Are you currently planning the next holiday for your family, trying to figure out where to head with the kids to keep everyone happy? If your children enjoy all kinds of outdoors messy play ideas, you should definitely take the hint and take the entire family on a messy adventure holiday. You need a break that provides plenty of time for outdoors activities, but also a nice and cosy space to return to after a day outside, so you can clean up and relax with some board games or a film.
Stay at a country cottage
If you want to have enough time to explore the countryside with your kids – whether you like riding, walking, fishing or biking – a country cottage might be the perfect fit for you. No matter the season (but remember to wrap up warm and bring your wellies in autumn and winter!), country cottages are perfect for any kind of weather, from warm sunshine to freezing temperatures during the colder months.
The great thing is that how you plan your days is entirely up to you, but you can still enjoy cosy evenings after you’ve cleaned up and bathed the children after a messy day running around the countryside or discovering the woods. And who doesn’t dream of a cosy log fire? Whether you prefer self-catering or would like to have your food provided for you, there is plenty of choice available. And if you’d like to step it up a notch, why not replace the country cottage with a real castle? You can have great fun exploring the Scottish Highlands in any kind of weather, and some of the beautiful castles up there have been transformed into impressive overnight accommodation. The kids will love it!
Discover a farm
If you and your kids love getting their hands dirty, take your family on a trip to a real working farm! Your kids will have the opportunity to not only see how a farm works, but also ride a tractor and help look after the animals. Accommodation on a farm varies from family rooms to cottages, and most farms have plenty of gardens and woodlands to explore, as well as chickens, rabbits and cows to feed and cuddle. If you’re into organic, home-cooked meals, the catering at most farms won’t disappoint, and you can decide whether you want to join the kids on the farm or enjoy a quiet day with a good book by the fireplace.
Sometimes, you don’t have time for a longer holiday, but just a weekend away. However, there are plenty of websites such as Secret Escapes, which offer great deals on last-minute weekend breaks wherever you want to go, from hotels to castles, cottages and farms.