Fun in the Sun on a Budget

Holidays can be expensive affairs, especially if you have small children in tow. But as Natasha Laming finds out, there are plenty of ways to entertain the little ones without having to spend, spend, spend. Here’s how!

Tenerife is the perfect place for a family holiday in the sun. The island has theme parks galore, numerous zoos and excursions in the bucket load. But whilst these days out are fantastic, they can turn out to be costly treats and in these hard pressed times, for many this year those holiday extras are going to be impossible. Of course there are those families for whom a pool or the sea is enough for two weeks to entertain and amuse them. But there are those children, and I speak from experience here, who get restless staying in one spot for too long – and that means finding other ways to keep them entertained.
Having holidayed in Tenerife with my children every year since they were born, I know only too well the trials and tribulations of keeping them happy during the hot, summer days – and the cost of constantly paying out for this treat or that drink.
So I have come up with an action plan to minimize the cost of family holidays without having to hold back on all the fun. It’s hardly rocket science but you will be surprised at how much is on offer to do whilst spending little to nothing.

Pool Side Action

If you want to do something new, but don’t want to leave the pool, then why not try some new games to keep the kids interested. All you need is an empty plastic bottle and a competitive spirit!

Plastic Fantastic

This is such a simple game and one that the kids all love to do. Get an empty plastic bottle and get contestants to race across the pool while pushing the bottle with their feet. The great thing about this game is that you don’t have to be able to swim to join in and it is a fantastic way of helping the kids to make friends as usually such a game attracts a lot of attention.

Crocodile Crossing

Another simple but fun game, this is a watery version of tag. All players but one stay together and each picks a type of fish i.e. goldfish, trout. They then line up along the wall of the pool. The remaining player, who is the crocodile, stands in the middle of the pool with his/her back to the other players and begins to call out fish in quick succession. When players hear their fish called out, they have to start swimming (stronger swimmers can swim underwater if they like) as quietly as possibly, to try to make it to the other side of the pool without being gobbled up! The fish that is caught then becomes crocodile and so on.

Charades/Name That Tune

These games are for more adept swimmers. Pool charades asks one player to act out a word or a phrase whilst jumping in the pool. The first person to guess correctly goes nezt. Pool ‘name that tune’ asks all players to go underwater and listen to one contestant singing a song whilst the others guess the title.

Nature Hunting

If you don’t mind travelling a bit, a visit to Tenerife’s Teide National Park is an absolute must for keeping kids happily amused for hours on end. The 342 bus leaves from Playa de Las Americas to the park every day (check bus stops for times) and fares are very cheap. Once there, you can explore the lunar landscape, which is shaped around the biggest volcano in Spain – Teide. It last erupted back in 1798 and if you look closely you can see its nostrils where the lava ran out, forming a space-like array of different colours and shapes. It is well worth purchasing a book and some pencils before you go, so that the children can record what they see whilst there. With over 700 species of insects, tons of reptiles such as the tizon lizard and all different kinds of birds, there is plenty to see on land and in the air too. If you stay on till dusk, see if you can spot the five different types of bats. We enjoy looking for dinosaur bones etc. No, we haven’t found any yet, but we keep looking!

Lizard Spotting

This is a particular favourite with my children, who could sit for hours watching lizards at work. Tenerife is rich with a particular kind of lizard called a Gallotia. These lizards love to dwell in dry stone walls, so first off you need to find a good spot, preferably shady where you can sit and watch without getting sunburned. The stone needs to be irregular-shaped, not smooth or held together by mortar. The lizards like to live in areas with plenty of crevices, nooks and crannies. If the children can sit still, the lizards will reward them handsomely, coming very close and even taking little offerings of food (our lizards seemed to enjoy crisps!).

Body Boarding

There are some great body boarding beaches located around the island and can offer a whole day’s entertainment which will leave everyone completely exhausted and ready for bed. Be warned the waves can prove quite strong at times, so this is really only an activity for older children and adults who are competent swimmers. Body boards are relatively cheap to buy – make sure you purchase one with an ankle strap so you don’t lose it in the sea!

Treats and Drinks

Supermarkets such as Mercadona are great for stocking up on treats which you can then hand out over the duration of the holiday. It is well worth stocking up on day one, so that you are not paying out for overpriced items in smaller mini-markets which can prove costly. If you have brought flasks, use them to save money on buying drinks when on the beach where prices can often be over-inflated.

And if you want to treat yourself – you can always take them to Chasers Bar (Pleasure Island) in Playa de Las Americas, where the kids can entertain themselves playing mini golf, pool, riding on the carousel, whilst you sit back and enjoy a drink.
There’s also lots of family fun to be had at Ben’s bar, where free transport is offered to and from your hotel or apartment. This bar offers everything with children in mind, a free bouncy castle, kids’ rides, ball pool and traditional British food. Call: 922 713 314 to take advantage of their amazing offer.

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