try something different? Are there any restaurants that you’ve been meaning to visit or that friends have been raving about? Book them in advance so that you make sure you have a table. Another top tip is to make sure you’ve done all of the household chores before your holiday starts. Nothing takes the edge of a holiday like a bit of cleaning, washing or grocery shopping!
So, what do you do on your stay-at-home holiday? Here are a few suggestions:
Explore local attractions. So many of us never get round to visiting all of the interesting and fun places near where we live, and a holiday at home provides the perfect opportunity. From stately homes to zoos, art galleries to theme parks, there are bound to be some great days out not too far away.
Picnic in the countryside. Britain is blessed with many areas of beautiful countryside, and it’s not too hard to find yourself a quiet spot by a river or even in a park and just sit down and eat al fresco. When preparing your picnic, make sure every family member has a say in what goes in the basket. The last thing you want is your three-year-old telling you they have decided that they hate cheese sandwiches and you didn’t bring anything else. A picnic can be great even with a baby, as they can sleep in their pushchair in the shade. With a lightweight summer sleeping bag, they'll be comfortable without getting too warm or too cold.
Camp in the garden. Perhaps surprisingly, this can be a really fun thing for the whole family! Younger children can experience the thrill of sleeping outside whilst older children will enjoy sitting around a campfire cooking sausages or toasting marshmallows. If you don’t own a tent, you could try borrowing one, many people have them stored away in sheds and attics - If you don’t have a garden, you might be able to find a local camp site for the night.
Spend a day at an amusement park. Although you might think theme parks are really for older children, many of them now cater very well for little ones too. If you have a big age gap, you could consider a ‘divide and conquer’ strategy if necessary, with one parent staying with the older children and going on the bigger rides, and the other taking the younger children on the more sedate options. This is likely to be one of the more expensive days out you’ll have, so look out for vouchers in local newspapers and online that might reduce the cost a little.
Host a barbecue. Invite your friends or relatives round for a barbecue in your garden or at a park or the beach. Make sure that you invite other children too, to keep your little ones occupied. It’s your holiday too, and you don’t want to have to entertain them every minute of the day. If they’re old enough, the kids can even help with the preparation of food or craft decoration themselves.
Water fight in the garden. Take one sunny day, a paddling pool, a hose pipe, some buckets, several water pistols and a small group or children, and you have a recipe for a fun day! Don't forget the bath towel ponchos to keep warm and dry after and avoid the sunshine.
Your little ones will love spending time with you and making happy memories wherever they are. Happy Summer!
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