DAD-Chronicals : So the summer holidays are definitely a success - even without a holiday

bembelmaniac (65)in #dad-chronicals • 6 years ago

So the summer holidays are definitely a success - even without a holiday

The summer holidays are an absolute highlight of the year for many children. But very weeks are a long time - especially if you can not or only briefly go on vacation. We give you tips on how to give your children lasting memories without a long vacation trip.

It is time for children from six years to rejoice the most in the year - the summer holidays. Six weeks vacation. No school, no homework, very rarely a ringing alarm clock and the chance to go on vacation. And that is exactly what most families with children do during this time. But what if it does not work? There can be a variety of reasons for this. The money is too short for a trip in the most expensive time of the year, dad has started a new job in the spring and is still in the probationary period. Mom is pregnant and the parents have decided not to make a big trip at this stage. Whatever the reason, a summer without a trip is a bit of a disappointment at first sight. After all, all the classmates will have a lot to tell after the holidays. Your child does not want to stand back. So make sure it does not have to. Because there are a whole range of excellent ideas on how to spend the summer holidays without a big vacation trip.

1) Create a special father-child experience

There are several ways to create such an experience. Such a possibility is relatively easy to plan and not overly expensive - but requires that you and your child are reasonably sporty and both have a bike. There is hardly anything more exciting for children than a multi-day bike ride. If you really have not gotten a holiday during the summer holidays, you can easily realize such an experience at the weekend. If you can leave by noon on Friday, find a youth hostel that is maybe twenty or thirty kilometers from where you live. This route can be realized in a few hours - even with sufficient breaks. On two days, tours between 50 and 100 kilometers can be tackled - depending on how old the child is and how fit you both are. However, you should not forget that you have to come home on the last day. The best route is to follow the course of a river or canal, drive through forests or explore other scenic regions and corners that are worth exploring by bike. It is important that these days belong entirely to you and your child - no mobile phone, no work and certainly not a bad mood.

2) A visit to the amusement park - always a real highlight

Every child loves amusement parks. No matter what the age - with the right park you will always bring the eyes of your children to shine. The older the children become, the clearer the ideas of what kind of park the kids want to visit. With smaller children, you can easily decide for yourself, should only keep a close eye on the interests of your children, so that the day is really a highlight. For older children, it is important to discuss such decisions together in advance. A day in the Movie Park brings comparatively little joy, if your child absolutely wanted to Phantasialand. Although the park your offspring may choose may be a little further away, your children will thank you for giving them a say as of a certain age.

3) A day at the beach - there is nothing like real sea noise

Even though you may not be able to make a "real" holiday during the summer holidays, it can be worthwhile to take a break from everyday life for a day. Of course, such a beach day wants to be well planned. Check beforehand on the weather app, as the weather forecasts are and in case of an emergency clothes for bad weather. Then you should think about where you want to go, where to find the right beaches in the corner and when to go. Up to 3 hours each way you can plan for such a day confidently - provided that the children are old enough for such a long journey. Otherwise, it may be worthwhile to drive so early that the children fall asleep quickly in the car - after a long day at the beach, the children are already flat and will sleep through the return trip with pleasure.

4) A surprising short break can be more beautiful than a long trip

You decided to go to the beach on Saturday, the day was wonderful and on the way home you saw a sign: Room to rent? Why not just stay there for one night? Anyone who has experienced such a situation before, which quickly makes it a habit to take a few packed things on such a day trip. If you do not need them - not bad either. But in many cities on the German and the Dutch North Sea or on the Baltic Sea you will find cheap guesthouses, youth hostels and room rentals, where you can also get something at short notice. And if you surprise your children in the afternoon with the information that you will spend the next day on the beach, this will certainly make children's eyes shine.

5) A zoo visit - well planned a real highlight

Most children love animals - so it's no wonder that visiting a zoo is high on the list of favorite activities with their parents. Similar to a day at the amusement park, however, a day at the zoo is associated with a few preparations. Of course, you should have a change of clothes in case it rains. But you should also inform yourself in advance when which shows take place, which animals are fed when and where you can find which animals. If you have enough time in the zoo and playgrounds for occasional breaks, the day can only be a complete success.

6) One day at the bathing lake

Who does not come to the sea may have the opportunity to spend a day with the children at the lake. At many such lakes there is the possibility to grill and do some water sports. Why not start your first surfing experiments or choose a different kind of water sport with your teenage child? Maybe you will find something that you can do together and what could have a lasting effect on your holiday planning over the next few years. Otherwise, bathing lakes are just for relaxing and swimming. Football fields also have the most lakes of this kind - by the way: most guys also have a simple lawn to kick their dad.

7) An animal park visit

A visit to the zoo is a nice thing, because you can see animals that you do not necessarily meet in Germany. But just as attractive is a visit to the zoo. Why? Because you can get closer to the animals in zoos. Here you can feed deer and other animals, are partially surrounded by the animals and can actually touch them. For children a real experience.

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8) Make little things special

The fact that children can stay awake longer during the holidays is the exception. But you can influence the value of such an evening wonderful. For example, when younger siblings have already disappeared in bed and the oldest child with daddy sit on the terrace for a while, watching the flames in the grill and talking. Such evenings under the starry sky with open and honest conversations, with jokes - sometimes also at your expense - fun and laughter are things that strengthen the bond between father and child enormously. Because that's how your child realizes that you want to spend time with him and are ready to share it on your evening. Up to a certain age, a child alone fulfills this with great pride. If you then unwrap one or the other game, it can become a beautiful tradition that can be worn through to adolescence.

Whatever you do during your holidays, if you do not want to or can not leave, you should compensate your children. It does not always have to be an expensive trip. It is important that you spend time together and that you fully engage with your child or children during this time. On such a day the phone stays off, the boss does not have anything to report and the messages have to wait. Tomorrow will come another day and the world will continue to turn - but for your children, the world will mean when they feel that you are taking the time to create family memories together.