We hate to admit it, but the summer holiday will soon come to an end. And with it, we will bid goodbye to the long days, warm nights and the time spent with your little ones. And while a part of you may be looking forward to your kids going back to school,there are a few things you can still try to squeeze in before then.
Below, experts from the Radisson Hotel Group share 5 ways to make the most of the summer holidays with your little ones.
Treat your little ones to a daycation
With the final days of the summer school holidays drawing to an end, you may want to soak as much quality time with your kids as possible, whilst treating yourself to a quick escape. Daycations are a great, stress-free way to do this and, in fact, will do wonders for the mental and emotional well-being of both yourself and your little ones’.
The key to a great daycation experience,however, is finding a hotel that is a destination within itself. Radisson hotels for example offer a variety of onsite activities for you and your children to enjoy without checking in. Radisson Blu Hotel Umhlanga, for example, prides itself in ensuring parents get some rest each time they visit the hotel.
On arrival, the hotel offers its pint-sized guests a Radpack containing crayons and a colouring book to keep them entertained. The property also boasts a kids club, which offers a wide array of plush toys, puzzles, chalkboards and games to play with and it features a jungle gym. Dedicated childminders are available in season and can be arranged on request. Teens can chill on the comfy bean bags while playing the latest PlayStation games or enjoy the thrill of exploring the hotel surroundings on the back of an electric scooter.
Go online to find the location of your local Radisson hotel where you can book to relax and enjoy a leisurely breakfast followed by a luxurious spa treatment, or summer cocktails while you take in breathtaking views of the city.
Enjoy a night swim
No one in their right mind is going to dip into a pool or the ocean at night during winter. It is far too cold, which is why you should give it a go while you still can. There’s something magical about it. Be safe and perhaps use a private pool, reserve or beach area instead of public beaches. And some beaches don’t allow swimming after dark, so make sure you are aware of that, too.
Summer picnics
People all over the country use summer as the time to picnic with the family. Not only is it fun and a change of pace and scenery, but it’s also a cost-effective way to get the whole family out of the house for a couple of hours. There are free-to-use areas such as Zoo Lake and Emmarentia Dam in Gauteng, and the Urban Park and beaches in Cape Town and Durban. There are, of course, paid areas too such as Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens that offer up stunning picnic areas. You can pack your own food and enjoy this activity while the weather is still warm.
Pre-work hikes
Whilst your little ones may have a few days left ahead of the new school year, you may already be back at work, which makes spending quality time with them slightly more challenging. Not to worry, summer is perfect for those pre-work hikes and outdoor workouts. With sunrise happening soon after 6am in the warmer months, it’s easier to squeeze in a pleasant hike before the day begins.
Roof top bus rides
More and more, locals are using their free time to explore their own cities and surrounding areas. For those in Cape Town and Johannesburg, this often means making use of the City Sightseeing buses. For these tours, guests are able to sit in an open-top bus and enjoy the sights of their city. This is not only a fun activity but it is also an educational one that you must add onto your bucket-list of activities to do with your kids this summer.
