There are only so many ways a middle-aged dad can entertain three overly energetic under-10s in the school holidays. Crafts and baking may be OK for others of a different persuasion, but my skills and patience only stretch so far before my temper snaps.
Instead, I end up spending a fortune on taking the kids to the cinema or some outlandishly overpriced theme park or petting zoo. The alternative – especially when the weather is so unpredictable – is to sit around at home all day giving in to demands for the computer or Wii.
But there is another way, and last summer, and last Easter week, I found that way.
This is an ‘activity camp’ manned and womanned by a gang of super-smiley Blue Peter presenter types who keep your kids entertained so you don’t have to. And it is BRILLIANT.
Drop the kids off in the morning; pick them up in the evening. Get on with something more meaningful in life, like marinating pork belly. Job done.
It isn’t cheap – around £30 per child per day – but as far as I’m concerned, it is the best value for money I’ve ever come across.
The kids go in buzzing with anticipation about the day ahead and return home buzzing with stories about what they’ve got up to: woodland hunts; laser tag games; mini-plays; kickarounds; arts and crafts. Team-building, leadership, life-skills.
In the meantime, I managed to find the head space to find some work that I could do from home. Everyone’s happy. Especially me.
This isn’t a sponsored post and I don’t get a discount for recommending them, and Team Camp itself is only based in London at the moment, but I implore you to get on the case with something similar in your area (Google ‘activity camp’ or similar).
These guys do a better job of holiday parenting than I ever could.
We have a Progressive Sports near us & they’re only about £50-£60 for the week. My daughter decided she wanted to do a couple of days at swim camp this time though and that was only £10 per day…bargain!
Great photos. They seem far more professional that your usual offerings…did you take them?
Cheeky sod, but well spotted, nonetheless. Yes, these are pics taken at the camp last year.