Our Week in Selsey with Seal Bay Resort

I was looking for somewhere to take the children away to over the Easter holidays that wasn't too far to drive from us and I came across the recently renamed Seal Bay Resort in Selsey near Chichester. We are fans of a mobile home style holiday because as a larger family they are usually well set up for us to have our own space and all be together and there seemed to be plenty to do, so with only a couple of weeks until the children broke up, I booked our stay.  Ed unfortunately had to work, but my sister had volunteered to come with us and the children were so excited to spend some quality time with her.

I had seen that Seal Bay was big, but I hadn't realised it was quite so huge, with over 3,500 mobile homes across three sites that were all linked by a complimentary bus service.  Our three bed caravan was on the White Horse Site, only metres from the new White Horse Complex which had an outdoor pool and splash zone, a huge arcade, bowling alley, soft play, restaurant, pottery painting shop and a massive theatre which had bingo and shows on every night.  The children would have happily spend all day in the arcades and we attended the silent disco by the outdoor pool mid week which was a big hit.

The busiest park was West Sands, which is right on the seafront and you find yourself on the beautiful pebble beach as you step out the door.  The complex here also had a huge arcade and theatre as well as the indoor pools (which included a pool for lanes, a shallow kids pool, a beach pool and two water slides), a gym, restaurant and café, crazy golf, a wave rider and more.  

During our stay we tried out the Cove club for kids where the children got to take part in crafts as well as go on an immersive adventure (Sophie was the team member running these on our trip and her energy was incredible).  We also watched the 'Fun Factory Live' each evening which is an interactive show and all four of my big kids were at the front each evening hoping to get called up for the games.  Every evening there was a fun filled line up including 'Bonkers Bingo' and musical shows.  The Rock Show was a highlight of the week for all of us and we were so impressed with all the entertainment.  Every caravan park we have stayed at has had entertainment for children (and adults) but I was blown away with the quality at Seal Bay with so much to see and do.

During our stay there was an Easter circus which I had booked and the children found it hilarious.  I didn't think it was as impressive as other circus shows we have been to, but the two clowns were brilliant and the focus on humour definitely engaged the children more.  There was an adult only circus available too but we didn't visit that.

I had made a list of things to do in the area but other than the day we had booked to go to Southampton (around a 45 minute drive) to do the Ninja Warrior course, we didn't want to leave the park!  There is plenty to see locally though including Chichester town, Arundel Castle and the South Downs National Park.

I didn't take nearly as many photos as usual to share, but you can see more of our adventures over on this Instagram Highlight.  It was Rex's first holiday and I think he loved it!

A few bits of practical information

• There is a shop on site but there is also an Asda (and Costa) three minutes drive from the park if you want to fill up the fridge.
• The swimming pool requires one adult per child for under 1s and one adult per two children for under 10s (we may have added a few months on to Archie's age as I was confident he is a capable swimmer).
• They don't sell food in the theatres but you can bring in your own food. We ordered from the fish and chip shop and the Papa John's situated just outside the main complex doors and could take our dinner in to the table with us.
• There was a big screen outside the restaurant/bar when the football was on if you don't want to miss your game (West Sands)
• We found three playgrounds in total, one on our site near the circus, one on the West Sand's site that was at a bus stop and the largest one was down by the playing fields. They weren't all obvious on the map.
• There are so many activities you can pay to do as extras.  Some sounded brilliant but on a budget trip (or if you have lots of children and don't want to pay out) you can find so much to do without spending too much extra. Everything is bookable through an easy to use app.
• This advice does not include the arcades.  We spent all our money there as you have to walk through them to get to everything else!

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Butlins for a Bigger Family

We spent the Halloween weekend down at Butlins Bognor Regis and I was really impressed at how well they catered for bigger than average families like mine.  Having four children means we are often too big for one room and many holiday companies seem to be geared up to two child families.  We stayed in the Wave Hotel as they have interconnecting rooms and it meant we had a brilliant space to sleep and relax.  Each room has two bedrooms, a master bedroom with a living area and balcony and then a kids room with bunk beds.  We therefore had four bedrooms between us which was perfect and would accomodate families much bigger than ours.

I loved the size of the room - the kids room is compact but with plenty of storage and bunk beds.  The boys loved that they had a light each and a TV each at the foot of their beds.  The wall was full of shelves for storage and the underwater theme was really fun.

The master bedroom was light and spacious and easily fit a travel cot in for Finn.  There was lots of floor space and we brought toys with us like Cora's playmat to keep her occupied.  Each room has a balcony too which had a table and a couple of chairs on.  It wasn't quite the weather for sitting outside but we did use the balcony for drying swimwear and people watching.  

Each room can sleep up to 5 (with one in a cot) so families of six or more need to book adjoining rooms.

We had the hotel dining package which meant we ate our breakfast and dinner at the Deck restaraunt each day.  It was absolutely brilliant and there was never trouble seating us.  Many tables were designed for bigger families and there were always plenty of high chairs as well as space for the buggy when we needed it.  The buffet style was ideal as we could all eat whatever we fancied and there was no keeping toddlers entertained whilst we waited for food.  There was plenty to suit little ones with a low down serving area full of kids favourites like fish fingers and peas as well as Ella's Kitchen pouches.   Dylan preferred the adult food though and that was no problem at all.

The indoor kids rides were suitable for children under 1.5 metres and adults are not allowed to accompany the children.  Finn on his own would never have ridden on one, but with his brothers he loved it and there is no minimum age.  Lots of them were set up in fours which was great for families like mine.  

Although my children are all still young, they already have different needs and there was so much for each of them to do.  The soft play area had one side for more independent children and then another side for younger ones.  There was also a playtime area with one half specifically set up for the youngest guests with soft shapes, walkers and toys and then the other half had arts and crafts, animals and other toys for older toddlers and young children.  Everything seemed so well thought out and there was nothing there that seemed harder for a larger family.

I am not sure what the official ratios are for Splash Waterworld, but we were able to take all four children in together quite happily and the design of the pool with so much shallow water made it safe and easy to watch all four.

I would really recommend Butlins for a break with a larger family.  There is so much for everyone and it is all so well designed that there is never an issue.  Everywhere is pushchair friendly and despite it being busy there always seems to be enough space.  We definitely intend to take our four little ones back. 

If they could make the giant deckchairs just a little bit bigger though, that would be great!

We are working with Butlins and our visit this weekend was in exchange for a review.  

All thoughts and opinions are completely my own. 

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Our Adventure at Combe Haven

I knew exactly what I was looking for when I booked our recent trip to Combe Haven and we had a brilliant break at this caravan park. Travelling with four aged five and under can be challenging but the park seemed set up for families like ours and we loved how easy everything was, how much there was to do and how we had the weather on our side for once!

We chose a 3 bedroom prestige caravan which had plenty of space for the six of us.  The double bedroom had space for Cora's carrycot bed in and the two twin bedrooms were completely adequate for the boys.  We had one of the beds taken out to make space for Finn's travel cot and the staff were happy for us to bring our own. (If you want to hire one then you do need to book in advance as they are unable to accomodate you on the day).

The biggest issue we had was that although the caravan can sleep 8, there were only 4 chairs and four glasses for drinks, so we couldn't all sit around the table at once.  We made do though as well as eating picnic style on our blanket outside as the weather was nice.

The caravan had a great sized living area, perfect for scattering Lego duplo everywhere and for providing Cora with somewhere to lie and kick around whilst her brothers scooted outside.  Our caravan backed on to a small common area with logs and rocks where all the children from the local caravans played and it was brilliant to watch the boys scooting about with their new friends.  It was the community and friendships they made that reminded me so much of my own holidays growing up.

We picked a park with a decent sized indoor and outdoor pool although we only used the inside as it was a little chilly outside! Around half the pool is flat and suitable for children to stand up in and although it was busy the boys loved it.  The staff were happy for us to wheel the pushchair in so that when one of the babies was asleep they could stay on the pool side for us to keep an eye on them.  The pool sold all sorts of floats and rubber rings and we had a great time splashing and swimming.  (Cameras are not allowed by the water)

The boys need space to run and climb and Combe Haven provided it.  There were two main play parks, one set in the heart of the park with a ship climbing frame, zip wire and toddler area, and the other close to the entertainment hub and based around a large climbing pyramid.  Whilst the latter was less suitable for Finn in some ways, the sand floor meant he was happy digging and playing whilst his brothers climbed. 

Combe Haven also has lots of nature areas including a pond and bat boxes.  There are regular activities throughout the day including bug hunts for all ages and clubs for the older children like den building (Ours were a bit too young).  We ran out of time to explore properly, but we loved that there was something a bit different to do.

One of the biggest draws for me was the fact that Combe Haven run both fencing and archery classes for 3-5 year olds.  Many parks seem to seperate children as under 4 or over, but my 3 and 5 year olds are most confident together.  They absolutely loved the new experiences, it was easy to book onto, free to do and very quiet as well.  We tried out the messy art session too but the staff seemed to be getting a little bored of the activities so I don't know if they had been doing the same thing all summer.  The boys both enjoying creating though and proudly took home their fish and mobile.

We attempted to go along to the evening entertainment, but we arrived a little late and couldn't get seats.  It was so busy and with a newborn and an 18 month old as well as the bigger two boys, it just wasn't working out for us.  The boys were not too bothered to be missing out.

The entertainment complex included a Burger King and Papa John's as well as a pub style restaraunt and we enjoyed eating out at all three.  The arcades were a huge hit with both boys and they loved spending their pennies (and pounds) in the evenings.

There was a Spar shop on the premises too which was great value and we could pick up everything we needed for lunches, snacks and ice creams (they even sold multi packs of ice creams which saved us a lot of money!)

Whilst we wanted to make the most of the park and everything that was included in our stay, we also wanted to explore a little locally so we headed to Hastings for the day.  It is quite a large seaside town with a pebble beach and new pier (built after the previous one burnt down).  We had a quick wander around the town centre before disovering an underground skate park where we could watch older kids skate and scoot.  We went to the pier for a go on the carousel and to look out over the sea.  It was a windy day and the place was pretty much deserted and we loved having the space to run around.  

We really enjoyed our stay with Combe Haven.  There was so much to do and see in the park without spending any money and there were plenty of activities for older kids available at a surcharge.  The water walkers and pedal boats looked great fun and I know that in a few years it will be the climbing wall and den building that takes their fancy.  The age ranges varied with some clubs being for over 4,6,7 or 8.  Our holiday was relaxing, exciting and entertaining and we made memories that we will keep hold of.  I will definitely be booking to stay with Haven again and we would definitely consider revisiting the same park as it was a great set up for a young family like ours.

I decided to try something new and made a little video with clips from our trip

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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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Butlin's Skegness with Toddlers

As I am away this week enjoying everything Butlin's Bognor Regis has to offer, I thought it would be rather fitting to have a guest post from the lovely Louise at A Strong Coffee about her experiences of Skegness.  Keep a look out for my review of Bognor Regis very soon, and please pop on over to Louise's blog if you want to read more about Butlin's Skegness

Once you have children, relaxing holidays by the pool become a thing of the past. Finding activities to entertain your children take priority. This February half term we headed to Skegness to see what Butlin's had on offer. On arriving I was shocked at how big the site was. I highly recommend that you take a pushchair with you even if your little one likes walking as you will want to explore everything the site has to offer. When it comes to entertainment then there is plenty for your toddlers to enjoy. Inside the Skyline Pavilion, there is a teacup and ladybird ride for the under fives. These are free of charge and we found it difficult to walk past them without having a quick go. In here you will also find the shows. Mike the Knight, Thomas and Friends and Fireman Sam were all enjoyed by my boys. The shows are around half an hour long so they capture the imagination of toddlers without them losing interest.

On a nice day there is nothing better than paddling in the sea and there is easy access to the beach directly from the resort, but Butlin's has it covered if the weather isn't as good as you had hoped. There is a soft play area which will keep them happy and the Splash Waterworld has a great toddler swimming area. There are 3 small waterslides along with sprinklers, which my boys could have splashed around in for hours.

If you are looking for somewhere to eat, The Deck and The Yacht Club restaurants (included in the premium dining plan) offer a great choice for toddlers. There is a special children's station or they can enjoy the other food on offer. As it is a buffet they are able to choose for themselves and juices are also included in the price. 

We had a great week at Butlin's and there was a great choice of activities included in the price. We had to go in half term due to our eldest being at school, but if you only have a toddler then the "Just for Tots" term time breaks may be worth looking into as well

If you want to read more from Louise, then check out her blog, twitter and facebook.  Look out for more posts on Butlin's soon!

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