Babies and children, despite their size come with an awful lot of baggage and require an awful lot of entertaining. They simply don’t appreciate the glory of spending a holiday relaxing, reading books and enjoying the scenery. Finding the right accommodation can be tricky, but on the Isle of Wight there are plenty of places that can cater for your young family, making your lives much easier.
Babies and Toddlers
If you’ve got a young baby or toddler it will help you to book accommodation that already provides you with sterilising equipment, travel cot and highchair. Oh, and then there’s the books and the toys. Not forgetting a TV that has Cbeebies, so you can put on ‘In the Night Garden’ at bedtime. Baby Friendly Boltholes has four lovely cottages to rent out that all come fully prepared for your little ones. In fact they go above and beyond the call of duty, providing buckets, spades, a ball pond, nightlights, baby crockery, potties and even a toilet booster seat. How lovely to not have a car full of the stuff on the journey!
Younger children
When it comes to taking younger children on holiday, the aim of the game is this – wear them out, so that they go to bed happy and exhausted at 7pm, leaving you in peace to put your feet up and enjoy a glass of wine. One of the best hotels for families is the Old Park Hotel near Ventnor. It’s set in 16 acres of wooded park land, and here’s the clincher – there’s a footpath down to the beach. If it’s a rainy day, the hotel offers plenty of entertainment for children, including a big soft play area. Can’t beat the swimming pool either. And finally when it comes to dinner, there’s even children’s own meal times with a separate menu for those fussy eaters.
Older children and teens
For older children and early teens, I’m afraid you can’t get better than that great British institution – the holiday park. Might not be to everyone’s tastes, but there’s always plenty to do for children. Landguard Park at Shanklin has accommodation for all budgets, from static caravans to luxury lodges. They also have pitches for caravans and camping. The kids club ‘Sparky’s Krew’ (with a shameful K), has activities all day for children up to 12 years of age. You can’t fault the swimming pools for a bit of excitement either. The flumes and water slides are cool no matter what age you are. Then for teens there are lots of organised activities such as kayaking and talent shows.
Alternatively, you may want to have freedom and flexibility when it comes to meals for the whole family. We know how children can be fussy with food.
Overall the island is a fantastic place to take your family. With so many beautiful beaches, lovely parks and the historic steam train, you can easily spend a couple of weeks enjoying your holiday. All you need to do is choose your accommodation!