Single Dad for the weekend, young kids, where to go?
Discussion
The Mrs is off on a hen weekend in the summer so I thought I'd use the opportunity to take my kids away for some Daddy bonding.
They will be 4 & 2, any ideas of where I can take them that is nice and easy for a normally part time parent like myself?
I was thinking maybe Peppa Pig World but worried about keeping them amused in long queues (it will be August)
Center Parcs? (never been so no idea whether it's any good)
Any ideas are gratefully receievd.
They will be 4 & 2, any ideas of where I can take them that is nice and easy for a normally part time parent like myself?
I was thinking maybe Peppa Pig World but worried about keeping them amused in long queues (it will be August)
Center Parcs? (never been so no idea whether it's any good)
Any ideas are gratefully receievd.
Mine (similar age) like the following (in no particular order):
Zoos
Playbarns
Kiddie theme parks (Gullivers World type places)
Ducks
Parks
Diggers / tractors / heavy machinery
Those "hands on" science places
National Trust places (industrial or parks)
Power tools
Peppa Pig world would probably work, but see tip below about "the wall".
Tips:
Keep the road distances relatively short (unless you can persuade them to sleep in the car) - I usually break travel at around 90 mins if I've got them to myself and they're awake. 150-200 miles is easy enough if they nap for a chunk of it, but take loads of crap on the passenger seat (toys) to pass to them when they get bored / drop what they're already playing with.
You can make mundane stuff (like going on a train) a big adventure if it's not the sort of thing they usually do. Car --> train --> pizza --> book/toyshop --> train --> car = easy day out!
Take snacks / drinks / changing kit.
Get them to run around for an hour or two and you'll probably get the same back in nap time - but remember that 4yo's can "hit the wall" pretty quickly and, when they do, they're heavy!
Do "dangerous" stuff that their mum won't let them do: tools are fun! Killed a couple of hours with my eldest making some stilts using some 3x2 offcuts: total cost about £2, him bragging to his mates (when asked where he got them) that his Dad made them: priceless. This weekend we're building stuff in the garden. Only tools he's not allowed to use are the power saws...
Kids of that age are easy to bribe and/or con. This can be useful.
Best advice though is to keep it varied. Due to limited attention spans, a few smaller things in a day is usually easier to pull off than one big one.
Zoos
Playbarns
Kiddie theme parks (Gullivers World type places)
Ducks
Parks
Diggers / tractors / heavy machinery
Those "hands on" science places
National Trust places (industrial or parks)
Power tools
Peppa Pig world would probably work, but see tip below about "the wall".
Tips:
Keep the road distances relatively short (unless you can persuade them to sleep in the car) - I usually break travel at around 90 mins if I've got them to myself and they're awake. 150-200 miles is easy enough if they nap for a chunk of it, but take loads of crap on the passenger seat (toys) to pass to them when they get bored / drop what they're already playing with.
You can make mundane stuff (like going on a train) a big adventure if it's not the sort of thing they usually do. Car --> train --> pizza --> book/toyshop --> train --> car = easy day out!
Take snacks / drinks / changing kit.
Get them to run around for an hour or two and you'll probably get the same back in nap time - but remember that 4yo's can "hit the wall" pretty quickly and, when they do, they're heavy!
Do "dangerous" stuff that their mum won't let them do: tools are fun! Killed a couple of hours with my eldest making some stilts using some 3x2 offcuts: total cost about £2, him bragging to his mates (when asked where he got them) that his Dad made them: priceless. This weekend we're building stuff in the garden. Only tools he's not allowed to use are the power saws...
Kids of that age are easy to bribe and/or con. This can be useful.
Best advice though is to keep it varied. Due to limited attention spans, a few smaller things in a day is usually easier to pull off than one big one.
Boys or girls or both?
Took my two sons and a daughter to Centreparcs a while back and 'lost' my daughter for a short while in the pool area.
She'd gone to shower and get changed without telling me.
Of course there's no way that I could have checked the ladies area so asked a member of staff to check for me.
For a short while, I was really getting very worried. She was about 6 at the time.
Great place for kids though.
Took my two sons and a daughter to Centreparcs a while back and 'lost' my daughter for a short while in the pool area.
She'd gone to shower and get changed without telling me.
Of course there's no way that I could have checked the ladies area so asked a member of staff to check for me.
For a short while, I was really getting very worried. She was about 6 at the time.
Great place for kids though.
I took our (then just under 2 year old) daughter to Holmbush Farm for the day shortly after my son was born to give my OH some peace and quiet. Lots of animals but the best bit is there's a massive outdoor picnic/adventure area, so if it's nice, pack some sandwiches and away you go. Very simple, great fun, very child friendly and safe.
We thought about Peppa Pig world but I think it migh be lost on a 2 year old still.
http://www.holmbushfarm.co.uk/
It's near Crawley but I'm sure there are others near you, if that's not.
We thought about Peppa Pig world but I think it migh be lost on a 2 year old still.
http://www.holmbushfarm.co.uk/
It's near Crawley but I'm sure there are others near you, if that's not.
Weekend away = bad idea for first trip.
You'll be staying somewhere strange: They won't go to sleep easily. One of the three of you will snore loudly enough to wake the others (or, if you're in a different room, will wake at 23 minute intervals).
Eventually you'll all be asleep (est 0445) until the first of the kids wakes up (est 0530): you'll then be required to entertain them until the civilised world wakes up. At which point they'll take a nap whilst you sit there caffeine addled and tetchy...
You'll be staying somewhere strange: They won't go to sleep easily. One of the three of you will snore loudly enough to wake the others (or, if you're in a different room, will wake at 23 minute intervals).
Eventually you'll all be asleep (est 0445) until the first of the kids wakes up (est 0530): you'll then be required to entertain them until the civilised world wakes up. At which point they'll take a nap whilst you sit there caffeine addled and tetchy...
I wouldn't do Peppa Pig world or similar, especially not a weekend in school hols. At that age, pretty much any trip will be exciting. Just take them to the local pool, park, farm, soft-play and you'll be fine. Going on a train is a great idea - my two always love that. A trip on a heritage railway is also always a winner.
Best advice - don't overreach yourself!
Best advice - don't overreach yourself!
When my son was little, my parents lived in Cornwall and I used to take him down there to kill several birds with one stone, see my family and see the sights of cornwall. Makes life easier at bedtime as well, having some adult company and doting grandparents
So that's my question - do you have any relatives in any interesting places that it would be worth taking them to see?
If not - days out are good, beach for a few hours, park etc.. They are probably too young for Legoland, at that age places like legoland are probably too much (in terms of size) for little ones anyway.
PS, Diggerland is brillant for when they are a bit older (good for dads too...)
So that's my question - do you have any relatives in any interesting places that it would be worth taking them to see?
If not - days out are good, beach for a few hours, park etc.. They are probably too young for Legoland, at that age places like legoland are probably too much (in terms of size) for little ones anyway.
PS, Diggerland is brillant for when they are a bit older (good for dads too...)
LooneyTunes said:
Nah, wife's car + safari park + drive through monkey enclosure = trip everyone will remember for years to come! 
Was disappointed at the lacklustre monkeys there today, the Saab is still okay. The deer however..... Huge antlers that did leave a small scratch - we were asking for it feeding them I guess. Knackered the little man though (9 months) 
LooneyTunes said:
Nah, wife's car + safari park + drive through monkey enclosure = trip everyone will remember for years to come!
We took my old car (Merc CLK500) round Longleat a couple of years back. Got to the monkey enclosure and one of the little b
ds decided it liked the roof areal, so I told my wife and son to look out of the back window and gave the gas a bit of a prod to dislodge the little swine. Sadly, I gave it a little too much and we shot forward a little quicker than I had planned to leave a monkey in mid air in suspended animation before gravity soon took over. He and his meddlesome mates decided to pick on the Picasso behind me...
OP...where in the country are you ? Personally I'd try and find cool different/stuff to do that is a day trip from home. I have a 4yr and a 2yr old and wouldn't do a weekend away...at least not with mine. The 4yr old deals much better with disruption to routines etc but the 2yr old still needs to be in bed at 7pm etc.
I just took my 4yr old son skiing....just me and him. Drove out to Switzerland with him...it was a bloody great trip and he was really well behaved. So excited about the whole thing that the day in the car was a doddle...it was actually less stressful than a normal day with the kids!
I just took my 4yr old son skiing....just me and him. Drove out to Switzerland with him...it was a bloody great trip and he was really well behaved. So excited about the whole thing that the day in the car was a doddle...it was actually less stressful than a normal day with the kids!
flyingjase said:
Thanks for the tips - 1 boy & 1 girl
I'm thinking that maybe I'm setting myself up for a fall if I go away for the weekend, so the stay at home go on the train somewhere maybe the solution.
Defo want it to be more fun than being with Mummy though!
Why? Both are so young they'll never remember the weekend.I'm thinking that maybe I'm setting myself up for a fall if I go away for the weekend, so the stay at home go on the train somewhere maybe the solution.
Defo want it to be more fun than being with Mummy though!
Empty cardboard boxes for the two of them to play in. Bake some cupcakes with the eldest.
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