Kiddie Adventures on Menorca

One of the things about travelling with kids that we’ve learned is the art of compromise.  Yes, this is a beach vacation, but it is also a family vacation.  And while the kids love the beach, we also recognize that we need to arrange for more than just the beach to entertain them all week.  Hence, the home rental with the pool…

My friend Nasi was really sweet the few days he spent with us.  Not only did he take us to some of his favorite hard to find beaches, but he also made plans to do something special for the kids as well.  Yes, the kids love love love the beach, but this was something specifically for them.  And they had a blast!  It was a small park with water slides, a little playground and a mini golf course.  OMG, you would think that they died and went to heaven. 

They had no interest in lunch which we told them they had to have before they went in the water.  Then we got them tickets to go on the water slides.  And a bargain at 5 euros for something like 30 rides… yes, wicked cheap.  Aidan used probably 25 of those 30 – going up over and over again.  He even made a few friends along the way.  He and Nasi did a few races which he loved and Liam made use of the pool more so than the slides (which he actually did do twice but we had to catch him at the bottom of the slide). 

Getting ready to race!

Aidan going down the water slide

More of a Liam sized slide

Having soooo much fun!

Aidan learned the trick to going down faster is to do it without his swim shirt

Enjoying the pool

Josh going down the slide

And Liam coming down right after

This was NOT Liam's favorite part

The aftermath

After the slides we played a savage game of mini golf (of which I forgot to take pictures during).  Ignasi had to get used to not only our American fast paced way of played (which is how you play with a 5 and 8 year old), of our children cheating (do you really think Liam can hit the ball like an 8 year old can?  Of course, not, so he has to push it in more than tap it in and he gets to start much closer to the hole), and that you can not shoot any more than a 6 (otherwise we’d be there forever with just Liam alone who often was shooting an 11 or more).  I have no idea who won, but it was close between Josh and Nasi – I told the kids that I lost since they both seemed keen on beating the adults.  Let them think they beat at least one adult, right? ;) 

On another afternoon, while having lunch in Los Delfines, Josh spotted what looked to be another park down the road, and it was!  Aqua Center had some bouncy castles as well as a small park of water slides.  With promises to behave from the kids, we told them we would take them the next day, and we did. 

The kids had a blast and Liam had some more milestones.  Not only is he swimming without a bubble these days, but he learned to swim underwater while at the water park!  He also went down a decent sized kiddie slide several times (which is several times more than I went down!)!  Go Liam!! 

Aidan going down the little kid slide

Liam content in the water

You guys are the best parents EVER!!!!! (of course this statement was taken back later in the day when we once again became the WORST parents EVER!)

Liam sized slide

Liam in his imaginary world

Working on his swimming!

Josh helping Liam swim

My boys

Touch the roof!

Look at Liam go!!!!

Aidan on what he called the "slow" slide

And now the "fast" slide!

Josh on the fast slide

Liam and his mommy

Liam doing some kind of ninja move

Liam on a "big" slide...as a side note, this slide was so slow, he actually had to push himself most of the way down

Josh and Aidan coming down the double tube slide

Liam does the "big" yellow slide - I'm so proud of him!!

Brothers...happy for the moment

Aidan and Josh had a great time on the bigger slides with Aidan venturing down on his own as well.  He’s my daredevil for sure!!

We found that a lot of restaurants in the more touristy areas also had play areas for the kids.  While this might not be our normal way of going out to dinner, nor does it help to encourage our kids to sit still at the table while eat as a family, once again, we must remember that this is vacation and that means being a bit more flexible.  So while the restaurant choices weren't necessarily top notch nor mine and Josh's ideal, it meant that we could have a peaceful meal while the kids played... compromise is good.  Mixing up fun for the adults and the kids made the vacation so much more pleasurable - keeping the kids happy means keeping the adults happy!!

Besos,

Julie