It won’t be long before the children are back to school again. Some are going back on the 1st September, others on the 11th and others on the 15th depending on the school. But there are still a few weekends of sunny weather left to make some final summer plans with the children.
We have selected FIVE FUN ACTIVITIES so that, if you have missed out in July and August, you‘ll still have time in September and October. It is a very useful list for enjoying free time with the children and teenagers at home.
Summer holidays depend on the curriculum
When you live on the Costa del Sol schools have two types of summer holidays. Students who attend bilingual schools, but based on the Spanish curriculum, are guided by the calendar set by the education department of the Junta de Andalucía. So the holiday periods are those of State schools in southern Spain.
Children following a more Nordic, British or European curriculum always start earlier, at the beginning of September and so they have a shorter summer holiday. To make up for this, they add those two weeks of summer to other times of the year. One week for their Christmas holidays and another for the Easter break. This is the case of prestigious international schools such as Aloha College, Deutsche Schule or Efim. To find out more about private schools in Marbella and surroundings you can consult our post on infant, primary and secondary education.
Whatever the holidays, the good weather on the Costa del Sol allows you to stretch out your summer plans. This is so much so that there are often people still swimming in the sea during the month of October. Plans with the kids can also be extended because at the start of the school year the children don’t have much homework or exams yet. This means that the weekends are still quite relaxed.
Five activities to extend summer plans with children
On the Costa del Sol all the year round, you can visit all kinds of museums, play a wide range of sports or sign up to interesting excursions. However, you can’t always enjoy the water. As we suggest you make the most of the final days of summer, we will focus on water activities. Of course, at any time of the year you can go to the sea to sail or play with the sand on the beach. But the temperature of the Mediterranean and the schedules of the leisure centres mean that many activities end at October.
Here are our five suggestions for the final summer plans with children:
1. Kayac tour in Nerja and Maro
This is a must if you haven’t done it yet. The cliffs of Nerja and Maro are incredible to enjoy by kayak. The tour lasts about 2 and a half hours and children from the age of 7 and upwards can join the tour in a double kayak. You need to book in advance and make sure the weather is good with a good swell and wind. It doesn’t hurt to wear a wetsuit if you are cold.
2. Dolphin watching by yacht in Fuengirola
Seeing the animals in their natural habitat is always a plus. Dolphins are all over the Costa del Sol, but only the smart sailors know where to find them. For those who enjoy boat trips, it is a pleasure to see the coastline offshore. With this excursion you can at the same time enjoy these beautiful and intelligent animals. It really is a nice family souvenir.
3. Diving course in Granada
The coast of Granada is very close to the coast of Malaga. But we would recommend to do the diving course here because the waters are a bit calmer for beginners. Of course, there will be interesting diving options nearby, such as Cabo de Gata in Almeria. The minimum age is 10 years old.
4. Aqualand and other water parks
The Aqualand park in Torremolinos will be open until the 8th of October and allows children from the age of 3 years old to enter. AquaMijas and Aquavelis (in Torre del Mar) close their doors at the end of September. The advantage is that at the end of summer they are less crowded. Let’s think that a last water slide before facing the new school year is always motivating for children.
5. Hotels with integrated water activities
On the Costa del Sol many hotels focus their facilities on families with children. This is why they have integrated mini-water parks. This is the case of facilities such as AluaSun Marbella Park in Marbella or Holiday World Resort in Benalmádena where you can book a weekend and have fun like a child again.
We hope these suggestions will be useful for you to speed up your summer plans with your children, nephews, nieces, grandchildren and/or their friends on the Costa del Sol before they go to back to school again.
Spending the summer or living here, bathed by the Mediterranean and with more than 300 days of sunshine a year, means enjoying a paradise… for children too.
For luxury properties in Marbella and surroundings please do not hesitate to contact us.
