6 top tips for designing your own slow holiday

Guest blog from our Digital Mum, Kate

Slow holiday

Whilst planning our family holiday this year we’ve been reflecting on what the ingredients are for a good time for the whole family. With three young children (6, 4, 2) the thought of filling the summer holidays with endless fun and adventures can be quite daunting and to date we’ve probably been overly ambitious with what we can achieve with three little ones in tow.

We’ve lived in Australia for 3 of those years and spent every other weekend exploring the southern hemisphere, we covered quite a bit of south east Asia along the way and then when our littlest was born two years ago we decided to return to England. And then got excited that Europe was on the door step and packed our bags for more adventures.

This summer is different though, we’ve decided to move at a slower pace with the hope that everyone enjoys the experience and we might not feel quite so frazzled come September. With this in mind we’ve booked a cottage in Devon for two weeks.  Number one priority was it had a garden. Number two a hose pipe so we could fill the paddling pool.

If you’re keen to simplify your summer holidays here’s our 6 top tips for designing your own slow holiday

1. Enjoy the journey – Get the kids involved in the journey. Enjoy the pit stops along the way and try not to feel overwhelmed by the rush to arrive ‘in good time’. Young kids don’t have much concept of time so if they can see you’re enjoying the journey they’ll get on board with the experience.
2. Digital detox – Get the kids off devices and see what happens. After the initial meltdowns they’ll have the opportunity to be more creative and interact with you. Mealtimes with no technology is a great way to get the family interacting and feel connected once again.
3. Explore new surroundings with our senses –Get them out in the garden, on the beach or to the park and encourage them to really notice their surroundings. Smell the flowers, collect some shells (if allowed) and create them into a craft project when you get home. They will love spending quality time with you and exploring the wider world at their own pace.
4. Get organised – A slow holiday needs to be relaxing for parents too so try to get organised in advance with the food you’ll need, keeping it simple, and the games and activities you know the kids will enjoy both inside and out.
5. Day trips – Aim for a day out once every couple of days with days at home/onsite in-between. When the adventures are not coming thick and fast you’ll actually appreciate them more as everyone will have had time to recharge in-between.
6. Sleep – Sleep is so important for recharging your batteries and often on holiday young children can feel unsettled in new environments. As far as you can try to replicate the pre-bedtime routine you have at home and ensure you bring home comforts with you – nightlights, BlindSides (if you use blackout blinds) and comforters. If the kids are sleeping well at night they’ll have the energy and right frame of minds to enjoy their days.