Dear Parents' Toolkit... What makes a summer holiday?

The summer holidays can bring back all sorts of memories. Lazy days at home or by the seaside when you were a child; picnics, camping, watching endless TV. But how do memories of holidays past compare to our children’s experiences in the 2020s?

BBC Bitesize Parents’ Toolkit has spoken to 30 parents from around the UK to share their best and worst summer holiday memories…

Oh, nostalgia…

Many of us look back and remember the salad days of our youth. For several parents on our panel, caravans played a big part in their childhood.

Lauren, who’s now 33, says, “I can remember going on caravan holidays in the UK as a child with my mum and auntie and we used to have so much fun. I remember my best friend coming on holiday with us and we had matching leopard print outfits and went up on the stage in the clubhouse.”

Mum-of-two Helen remembers the close-knit nature of caravan holidays well: “My favourite holidays as a child were in Cornwall. I always enjoyed them more if it involved my cousins…

"I have vivid memories of my uncle gutting a huge fish in a very small caravan… Bit of a horror movie moment with comedy elements provided by my very annoyed aunty.”

Gemma from North West England says: “My favourite summer holiday as a child was going to the caravan with my mum and dad. We used to go to the beach, the amusement arcades, swimming, and dance floors at night. We had so much fun.”

A night or two under canvas is a fond memory for some of our panellists.

Michelle, who has three children now, remembers a family camping trip: “Our whole family, plus extended family, went together. In total there were 20 of us. It was lovely being all together, always having someone there to play with.”

Holiday firsts…

“It was the first time I introduced my daughter to the sea. It was fun as she didn't know what to make of it." - Hakim

Dad-of-three Richard reminisces,“My favourite childhood memory is probably when I was around ten and it was our first holiday abroad. We had a coach journey to Spain which took 24 hours. I remember it purely because it was so different to being in the UK, and we had all-inclusive in the hotel, so being able to eat and drink all day as a kid was amazing!”

Mum-of-two Victoria says “Going to the Isle of Hoy with my mum and siblings. We stayed in a hostel and went for nature walks and swimming. It stands out because it was the first holiday we ever had.”

Hakim from London remembers his first trip as a parent to Algeria: “It was the first time I introduced my daughter to the sea… It was fun as she didn't know what to make of it. She was running away from the little waves as she was scared, and it reminds me of when my dad used to take us to the seaside when we were young.”

And there’s often a first love…

Jermaine is a dad of two: “I went to Turkey, I was about ten and it was my first time being on a plane. It was amazing. I remember being in puppy love with a girl from Turkey who couldn't speak English and I stole my aunt's perfume and gave it to her.”

Sometimes, simple is best

Many parents feel that the smaller moments of a family holiday can make the best memories: like simply being outside and spending time as a family.

Helen, mum to two older kids, says, “I love the summer holidays because I remember the joy and freedom I felt as a child when school broke up. I like [my children] to have the break and I enjoy spending time watching them at the beach.”

Natalie, whose daughter is nine, says…

“Nature is important to us, but very important to my daughter. We go on bike rides, visits to the park, walks down the rivers, and beach visits.”

Shakil from South Wales says, “Getting outdoors and around nature is very important to my family when it comes to planning family activities during the holidays. We normally plan going to the park, or at the very least going for a walk, as part of our day-to-day activities.”

Ben from Edinburgh adds, “My favourite holiday moment from my own childhood was staying in a holiday bungalow in a place called Scratby in Great Yarmouth. It was nice weather all week. It had a huge pile of Reader’s Digest magazines to read, which at age 11 I found fascinating, and a log fire at night. We were right on the beach and we played French cricket and swam.”

Expect the unexpected

Of course, not all holidays always go to plan…

“We have had many disasters: leaking tents, flooded campsites, broken-down cars, casualty visits, etc. We tend to be quite pragmatic, using humour and taking photos for posterity.” - Helen

Ian from the East Midlands adds: “We had a caravan once where the toilet leaked and flooded the bathroom, but it was soon fixed so wasn’t too much of a disaster!”

Lauren says: “[We lost] our daughter’s pushchair on the flight out to Italy, Venice, when she was ten-months-old, on our first holiday with a baby. We arrived at the airport in Italy to our bags arriving, but waiting hours for our pushchair not to arrive… I remember being very frustrated and upset at the time.

“It ended up being a brilliant holiday as we got engaged… on a gondola in Venice and the ring was too big… and I remember my partner nearly having a panic attack that I nearly dropped it in the water!”

Most managed to find the funny side of things, at least in hindsight!

Mum-of-one Lindsay remembers…

“I did have a disaster years ago on a trip to Butlins. My brother spit out a chewing gum and it landed right on my head…

"It ended up getting really stuck in my hair and I ended up having to get it cut out. I didn't laugh at the time but we laugh about it thinking back now.”

Home sweet home

For other parents who can’t go on a big trip – perhaps because of work, or to keep costs down - a 'staycation' can create just as many memories.

Victoria has two children in primary school: “We will be staying home mostly [this summer], with trips to local tourist attractions, the play parks and the beach for the kids.”

Lauren from Wales says her family love “having movie nights at home with treats and popcorn. We enjoy having a games night playing board games and card games like Dobble and Uno.”

Jade is a mum of five: “We love making different crafts too, and doing lots of cooking activities.”

Emma is mum to two teenagers: “I know many parents who dread the summer holidays but I’ve always loved them. I’ve always worked from home so that does make things easier. The one thing I worry about is that they are getting enough exercise…. I find I have to shove them outside every now and then to keep them active and get some fresh air.”

Whatever you have planned this summer, take a moment to check out the Parents' Toolkit Summer of Adventure for activity inspiration, guides to the natural world and top tips to inspire your child over the holidays.