Author: Don

When holidaying with young children it can be hard to think of activities that they can get involved in safely that will keep them amused and entertained. However there really is plenty of things to do if you plan things according to where you are and what the weather is like.

The first hurdle is the car/plane/train journey to your destination this is a prime time for young ones to get bored and start to play up. Always ensure that you have plenty of snacks and drinks with you for the kids to keep them occupied (things that aren’t too messy and will be easy to have). Also play some games like ‘I spy’ or word games that children can get involved in to pass the time.

Once you are at your holiday destination if the weather is good then a trip to the pool or to the beach with a bucket and spade always goes down well. If you get poor weather then an indoor pool or play centre can be good fun but there are usually places where you can do craft activities such as making pots or painting plates as something a bit different.

A good rule of thumb is to always have a plan B, an idea of something to do whatever the weather to avoid any holiday stress.

Taking teenage children on holiday can sometimes be a nightmare, they are too young to let them go off independently to do their own thing but they are old enough that they don’t want to be by your side 24/7.

The best compromise tends to be resort style holidays as that way everything is all in one area so for older teenagers it’s safer to allow them to choose whether they want to go to the pool, the beach or look round the shops. If you’re all inclusive you also have the added bonus of meeting up at places on the resort for mealtimes as a family to make sure you spend some time together.

If you don’t feel that it’s safe for your teenagers to go off by themselves then you’ll need to arrange to do activities that they will enjoy and will keep them amused. For most adults kicking back and doing nothing on the beach is a welcome change from the daily rush of working life however for kids this is just dull and will undoubtedly result in sulking. A great compromise here would be to go to a beach with great water sport activities, that way you can relax for some of the day and take part in the water activities with your kids for the rest of the day.

After all you want to create a happy medium where everyone enjoys themselves.