parenting

Family Holidays in Alcudia

Family Holidays in Alcudia

Going away with the kids can be a challenging ordeal sometimes. It’s hard to make a holiday work for everyone – the youngsters want to be active all the time, while we adults might want to share a romantic moment or two. Picking where to go can be half the battle, but I think if you pick the right spot with a good mix of family fun, you’re going to have a really great time.
A bit of a tourist hotspot in northern Majorca, Alcudia holidays this summer are definitely something to think about if you’re travelling with children. For one thing the landscape is gorgeous, with a perfect blend of beaches and stunning mountain ranges. This means that there are loads of different outdoor activities to do while you’re there. Alcanada beach is great for younger children as the water isn’t too deep – you can actually walk or swim out to Alcanada Island from here as the water is only 1.5 metres deep! This is a great adventure for the kids; you can pretend to be pirates or explorers heading out to find hidden treasure.
Another great spot that we enjoyed was the Hidropark, a waterpark just outside Alcudia. The prices are extremely reasonable and you can definitely while away at least one day here – our boys were desperate to go back almost as soon as we left! There are lots of different things to do besides the slides and pools, including mini golf, bouncy castles and floating boats. There’s also paintball on offer, but obviously that might not be suitable for the kids, depending on their ages.
There’s also the chance to take a boat trip around the coast, which is a nice way to relax if you’ve had a hectic week. You can take a glass-bottomed catamaran around the bay and see the fascinating underwater world right beneath your feet. If you think you might be interested, I’d suggest booking ahead – there’s nothing worse than waiting in a queue when you’ve got your little monsters champing at the bit to get on board!
Image by Duncan Rawlinson used under creative commons licence

Family Holidays in Alcudia Read More »

10 ways to encourage children to save

11 Comments / parenting / By Jen Walshaw

I have recently blogged about 8 ways to encourage children to be frugal over at A Thrifty Mum, which has got me on the whole money management with children bandwagon. I find that using practical examples really helps the boys understand money and finances, but one of the things that I find really hard is how to encourage the boys to save for savings sake. After a chat on The Mad House facebook page I realised that I was possibly asking too much from them to save for savings sake. However, I did get some great ideas of ways to encourage your children to save rather than splurge.

Give children a goal to save towards, something that really sparks their interest and motivates them. Create a chart to help them tick off the pounds/pennies until they reach their target – Ramblings of a suburban mummy
Teach children the different denominations of money and what they add up to. This helps her understand what spending each coin means – Verily, Victoria Vocalises….
Work out how much they need to save each week to buy a special something before a certain date, and then they can see that they have some money left, but they also get buy their big item. It’s just small scale practice for when they’re adults wanting a car, house or holiday – The Brick Castle
Pay “interest” on what he’s saved that month. So if they save all month he can get something bigger – Snaffles Mummy
Make it visually – Using a glass jar or even a money box that counts the money (like Cass from the Frugal Family) makes saving money much more tangible for younger children. Or even have a savings chart with stars and stickers.
Set regular savings goals – Incentivise saving by offering added rewards at regular agree set points. This is why the Pigs from Natwest really worked back in the 80’s
Pay interest – pay your child monthly interest on savings they have. not only does this encourage them to keep it saved for longer, but it teaches them about money management
Set a goal – Are they saving for a specific item? if so make them a chart. Encourage them to find inventive ways to earn money to help them achieve their purchase faster
Insist that a percentage of their pocket money goes into a long term savings account.
Discuss the reasons that people save. By setting an example you are giving them the best lesson ever. My boys are both very maths oriented and we discussed how a Sippdeal SIPP pension works and why it is important to be able to look after yourself when you no longer have the ability to earn money.
We also set aside so much money each month for fun family activities, showing that you do not need immediate gratification and that by planning, saving and managing our money we can all have fun.
Open a bank account with them and actively use it. Make sure it is a book account, so they have to go in to a branch to pay in and take out their money. This way they have to plan spending within banks timescales and again learn that spending is not about instant gratification.
Save smaller denominations to demonstrate how every penny counts. The boys both have a large vodka bottle that they fill with pennies and once a year they exchange it for holiday spending money. It really adds up and Mini is always on the lookout for peoples dropped coins when we are out and about.
Teach your children that buying an experience (ie a trip to a theme park) brings much more happiness than a products (such as an ice cream). Saving for the experience may take longer or be harder, but it makes memories and makes the experiences so much better
Whilst chatting to people about saving and teaching children about money I came across some really great blog posts about it and they are too good not to share, Perle Noire wrote a super post on how she teaches her family about saving, Cat from Yellow days, uses money as a maths tool and makes learning really fun, Becky from Baby Budgeting and Family Budgeting is really worth following for her fab money saving tips too.

10 ways to encourage children to save Read More »

Adventures for children in Magaluf

Featured and Guest, Holidays abroad / By Jen Walshaw

Adventures for children in Magaluf
Magaluf, on the Spanish island of Majorca, is a holiday resort that is as much a destination for children and families as it is for the young adult crowd looking to party. From mainland Europe, flights to Magaluf really don’t cost a fortune, and in addition to the endless sunshine and family-friendly beaches, there are lots of activities for children to keep them entertained.
Let the kids run free at the Western Water Park and they’ll spend all day darting between the slides and attractions. With an Old West theme, there are rides like The Beast for thrill seeking youths who want a slide with a 30-metre drop or the family attraction Mega Slide, where riders raft down a 260-metre slide as a group. There’s also a diving show where kids can enjoy watching professional divers do tricks and flips in the air.
Looking to venture outside Magaluf? Then you might be interested in taking the Palma-to-Soller train, which is a day trip by way of vintage railroad through beautiful countryside to Soller. There aren’t many vintage trains still in operation and it’s a treat for children and adults to travel this way and feel like you’re journeying into the past.
If your children are interested in nature and want a break from the sunshine, there is an amazing cave near Porto Cristo called the Caves of Drach. The name translates to Cavern of the Dragon, which is sure to peak the kids’ interest and imaginations. Within the cave is a hidden lake considered to be one of the largest subterranean lakes in the world. Take a cave tour, which lasts about an hour and includes a classical concert on the lake, and enjoy the cool ambiance as the music bounces around this ‘cavernous’ space! There’s also a light show that imitates the sunrise and the chance to take a boat ride across the lake. A day at the cave is truly a magical adventure for children.
With such a variety of outdoor and inexpensive activities to choose from, parents can’t go wrong by booking a holiday Magaluf this summer and making some awesome memories to bring back home.

Adventures for children in Magaluf Read More »

How to Stop Kids Getting Bored on a Family Holiday

Featured and Guest, travelling with kids / By Jen Walshaw

We also pack family board games, card and domino’s. We try to limit screen time whilst we are on holiday and we love family games night. The boys will write league tables and keep a record of who wins what so that we can have a family winner at the end of the holiday. We introduced the boys to Scrabble and Boggle whist we were on holiday. It is so much fun to revisit games that you used to play as a child.
Provide your children with an adventure pack with binoculars, compass and handbooks so they can explore the area you are holidaying.
I also pack pencils and colouring pads for creative moments.
Let your child chose a number of new books before you go on holiday. We have quiet time after dinner and reading is a great way to ensure that children do got get board.
Allow a day or so for decompression, especially if your childrens days are packed with activities at home. Places such as Richardson’s Holiday Parks have onsite entertainment. Click here for more information.
Headphone are essential – my children never agree on music, so I make sure they take headphones with them so they can play their own music in the car.
See if you can take a pup tent, so they can have their own adventures.
Encourage them to make friends. Take a ball and a kite. Things like this usually attract all the children nearby and veola friends for the holiday.
Be unselfish with your time. Children crave the company of their parents. Holidays are the perfect time to give it to them freely. Why not join in with them rolling down hills. You might be surprised d at just how much fun it can me.
I would love to know how you react when you hear “I’m bored”!

How to Stop Kids Getting Bored on a Family Holiday Read More »

Three Special Family Holidays

Holidays abroad, parenting / By Jen Walshaw

Three Special Family Holidays
Your children are only going to be young once, so you should treat them to a magical holiday before they consider themselves too old for family breaks. Create memories to treasure for decades to come, and fill up at least some of the weeks when they are out of school and clamouring for activities to keep them occupied. From a trip to Lapland before Christmas to a Hawaiian paradise during the summer months, here are three destinations that are sure to give you some inspiration for 2013.
Hula Your Worries Away in Hawaii
For a completely different pace of life and beautiful scenery, check out Hawaii this summer. With pleasant tropical temperatures all year round, families can pack light and enjoy T-shirt and beach weather. There are plenty of family-oriented tour packages and resorts in Hawaii that have child-friendly activities. Make sure that you choose a resort that includes a bit of luxury and chill-out time for parents, as well as plenty of amusements for the kids. Camp Menehune at the Hilton Waikoloa Village includes fun activities such as exploring tide-pools and tropical gardens, water sports, interactive dolphin programmes and feeding local wildlife.
Go Totally Wild in Orlando Florida
Another option is the Animal Kingdom Lodge, a part of DisneyWorld in Florida. Little animal enthusiasts can experience the wilds of Africa, within the safe and comfortable environment of a Disney resort. The Animal Kingdom Lodge is a 33 acre property that offers views from all of the rooms onto the Serengeti style zoo outside. There are over 200 animals from 100 different species, such as antelopes and gazelles. Each room is tastefully decorated in African style décor and the resort’s restaurants, Jiko and Boma, cook African-style food in wood-burning ovens.
A Lapland Trip into the Arctic Wilderness
Later on in the year, Finnish Lapland is the traditional hangout of Santa, his wife, the elves, plus of course his reindeer. Make sure that you go there kitted out in thermals and ski gear. Bracing cold isn’t the right way to describe the place, below freezing is more appropriate.
As a wonderful consolation, there’s a flurry of Christmas activity in Lapland. Mulled wine and Finnish saunas are brilliant for the adults while husky-led forays into the icy wilderness keep the kids occupied. The occasional appearance of the hypnotic and truly remarkable Northern Lights is nature’s way of lighting up the sky. During the winter time the sun barely peaks over the horizon.
There are plenty of tour operators that offer families some face time with the jolly red man, comfortable digs and amazing food to stave off the Arctic cold. For the traditional Christmas memory that will go down in family history, a Lapland trip is the ultimate in Christmas merriment and magic.
A well-planned, fun and relaxing family holiday is very feasible when you know where to go! Find a good mix of kid-friendly activities, and the chance for parents to get some well-deserved R&R.

Three Special Family Holidays Read More »

Travel Bingo: A Fun Twist on “I Spy” for Your Next Family Road Trip

1 Comment / Free Printables, travelling with kids / By Jen Walshaw

These are really easy and simple to use. All you have to do is click on the images below and enlarge them and then print them out in colour. Then laminate them (we have a fab fellow Laminator). I bought a pack of white board pens from the pound shop and the boys use them and wipe them clean with a tissue.

Travel Bingo: A Fun Twist on “I Spy” for Your Next Family Road Trip Read More »

Great value and family friendly things to do in Cornwall

Featured and Guest, UK Holidays / By Jen Walshaw

If the slight change in temperature has got you hopeful for the summer you’re not alone. We’re feeling pretty excited about it too and in fact have started to think about holidays as a result. We’ve been dreaming about the type of summer holidays that we remember from childhood, where the days seem to stretch on forever, the beach is always in sight and you get to taste every flavour of ice-cream over the course of a week, going home with salt in your hair and a big grin on your face.

If you yearn after these type of holidays as well, and particularly if you want to recreate this kind of unforgettable summer fun for your kids, we’ve prepared a post for you about summer holidays in Cornwall.

When it comes to taking time out Cornwall really does offer the goods, plus, a holiday in Cornwall really doesn’t have to cost the earth. And in fact once you’ve booked and paid for your place to stay (some luxury accommodation providers also offer baby friendly holiday packages!), once you’ve arrived there are many cheap and even free things to do there. So if all of this talk of summer has made you want to dig out the swimsuits, buckets and spades read on. Here’s our guide to the best summer holiday hangouts in Cornwall…

Eat Roskillys Ice-Cream at Padstow Harbour

Nothing says summer holidays like a big, crisp ice-cream cone full to the brim with several generous scoops of creamy Cornish ice-cream. For the very best we recommend heading to Roskilly’s ice-cream shop which overlooks the picturesque Padstow harbour. They have more flavours than you’ll be able to choose between and each one is just as delicious as the next.

Spend the day at Polzeath Beach

This is one of our very favourite beaches in Cornwall, as it’s a lovely sandy beach which stretches out to meet the stunning Atlantic ocean. Polzeath beach is really close to the town too and as such means that a whole range of lovely cafes and restaurants are available to you come mealtimes – this makes it ideal if you have something other than sandy sandwiches in mind for lunch! The beach often gets good surfing waves too is is a fabulous place to have a go at this, plus it has the best sandcastle-building sand we’ve found! Heaven.

Great value and family friendly things to do in Cornwall Read More »

Hola Spain! Top four holiday spots

Featured and Guest, Holidays abroad / By Jen Walshaw

Hola Spain! Top four holiday spots
Get your passport and factor thirty at the ready and cast your eyes over this quick and dirty guide to the four top Spanish spots to visit this year.
Barcelona
Barcelona is brilliant for a city break, and has loads of culture and history to take in, so it’s an ideal choice if you get bored lounging on the beach all day. Top sightseeing spots in Barcelona include the Gothic Quarter, with buildings dating back to Medieval and Roman times, and Antoni Gaudi’s Church of the Sacred Family, described as “a masterpiece of modernist architecture”.
Nightlife is big in Barcelona! If you’re into your clubbing then visit Razzmatazz or City Hall Nightclub. To sample a shot of absinthe (if you can handle it) then pay a visit to Bar Marsella in Carrer Sant Pau.
Benidorm
There’s a reason Benidorm’s been a popular holiday spot for so many years, and its four miles of gorgeous sandy beaches is one of them. If you’re after a relaxing holiday in the sun with enough to do at night then you can’t go wrong with a holiday in Benidorm .
You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to sunbathing and swimming spots here, and there are also great spots for scuba diving and snorkelling. The local seafood is delicious so make an effort to visit one of the many restaurants, such as the Agir or Casa Toni, both offering traditional Spanish fare and picturesque views while you eat.
Costa del Sol
When package deals first came to prominence, the Costa del Sol was the place to go. These days, travellers visit all areas of Spain, but the Costa del Sol still has plenty to offer holiday makers and remains popular as a result. As well as the beaches and of course the Spanish weather, the Costa del Sol has a great public transport system that makes it easy for you to visit other areas from whichever resort you’re staying in.
You can easily spend a day strolling around the ancient capital city of Malaga, taking in the historic streets and beautiful architecture of the churches and museums. Make sure you pay Malaga Castle a visit too, to soak up the history and enjoy some fabulous views.
Majorca
Holidays in Majorca are ideal for families and couples, with plenty to do if you need to be kept busy, but enough opportunity for relaxation if you choose to do nothing at all.
If it’s a family holiday you’re looking at, the dolphin and sea lion shows at Marine Land are a safe bet to keep the kids entertained. Couples can take advantage of the area’s many chilled out bars and fabulous restaurants serving delicious local food, such as the top rated Village Café in Deia.
Wherever you choose to go in Spain, you’ll be unlikely to have many problems with language, as all resorts are set up to cater for tourists and making yourself understood in English is rarely a problem. Having said that, taking a phrase book and learning a few key phrases, such as ‘please’, ‘thank you’ and ‘beer’, will be much appreciated by locals and might get you better service!

Hola Spain! Top four holiday spots Read More »

School holidays, are you a lover or hater?

10 Comments / parenting / By Jen Walshaw

When other parents, inevitably the ones with school age children would tell me they looked forward to the holidays I would inwardly wonder if they were mad!

However, I couldn’t feel any different now they are both older and in school full time. I long for the holidays. For the lack of routine and the ability to relax and slow down. I love the fact that there is no rush in the mornings to get ready and get to school. That we can be a little more relaxed about bedtimes and really enjoy each others company.

I love the thought of not having a week of activities planned and being able to just go with the flow. If we fancy fish and chips at the beach there is nothing stopping us. Want to try a different park? Yep lets just jump in the car! We all love getting so engrossed in an activity that the hours role by and we have no where we HAVE to be.

In fact the longer the holiday the better. One week is too short, it takes a week for the boys to decompress and stop fighting with each other. The second week is much better, they learn to make there own fun. To cooperate with each other. They start to get into the groove of playing out with friends and making their own games.

But what do you think? Are you a school holiday lover or hater?

School holidays, are you a lover or hater? Read More »