Holidaying with Four Children

We have recently returned from our first holiday with four children and we had a wonderful time.  I never expected to write this post feeling rested and refreshed but actually our short break was exactly what we all needed and I have come home with happy memories and significantly less stressed!  

We decided for our first trip with four aged five and under that we would stay in the UK and we picked a caravan park down in Sussex for a Monday to Friday break.  Being a family of six, caravans become one of the easiest places to stay as we can all fit in one unit, we have the space to eat our own meals and spend some down time and we can put the children to bed and still stay up together as a couple.

I chose Combe Haven site for many reasons, the location, the facilities and the fact it had a couple of clubs that worked for both the big boys ages.  I will be writing more about that soon though.  The boys love caravans and so they were really excited when we revealed where we were off to and they loved the lifestyle of a caravan park - having the doors open so they could come in and out, scooting around with new friends, eating bbq's outside and having all the ammenities within walking distance.

One of the best ways we found to enjoy holidaying with four small children was just to relax.  Usually I like to plan all sorts into our days so that we make the most of our time away, but we took it slower this time and followed their lead more and it made everyone a bit more relaxed.  We made the most of everything we had paid for already - the holiday clubs, the swimming pools and parks and the big open spaces that come with being on  a caravan site.

It was Cora's first holiday and being only 2 months old it is rather hard to say whether she enjoyed it or not.  Her brothers loved having her around though and asked for cuddles even more than usual.  In the absense of play mats and toys we put her down on a duvet on the floor or in her carrycot and they enjoyed having her as part of their play.  She had her first experience swimming and she was relaxed and content in the water and she slept really well in the caravan so we are considering it a good holiday for her too!

So after 5 days experience, I thought I would share my top tips for travelling with lots of little people.

1) Don't plan too much into your days.  Some days the boys just wanted to explore where we were, or they needed a lie in, or they just wanted to spend some time together without really doing much.  We went out and did something every day, but keeping it simple kept everyone happier.

2) Choose your accommodation wisely.  We went for the three bedroom above the two even though both would fit us all in and we upgraded to the prestige caravan too as I wanted us to be comfortable and to have space to spread out.  Obviously if you are planning to be out all day every day then it isn't so important but if you are just after a change of scenery and are planning on making the most of where you are then it is worth going for the best you can stretch to.

3)You don't have to go far to get away.  We ended up chosing somewhere that was less than a two hour drive from our home.  It meant that we didn't have to worry about a long car journey with a newborn but it felt far enough from home to be novel and we enjoyed exploring somewhere none of us had been before.  The boys would have happily had a holiday in the same town we live in, as they were just excited to have our undivided attention and a new home for the week.

4) Let the children pack their own bag.  Ours took a trunki and although I found the contents rather random (apparently they needed one pretend egg with them), they loved the build up excitement of packing and the toys all got played with (even the egg).  I added in some extra Lego Duplo which was a great idea as all three boys could play with it when they wanted some time inside.

5) Matching clothes are actually really useful for keeping an eye on them all and to help locate any children that have a tendency to wander off (Archie).  I can't resist a bit of matching anyway but I feel like I have a real excuse when we are on holiday! I pack one outfit for each of them into a fabric bag before we go so that each morning I just grab a different bag and know that I have everything I need to get all four ready for the day.

6) Whilst you have come away to enjoy family time, divide and conquer is still a great motto.  With four it isn't easy to give any of them one on one time, but there were evenings when one of us would stay at home with the babies whilst the other took the bigger boys to the arcade so that they could have different experiences. 

7) Staggered bedtimes can work really well.  Ours normally go to bed at the same time at home, but the small caravan bedrooms meant it was easier to put them to bed one at a time as they were not going to go to bed nicely if they went together.  It worked out quite well as they all had a little one on one time whilst one of us read them a story and tucked them in.  Each night the order changed depending on who seemed the most tired.

8) Try and pick one thing each to fit into your holiday.  You can't please everyone all the time, but everyone getting an input makes it a holiday for all.  Dylan was desperate to go to the arcades, Finn wanted  to swim and Archie loved the park.  Ed wanted to have a bbq together outside and I wanted to have a little time to sit outside and just read my book (Cora was too young to express her wishes but she loved having her naps in the pram outside during the day)

9) Time things right and make use of nap times to do things with the older children.   We went swimming a couple of times and never had to take all four in the water as there was always one asleep.  We were allowed to take the buggy on the side of the pool which made it so much easier and meant that the child to adult ratio was more favourable!

10) Relax and enjoy it.  It will never be as easy or relaxing as holidaying with one or two, but watching them explore and bond and enjoy themselves is amazing and having four children is no reason not to go away.  

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The Last Summer Adventures

September seems to have brought with it colder temperatures, but the blue skies haven't completely disappeared.  We spent a day at Mevagissey in Cornwall this weekend, a little seaside village based around a harbour, and we had glorious sunshine all day.

The village is nestled in a small valley around 5 miles from St Austell.  The streets are cobbled and narrow, the views vast and blue and the ice cream authentic and Cornish.

There was plenty to explore with the small folk, dylan loved the rugged cliffs that were so different from the white chalk we have at home.  There was plenty of opportunities for climbing, which we made the most of whilst Archie and Finn were snoozing in the buggy and sling.

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Butlins Bognor Regis Review

I mentioned in my previous post just how much we loved Butlins, but there are so many reasons why that it needed more than one post.  From the accommodation to the customer service, we were so impressed and often it was the little things that made the holiday so easy and enjoyable

Accomodation

Our room in the Shoreline Hotel was on the fourth floor and our floor to ceiling windows looked out onto the skyline pavilion, some shops, the kiddies park and the sea.  It was perfectly set out for parents of toddlers, with a 'den' down one end with bunk beds, plenty of storage and a TV, and the parents end was the other side of the bathroom, with a TV, and some comfy chairs and a table in the window.  We all found the beds particularly comfortable, and the biggest little one couldn't resist testing out the mattress springs as well.  With a corner protector on the sharp edge, a step in the bathroom and a little duck too, the room made travelling with toddlers much easier.  The decor was fresh and modern and we were all really impressed.  

Getting around

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Butlins and Toddlers

Sometimes, my expectations are so totally exceeded that I am not sure where to begin.  As part of our role as Butlins ambassadors, we took a trip to Bognor Regis for a 5 day/4 night stay.  Six of us squashed into one car, along with suitcases, bags and a Trunki and arrived at the Shoreline hotel just before 3 on Monday afternoon.

The boys were fresh from a long nap (as were most of the adults) and we were met by the macarena playing on the loud speakers and some energetic red coats pointing us in the right direction.  Check in was simple and efficient, with only a short queue and we found our rooms up on the fourth floor.  The bloke, the boys and I in one, and my parents in the next.  Our rooms consisted of a kingsize bed in the main section, a bathroom in the middle and then a kids den with bunk beds, storage, a TV and a cot for Archie.  The room was a great size for us and it was easy to put the boys to bed at one end, but stay up with the lights on down the other, and there were two incredibly comfy chairs and a table by the floor to ceiling windows.  In the day we looked out onto the skyline pavillion, some shops, Papa Johns, the little kid's park and the sea, and by night we could see outdoor seating areas lit up and the bright lights of the evening entertainment.  Our room seemed pretty sound proof and we never heard other people and the blackout curtains worked perfectly.

Our week was spent between the arcade machines, the fairground, the splash water world, the stage and the soft play and I was amazed at how little we spent.  With the dining package included, we spent barely a thing as so much of the entertainment was included and our breakfast filled us up until dinner time.

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Mark Warner Mums

Three years ago, the bloke and I were planning an adventure, one that would take us to foreign lands, feed us the weird and wonderful and leave us with stories we would be recounting for years to come.  It turned out life had a very different adventure for us - fewer foreign lands for sure, although we may have tasted some rather odd dishes along the way (Raspberry and spinach puree anyone?).

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Barcelona with a Toddler

We have recently returned from a lovely family holiday to Spain with our toddler son and Barcelona was an amazing place to visit with a small child.  We are already missing the warmth as we snuggle under blankets back home! 

We had a fantastic time although I was initially worried about taking a 14 month old who has just learnt to walk on holiday.  Luckily it all went rather smoothly and we managed to keep him awake for long enough that he slept through most of both plane journeys - result!  We found that Barcelona was the perfect choice for a holiday with a toddler as the country is very family friendly and Dylan absolutely adored all the attention.

We stayed in an apartment a few stops away from the main attractions so as to have a bit of a quiet place to wind down in the evenings.  It did mean having to get the Metro complete with baby and buggy, but luckily it was much easier than using the London Underground with a child.  Most of the stations had clearly marked lifts that meant getting around was easy.  There were a few that didn't and luckily we had bought our lightest stroller (Cosatto Super-Lite) as the bloke ended up carrying both buggy and baby up and down the stairs in an effort to be chivalric and not make me do any lifting whilst pregnant. ( I think he secretly enjoyed the exercise as there were usually offers to help.)

On the tube Dylan never had to sit in silence.  Everyone wanted to wave and blow kisses with him and they all marvelled over his chubby cheeks and blonde hair.  Even the most unlikely candidates were cooing over him and he never tired of this, playing up to it all every time!  I found that without fail I was offered a seat on every train so I think my bump must really be protruding now!

Out and about we found that every restaurant had a high chair and although none did children's menus, it is not really necessary with tapas and Dylan loved each and every thing we gave him to try!  Some places were amazing with him and bought over colouring, bubbles, toy cars and took him for walks around the place too which made eating out very easy!

Attraction wise we did things for each of us.  There was plenty of time for shopping and looking at the architecture but we also visited the aquarium and the gorgeous Park Guell where we let Dylan explore and his fascination with going up and down the steps began!  

After a lovely day in the gardens and parks of Montjuic we saw the amazing light, music and sound show at the magic fountain as the sun set and although the little dude was getting tired he loved to watch it.  It was a complete highlight for me as it was in a beautiful place at the end of a long day walking and exploring and it made for some beautiful photos!

Having an apartment was the best choice we could have made as when we got back of an evening, Dylan went straight to bed and we could have a lovely sofa and kitchen space to wind down ourselves and make snacks.  He loved being able to walk around and explore and luckily there were no proper accidents considering it had a very hard floor and he had been walking all of a week unaided before we got there! 

The three of us had a fantastic holiday made easier by the fact that Barcelona is a great place to take a toddler, and his naturally flirty personality was very welcome! We enjoyed our last week away as a family of 3 and are already pining for the sun!

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