A guide to advantages of a caravanning holiday with the kids

In the last year, Europe has enjoyed a slight increase in leisure vehicle sales – and with caravans for sale in parks across the UK with dealers like Park Resorts, the British Isles is largely responsible for that uptick.

What makes caravanning so popular? And who does it? Well, the majority of new caravanners and sales made have been from local families and UK-based couples who have been looking to find a way to spend quality leisure time with their loved ones, and beat the recession.

Holidaying in the UK is enjoying its own renaissance, with advertising campaigns from TV favoruites and British celebrities, as well as the rise of quirky new ways to travel like glamping (involving staying in yurts, tree houses or any other alternative accommodation, without the mucky parts of camping).

But if you are a family, then caravanning really is the smartest option – whilst the adventure of glamping can be fun, the sizes, locations and facilities on offer at most sites mean that it’s really only suited to couples (and couples’ budgets…).

Caravanning in 2012 is a great way to get the kids together and spend some quality time without breaking the bank. Indeed, the economical argument is one of the strongest, whether you just buy a package – or decide to buy. You can get away to spots like the Isle of Wight (with a ferry included) for under £100.

What’s more, if you’ve got young kids and you want to make a commitment to having a safe and easy holiday spot for the next few years, with static caravans in permanent parks from as little as £4,995 in spots like Clacton-on-Sea, as well as touring caravans less than £1000, you can essentially buy a holiday home- then use it as you please!

Holiday parks and caravanning sites, such as those run by Park Resorts, also lift the burden off parents, as the range of kids’ facilities required. This is the other most attractive option that caravanning has to offer. With huge waterparks, plus outdoors activities run by trained staff and representatives, mum and dad can get a rest – something you can’t guarantee if you’re out camping alone, or in a hotel.

Picture courtesy of myfreecolouringpages.com

Majorca will no doubt be a top family destination once again this year, and with so much diversity on the Island it is important you choose the right resort for a young family. The resort of Alcudia has plenty to offer those with young children in tow. A holiday in Alcudia will ensure that there is enough activities for young ones to be entertained, and can explore in safety. Here’s a helpful guide detailing what Alcudia has to offer you and your family.

1.) Enjoy A Beach-Bound Morning – So where to start the day? Alcudia is a relaxed seaside resort on the north-eastern coast of Majorca, with stretches of golden sand and warm azure waters. There is a wide range of safe and shallow beaches to choose from, including the Puerto Alcudia and Alcanada beach. These safe and child friendly beaches allow children to play on the soft sand and splash around with little worry. Remember to pack a bucket, spade and good sun-cream for your Alcudia Holiday.

2.) Search for Treasures at the Alcudia Market - Another must-do is a visit to the Alcudia Market, which is held every Tuesday and Sunday morning near the city walls from around 9.00am to 2.00pm. Here, there are stalls selling everything from jewelry and clothes, to local produce and fun souvenirs. The lively and colorful ambiance of the market will keep those little eyes well occupied!

3.) Make a Splash at the HidroPark Alcudia- With three water parks on the Island, a visit to a water park is essential on holidays to Majorca. Spend an afternoon enjoying the attractions the HidroPark water park has to offer. There are pools to suit everyone, even for the youngest of water babies. The children’s pool is 0.60m everywhere, meaning that even the smallest of family members can have some pool-time fun. For children that are a little older, there is a gentle wave pool, which simulates the movement of the ocean, and also plenty of slippery slides to keep young ones entertained. Don’t forget to bring the arm bands for those that are still learning the strokes. If your water-babies want a temporary break, why not take them for a bounce on the bouncy castle also available.

4.) Transport - Buses moving in, out and around Alcudia are quite regular, meaning you can get around relatively easily, as well as travel to neighboring resorts. Or if you want things a little more comfortable, you can also hire out a car for a day or two.

5.) Family-Friendly Restaurants – There are also plenty of family-friendly restaurants in Alcudia. After a long fun-filled day, you can treat your family to some delicious Spanish cuisine during the evening. With Majorca being surrounded by water, you can expect platters of fresh seafood, in additional to the traditional tapas and paellas. If you have a fussy eater on your hands, there are also plenty of restaurants serving more international dishes. Child-friendly restaurants include ‘Ca’n Punyetes,’ which not only serves great traditional meals, but has a fantastic kid’s menu, and ‘Pizzeria Don Vito,’ which serves mouth-watering pizzas and pastas. Ending a busy day out with a great meal will have everyone ready for bed in no time!

A friend recently recommended the ‘Sound Touch‘ App for toddlers. It has been designed by parents for toddlers and young kids. It’s simple to use and Euan happily plays with it himself. He could play with this app for ages, in fact sometimes it’s hard to persuade him that my phone is not just another one of his toys, I should get to use it sometimes too!

The app has 6 pages, each with a different theme – farmyard animals; safari animals; birds; vehicles; musical instruments and household items. On each page is 12 brightly coloured animated pictures and when your child taps one of the pictures one of 5 photos comes up and the associated sound can be heard. There are 180 images and sounds in total so while this app is great fun for kids it’s also a useful learning tool.

Is there a downside? Some of the noises can be a little annoying (the household items in particular – think washing machines and breaking plates) but Euan loves it and if I give it to him to play with in the car I can hear what he’s doing and he is fully entertained.

Do you have an app or game that keeps your child entertained? Please share your ideas below.

Before the flight
Flights are boring, but airports are not, at least for young children. They can look at planes landing and taking off, they can run around in deserted airport lounges and they can play all manner of games with you and your partner. Use this time to tire your little ones out.

Get your children involved in the travelling process. Let them take their own wheelie bags full of goodies and allow them to have a few treats at the airport.

It’s also a good idea to give them a good feed before you board so they don’t get hungry five minutes after take off.

During the flight
Hopefully all the airport antics should leave you with a tired and sleepy child, that is full enough to prevent them from being grumpy. However, and especially on long flights, you will need plenty of onboard entertainment. Older children will probably get involved with playing games or watching a movie through the plane’s own entertainment device, however, this doesn’t work for younger kids. You will need plenty of games, preferably ones that aren’t noisy, to keep them amused. Pick their favourite games from home and buy a few new ones too.  

It’s also a good idea to bring their favourite toy as a comforter and to keep them plied with water, squash and snacks. However, avoid sugary food and beverages.

Take them on regular walks around the plane and draw their attention to what is going on out the window.

Just because you have a baby doesn’t mean you can’t go on holidays you enjoy. New York is a dream destination, particularly for women who love shopping, culture and feeling like a film star. Just make sure you plan ahead. DialAFlight has a range of cheap flights to New York, travelling a various times of the day, so you can pick a flight that works best for you. 

Getting There

The museum is on Chambers Street, a few minutes walk away from the Royal Mile in Edinburgh’s Old Town. There is metered parking on Chambers Street but it is expensive and there are always wardens around so if you take this option then make sure you’re back at your car on time if you want to avoid a hefty fine. There aren’t any buses which go directly to Chambers Street but you can take a bus to George IV Bridge or South Bridge and walk from there in a few minutes. 

The Museum

The museum is made up of an interlinking old and new building. At the moment the old building is closed for renovation and is due to reopen on the 29th of July 2011. For now you can explore several galleries in the new building: Early People; Kingdom of the Scots; Industry and Empire; A Changing Nation; Communicate; Scotland Transformed; Connect and Jackie Stewart’s Formula One Car. We didn’t have time to explore them all on our recent visit but Euan was fascinated by every room we went into and we will definitely be back soon to visit the rest.

Euan kept coming back to this exhibit, typical boy!!

Visiting with Children

The National Museum of Scotland is particularly child friendly. All the basics are in place – there are lifts or ramps to every level to suit those bringing their buggy and  the cafe has plenty of high chairs. There are also changing facilities in various locations around the building. Have a look at the museum’s Visiting with Children page for more information.

I was most impressed with all the extras the museum has put in place to make it a fun destination to visit with kids. There were ‘live exhibits’ – actors taking on the roles of historical characters to bring their stories to life. There was also a chance to dress up in historical costume and Euan’s favourite – plenty of buttons to press.

This character was talking about the punishments for gossipy women in the Middle Ages. I wonder what the authorities would have thought of women bloggers!

Euan LOVED pressing the button to make this steam engine go. I remember this as being my favourite part of the gallery when I was growing up, I’m so glad it’s still there!

Pressing more buttons in the Industry and Empire room with Daddy.

Thanks to Mara at Mother of All Trips for bringing together bloggers’ dreams this Monday. I wish mine wasn’t a dream for a rainy day!

Have you got a recommendation for a child friendly outing in your local area? Please share your ideas below.

The usual essentials:

• Nappies and nappy bags
• Wipes
• Cream
• A change of clothes

To eat and drink:

• Snacks galore: a banana; around a million raisins (Euan’s absolute favourites); rice cakes; an ella’s kitchen pouch. And yes, a large bag of cadbury’s chocolate buttons.
• A cup of water
• A bottle and several cartons of toddler milk (I thought this would be easier than cows’ milk because I didn’t then have to worry about refrigeration)

Entertainment:

• A colouring book and crayons
• Several of Euan’s favourite books
• Some new toys (little plastic animals and a wee torch with a button that he can press – no annoying noises for the other passengers but entertaining all the same)
• My iphone (Euan loves playing with the soundtouch app  - review to follow later). It also has a great camera.

Sleeping:

• A couple of dummies (also great for equalising ears during take off and landing)
• Blankie

I didn’t use all of this but I felt happier knowing I had it all with me.  What did I take for me in my hand luggage I hear you ask? Oh yes, nothing.

Have you got an essential carry on item when you fly? Please share your ideas in the comments box below.

Related posts: 3 Tips for Flying with a Toddler; Packing List for Travelling with a Baby.

We were all mesmerised as soon as we entered. In the tropical room there were hundreds of butterflies to look at.

We were able to look at the gorgeous insects really quite closely because they land and feed on the fruit that is dotted around the place (apparently feeding on rotting fruit juice increases their life expectancy by around 6 months).

There were also land dwelling birds happily toddling around. These birds are handy because they eat pests in the soil that could otherwise be a problem (no pesticides allowed in there!)

It’s not a cheap day out, especially if you have children over three and several adults going. However, while the tropical room itself is fairly small, your ticket price allows you to leave and re-enter as many times as you like and there are plenty of other things to do too.

The 3 generations were equally fascinated by…

The gorgeous terrapins.

However, Arran stayed well back when Shenar and Euan looked at these beasties…

The opportunity to hold a tarantula was an easy one to pass up for me but Euan’s Shenar wasn’t afraid and Euan was fascinated!

Dobbies Garden Centre is also just next door. If you are a foodie you MUST stop at the restaurant and the foodhall. I could live there.

Euan and Daddy were loving the cakes.

Additional Information:

Entry Costs

Adults: £6.95

Concessions: £5.95

Children (3 – 15 years old): £4.95

Here are my tips for keeping your toddler entertained on a flight. I’d love to hear your suggestions, questions and tips. Please leave a comment in the box below.

1. Pre -flight food and fun

Before you board, fill your toddler up and and tire him out. We arrived at the airport in plenty of time to have lunch while looking at the planes. There was then a bit of time to let Euan have  a run around. His full tummy and tired legs meant that he was ready for a sleep by take off.

Euan was fascinated by the planes.

2. Sleepy Times

You can’t always do much when it comes to picking your flight times but if your toddler still takes a nap, try to keep him going until take off and then do all you can to persuade him to sleep during the flight. I gave Euan his bottle on take off (the sucking is also good for equalising ears) and then his ‘blankie’ and dummy. He slept for the first hour of our outward and return journeys.

3. Entertainment

Take advantage of the priority boarding that most airlines offer to families and try to grab a window seat. Euan loved looking out of the window at the clouds, the engine and the wing. In fact, we hardly needed the bag of tricks I packed. The changing bag was stuffed with more than I needed of all the usuals (nappies, cream, wipes, tissues, change of clothes, Euan’s body weight in snacks) but we also had loads more toys and books than usual, including a few new surprises that had the novelty factor.

Euan was entertained was entertained watching all the comings and goings of the flight.

On the way home we were lucky enough to get a spare seat and the extra space was really handy.

Overall it was a great experience and I look forward to the next time (when we’ll be flying with a toddler and a baby… wish us luck!)

Terms & Conditions: The promotion period is 18/05/2011 – 31/07/2011. No purchase necessary. You can enter to win by clicking the Facebook “Like” button. Winners will be selected at random, and posted on my blog at http://lovebabylovetravel.com Winners must claim their prizes by 31/08/2011. Any prizes not claimed by 31/08/2011 will be forfeited. Each prize is a free copy of the book “What To Expect When You’re Expecting” 4th edition. Prizes are non-transferable and are not redeemable for cash. Void where prohibited by law. Must be 18 or older to enter.

Getting There

We were driving from Edinburgh so took the M8 to Glasgow and then the  A737 to Ardrossan. We left at 9 (ish!). Euan slept some of the time (unfortunately he was woken by a sneeze!) but I noticed how different this journey was from previous long car journeys: notably a willingness to be amused with raisins, rice cakes and road games.

We arrived in Ardrossan at 11 in perfect time for the babies’ lunch,  stopping in the Asda supermarket just beside the ferry – cordon bleu sacrificed yet again for convenience!

The Calmac drive-on-drive-off ferry which also accommodates foot passengers has a crossing which lasts 50 minutes and I was pleasantly surprised by the standard of cleanliness and the facilities for kids – the games room was a particular hit. There were also plenty of high chairs but not a great deal of choice for young palates. Euan loved it when his daddy took him outside to look at the waves. The ferry crossing is the perfect length for children of all ages – long enough to be exciting without the boredom of being on board for too long. This might also apply to the adults when the crossing is less than smooth!

After leaving the ferry we had only a 15 minute drive to get to our accommodation. No matter where you are staying you won’t have far to travel at this stage – Arran is a small enough island to cycle round in a few hours.

Arran

Arran is one of Scotland’s most beautiful islands and has been described as Scotland in miniature because it has all the best features of the country – mountains, lochs and rich farmland. Not surprisingly it’s a very popular place to holiday, especially during high season, but because it’s also such a popular place to live, holiday lets can be difficult to find with people returning year after year.

The Accommodation

We stayed in Seawinds Cottage in Corrie. The cottage sleeps 6 (we managed 6 adults and 4 young children).  There are three bedrooms (one double and two twin),  a large living area and a spacious, modern kitchen.  The feature we most enjoyed about the cottage was the view over the Firth of Clyde which could be enjoyed whatever the weather.

Arran is a lovely place to visit. If you’re planning a trip don’t leave without trying the cheese and chocolate. Both are manufactured on the island and you can see them being made through glass walls in the shops.