Top Kid Friendly Holiday Ideas!

Top Kid-Friendly Holiday Ideas!

We all love family holidays. But nothing spoils the fun like your kids spending the whole trip engrossed in video games, or glued to their phones. Shockingly, 96% of adults believe that they were happier as a child because they spent more time outdoors, and 72% think social media is affecting kids’ ability to interact and engage with others.

Quick Tip, no matter where you plan to take your children to for holidays, it is highly recommended to carry personal GPS tracking devices to keep track of children’s real-time location.

I’ve come up with ideas for holidays that will capture your kids’ attention and tear them away from their smartphones – at least for a day! There’s still time to book some great holidays over half-term or during the Christmas holidays.

Without further ado, here are my top kid-friendly holiday ideas:

Camping

The best way to get kids to drop their phones is to take them out into nature. The smaller ones especially will love to go exploring, touching and smelling new things! In the Durham area, I recommend the Barnard Castle  campsite. Located on the north eastern edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and within walking distance of Barnard Castle (or Barney as the locals call it), this is the perfect place for camper families. The site has a mini playground, and a visiting fish and chip van which comes highly recommended!

If you fancy a home away from home, Barnard Castle also offers glamping pods which are comfortably snug and homely. You’ll find rustic canvas-wrapped retreats with real beds, comfy furnishings and even a dining area.

‘Glamping’

If the idea of roughing it in a tent doesn’t appeal but you want your kids to explore the great outdoors, look no further than glamping! It’s not all luxury yurts or bell tents. The Bellingham Club campsite in the Northumberland National Park offers camping pods which can accommodate up to two adults and two children. The pods are a cosy and convenient place to rest; just bring your usual camping gear, minus the tent obviously!

If you want to venture further away but don’t want to bother with camping gear, the Windermere glamping site is the perfect solution. Set in the gorgeous Lake District, holidays in Windermere are all about cosy furnishing and oodles of little luxuries: real beds, cooking facilities and hot showers! Perfect if you want to take your kids outside whilst staying comfortable. This one is a great choice for families as it’s got large on-site play area, in addition to plenty of conveniences. And if you need fancy a nightcap after the kids are in bed, look no further than the local: The Whistling Pig.

Caravanning

Didn’t get enough of those beach views over the summer? Fear not, the Ravenglass Club site has got you covered. This secluded and peaceful site is perfect for exploring the coastal areas of the Lake District National Park and sits in some beautiful woodlands. It’s a great spot for cyclists, with Hadrian’s Cycle Way starting right next to the site at the Roman bathhouse. If you need a well-deserved pint at the end of the day, you’ll have your choice of pubs: the village of Ravenglass with its three pubs is within walking distance of the campsite!

Geocaching

Geocaching is a fun way to teach your little ones how to use a compass and a map. All you need to do is place a hidden container outdoors full of treats and create a set of coordinates to go by. Follow these until you reach it – the kids will love finding goodies! The Oban Club site , on Scotland’s idyllic west coast, is the perfect location for geocaching. The campsite is right next to a beautiful sandy beach, and delicious restaurants abound in Oban – it’s the seafood capital of Scotland! Oban also boasts its own malt whisky distillery and several local micro breweries,

Take them to an amusement park!

If you don’t have a whole weekend available, a day trip to an adventure park is another great way to get our kids outside. A great one around Durham is Adventure Valley: it’s packed full of play areas, farm animals for the little ones to pet and there’s even a crazy golf! A day out in Adventure Valley is guaranteed fun for the whole family.

Give kids a camera!

Turn your kids into amateur photographers! You’ll be surprised to see the world from their perspective and what catches their eye. Give the kids a disposable camera and a blank scrapbook with their names on it, and let them take their own photos for a day. I can guarantee they’ll love getting their hands on their own personal albums and seeing what their photos will turn out like. If you want to go further out and take your kids to the seaside, the Adgestone campsite  is the perfect place to unleash your kids’ talent.

XOXO

Debbie