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Holidays in Spain with Children
For obvious reasons Spain persists to be the number one holiday
destination for British parents. However, despite the fact that
Spanish are a child-loving nation, their facilities are not
always child-friendly. They are improving but they are still not
at the level that we now take for granted in the UK.
Spanish Restaurants:
Firstly, in restaurants you will find that the Spanish are
generally very tolerant of young children's behaviour. Waiters
tend to be quite good-humoured with children running around the
table whilst their parents are eating. Nevertheless, the
restaurants are not designed with children in mind and neither
is the menu.
For starters (pardon the pun) children are expected to order
from the same menu as their parents. In other words, there are
no special children's menus complete with colouring in packs! If
you ask, the waiter will usually advise you as to which dishes
are suitable for children.
The Spanish menus usually have an impressive array of fish
dishes, be careful with bones and small children; pez espada
(swordfish), atun (tuna fish) are the safest bet. Tapas are
ideal for children because it enables them to sample lots of
different tastes in miniature portions. We recommend tortilla
Espanola (potato omelette), albondigas (meatballs), revuelto
(scrambles egg), calamares (squid deep fried in batter, safe but
maybe a bit chewy), jamon (ham) and queso (cheese which is
perfect for little nibblers).
With regards to cutlery and crockery, you may want to bring your
own plastic forks and knives as children are expected to eat
with 'grown-up' cutlery from 'grown-up' plates. The same goes
for drinks. It is a good idea to bring toddler beakers as drinks
are served in either glasses or direct from the manufacturers
glass bottle with a straw.
Try to get your toddler used to sitting on a chair, as you'll be
hard pushed to find restaurants with highchairs unless you plan
to spend your entire holiday dining out at the fast food chains.
A good idea, but slightly awkward, is to take one of those
plastic seats that you attach to chairs or the fabric ones that
can be screwed onto tables.
Bear in mind that there will be some people on holiday who still
expect children to be seen and not heard so you may want to
bring your own supply of crayons and paper to use as a
distraction if your little ones start to brew. If you are going
to have breakfast out, make sure you try 'churros con
chocolate', long, strips of sweet batter that you dunk into
thick, gooey chocolate that children will love. They're a bit
messy so don't forget your wipes.
Hygiene in Spain:
On the subject of wipes, you can buy them in any of the
supermarkets out here so there's no need to carry out a whole
holiday worth. Bear in mind that your children will be in a
different environment and probably in an adapted routine, so you
may have to be more vigilant with hygiene i.e. washing hands
more often etc.
It is a good idea to carry a pack of wipes
and a bottle of hand
wash that doesn't require water, try Mercadona supermarket
(cheap supermarket). You may also want to add some toilet
paper/tissue to your daily survival package as Spanish toilets
are often lacking in the basics.
In addition, the baby changing facilities that we now take for
granted in the UK are very few and far between. When out
shopping, you are most likely to find baby changing facilities
in El Corte Ingles department store. The Spanish tend to change
their babies' nappies on the lie back position of the pushchair,
so it can be pretty awkward if you have a stroller with you.
Getting about with a pushchair:
As far as pushing a pushchair around, it can be awkward
especially if you have a double. In my own experience, I have
often come across flights of steps with no alternative ramp
entrance/exit.
Also, doorways into shops can be very narrow; however, the
Spanish do tend to be quite helpful if they see you struggling
with small children. Entertainment and activities for children
Providing you get good weather on your Spanish holiday,
entertaining children is fairly straightforward. In the Costa
del Sol, there are two huge aqua parks (Mijas, Algeciras), Zoos
(Fuengirola, Estepona), cable car rides (Benalmadena, Gibraltar)
and of course, the beach.
You may even fancy taking them with you for a game of golf!
However, although we reportedly have three hundred days of
sunshine, we also have more than two months worth of bad
weather. If you do get caught out, there's no need to write your
holiday off, especially in the Costa del Sol.
For under eights, Agro Jardin is a really fun garden centre just
off the N340, near Estepona. It is ideal for a rainy couple of
hours. There is a pet shop section and a coffee shop with a
ballpark and slide. Camelot Park, Puerto Banus opposite the
department store El Corte Ingles is also good fun. You could
always spend a couple of hours in La Canada shopping centre in
Marbella. Upstairs in the centre, close to the toilets, there
are some kiddie rides. On this level, you will also find Spain's
equivalent to the Early Learning Centre 'Imaginarium'.
Be prepared:
Travelling with young children is always a challenge. In order
to make the most of your Spanish holiday, the more prepared you
are the better. If your baby drinks formula milk, it is wise to
bring your own from the UK. Although, there are some equivalents
for the UK brands, you may not find what your child is used to.
So, prepare yourself in advance and change your routine to
really make the most of your Spanish summer holiday!
About the author:
Susan Pedalino is Masters degree qualified in Intercultural
Communication and teaching English as a foreign language. Susan
regularly writes for Eye on Spain (www.eyeonspain.com). Having
moved to Spain to set up a business and buy property, she has
gained invaluable experience in buying off plan property in
Spain.
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