Many choose to embark on a family holiday that involves lying around a pool, reading a book and despite the close quarters the family are in; spending very little quality time with each other. While this might suit some people, parents should remember that children grow up fast and time with them is precious. With this in mind, a holiday where you’re all participating in activities as a group can prove to be much more memorable than one where the kids are in the ‘kids clubs’ and the grown-ups are sat round the bar.
Most beach resorts will offer some water sports – however some resorts offer much more variety than others. For this reason, make sure to do your research before you head abroad. Ideally you want to find accommodation in a location that offers a wide range of water sports at a good price.
You should also ensure that those in charge of the activities are fully accredited and have a good safety record. In many countries the accreditation requirements will be minimal, and in some, people are able to operate these activities with no licensing or accreditation at all.
What’s more, there is no need for families with very young children to feel they are unable to enjoy an activity holiday. Good quality baby carriers such as Vaude baby carriers can allow the family to head down to the beach as a group, while one parent participates in an activity with the older children, and the other stays to take care of those who are too young. The parents can then swap roles so that everyone gets a fair turn at enjoying the activities.
An alternative is to enrol your younger children in a kids club. Most kids clubs are able to take children from 4 months and up. However, this isn’t ideal since it still means the family are not together and should only really be considered as a last resort.
As a money saving device it’s worth considering purchasing your own kids wetsuits prior to heading abroad. Many water sports companies will charge extra for the hiring of clothing and equipment, so doing this should mean the overall cost of each activity is reduced significantly. The cost can be reduced even further by purchasing second-hand kids wetsuits.
For those who think it’s unhygienic to purchase second-hand kids wetsuits, don’t forget that any clothing hired or borrowed abroad will have been worn by many people more than an item which has only ever had one previous owner.
It might also be worth contemplating going to an ultra-all-inclusive resort (resorts that include all activities, including water sports as part of the package). The benefit to this is that once you are on holiday, you do not need to worry about the cost of any food, drinks or activities. While they may be expensive initially, if you’re planning on going all out and participating in three or four sports a day, you may find you save money by choosing this option.
In addition, such resorts are unlikely to include only water sports as part of the package. You may find that tennis, golf, bowling and many other group activities are included as well.
The most important thing is to locate a holiday that will suit the entire family – if every family member is excited about the impending activities then they will spend more time together on holiday – which is surely what a ‘family holiday’ is all about?
About the Author
This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Hotels-Fairy.com the UK hotel comparison website. James loves the outdoors and writes on many subjects including travel and outdoor activities.