Do you dread the school summer holidays, or count down the days until you’re free of the school routine?

Strangely, I used to dread the school holidays before my children started school. Last September my youngest started nursery at the same time that my eldest started Big School but prior to that we used to have a tightly balanced weekly routine that involved swimming lessons, mums and toddler groups and playgroup, and I never understood why all those activities for pre-schoolers would grind to a halt during the school holidays. It seemed kind of cruel at the time, but I now realise it’s probably to allow parents a well-earned break, especially in case of them having older children.

But when my boys were fully ensconced in the school routine, I'd been looking forward to the holidays for weeks. I'd been delighted at the prospect of not having to launder uniforms, make packed lunches, or supervise homework. I couldn’t wait to abandon the pressure of the morning routine and school run in favour of lounging in our PJ’s still lunchtime. And best of all I was looking forward to a more relaxed pace of life, with days spent on the beach or in the playpark, instead of regimented round the clock.

But once the holidays struck, they didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Unused to spending hours at home together, my boys started squabbling much more than usual, and the house turned into a tip almost overnight. Without my child-free hours to dedicate to work, I struggled to make the transition from working mum to full-time parent, and ended up snappy and short-tempered. I knew something had to change when I found myself hiding in the bathroom, drowning out the whining and hoping no-one would track me down for at least three peaceful minutes. At that point, I decided to take charge and ensure we have a summer of fun instead of nine long weeks of misery, so here are my top five tips for summer fun:

1. Clear out the toys.

In my experience, the more stuff children have to play with, the harder they find it to know what to play with. Getting rid of all the broken stuff or toys that my boys have grown out of and paring their bounty back to a few beloved items rather than piles of junk has really helped them get into the groove of playing together at home. They get so used to the structure and routine of school that having completely free reign at home can actually be really hard for them to handle. Try setting up an art table or a train set or wendy house - anything that looks inviting and encourages them to start playing instead of sitting around squabbling or moaning that they’re bored.

2. Make one good investment.

For less than a tenner each I bought my boys a superhero costume as their summer holiday play treat. It’s the very first thing they look for when they open their eyes in the morning, and ensures hours of cheap, imaginative playtime. They know this is my treat to them for the summer so they won’t beg for toys every time we go to Asda, but the novelty value of something new helped inject new life into their play. It doesn’t have to be pricy and it can even be something you make together, but somehow setting something up as THE summer holiday play item helps focus their attention when they’re kicking their heels and trying to work out how to spend all that free time that they’re not used to.

3. Get outside.

We have a 10 o’clock rule in our house. We have to have left the house every day by 10am. Generally we just go for a walk into town or to the beach and my boys ride their bikes and dress themselves (in the superhero costumes, naturally) so getting out of the house in the morning is still a leisurely affair, but I find that getting up and out, having some exercise and some fresh air stops them going stir crazy. They’re usually well in need of a rest and some down-time when we get home which makes for a relaxed lunch, and after that they’re usually raring to go again, but it just splits the day up and stops us all having cabin fever.

4. Take some time to think about what you want out of the holidays.

Personally, when September rolls around I want to know that I’ve spent some serious time bonding and having fun with my boys. I want them to remember me hanging out with them during the holidays, not getting bogged down with housework or juggling my work. It takes some serious commitment to follow through on those intentions, but writing them down and even talking about them as a family can help crystalize your sense of what’s important to you all.

5. Get creative.

Even if a holiday isn’t in your budget this year, you can still have plenty of fun on your very own Staycation. Sleep in a tent in the backgarden, embark on a family summer-long art project or make Friday nights picnic time. It’s amazingly easy to create fantastic family memories even on the tightest of budgets - it just takes some thought and planning, so dream big. Make a pot of tea, sit down with your calendar and a notebook and plan in some top notch family fun before the weeks run away with you and you realise it’s already back to school time.

Above all else, enjoy the holidays! They can be a really stressful time and tempers can all too easily get frayed but if you prioritise even ten minutes for yourself every single day, you’ll find your capacity increases and you’ll have more energy to direct everyone else towards a fun-filled school holiday. It doesn’t matter whether you sit with a pot of tea in the garden before everyone else is up, or soak in the bath with a glass of wine at the end of the day - just remember that parents are people too, and if you take care of yourself this summer, you’ll have more energy for taking care of everyone else.

It's that time of the year. The going-on holiday time of the year. A sun-kissed white sand beach on an island somewhere. A campsite on the British coast. A festival in a field. Does it really matter? It is a holiday, a change of scenery, a time to recharge the batteries!

I did a lot of travelling when I was on maternity leave. After all, why not make the most of getting  six months or more off ? On the first trip, we went to Hong Kong when my son was two months old. I looked for the lightest, easiest to carry, travel bassinet I could find.

Now in those early days of motherhood  I admit I bought a lot of crud. I was a sucker for every gimmicky thing going. I had no idea if the Samsonite Pop Up Travel Cot would actually be of any use, but it looked the business. Tiny - seriously tiny. It folds up into a small round bag about the same size as a medium sized frying pan.

It's made with some of that springy stuff they use in pop-up tents. And it works the same way. Pull it out of the bag and it simply pings open. I then spent the next ten minutes looking for the little metal rod that you have to insert to keep the end of the bassinet part from collapsing. After which I realised I hadn't actually seen how it was when it came out of the bag, so had no idea how to put it back together to get it in again.

Actually all you have to do is, after you've taken out the metal rod, is hold each end in each hand, twist into a letter 8 shape, and push it together. It then slides into the tiny bag. Did I mention how tiny it is?

Once baby gets a bit mobile and is rolling about or attempting to crawl, then there's no point in even bothering with this cot. But for the really little ones, the Samsonite pop-up travel cot is fine.

It comes with a mosquito net, which is one reason I bought it. However, I wouldn't rely on this for malarial areas. It didn't fill me with complete confidence that it could keep out mossies entirely. However it will keep flies and other creepy crawlies off your sleeping baby. You could wrap a mossie net around it for extra protection.

The mattress was a lot thinner than I was expecting. I didn't think that my son would find that comfortable at all but it didn't seem to bother him at all. Still, I used to put a blanket underneath when on wood or tiled floors for extra protection.

It also got a nickname, courtesy of my four year old nephew who christened it 'The Boat'. Because actually, that's pretty much what it looks like, with the hood up and the prow shaped front!

My verdict? This was actually one piece of gimmicky baby equipment that I got a lot of use out of, from hotels in the far east to staying at grandma's.

Have you travelled with a young baby? What did you use for a bassinet?

The dust has settled (hardeharhar) according to Ryanair and they are now selling three million tickets for a mere £3. Yes folks, if you ever wanted to leap on a plane for no other reason than you happen to have £3 lying around, then this is your moment.

• Click here to get your slice of the £3 action from Ryanair

The deal finishes tomorrow so it’s best you nab your flights right this very minute. Right now. Immediately. For only £3 there’s very little to think about, is there? Although I must point out that they are only one way, that they don’t include optional fees and charges..

Right, so the places these flights are going to include Aarhus, Belfast, Billund, Bologna, Bremen, Dublin, Bremen, Figari, Ciudad Real, Genoa, Glasgow, Kerry, Oslo and plenty more. If you want to go to places like Gran Canary you’ll have to fork out an enormous £29.99 (hahaha).

Go on, grab a flight or five, you’re worth it.

This is a lovely bubbly deal for those of you that have the brilliance to plan ahead. Travelodge will be starting their autumn price sale on 15 April where rooms will be discounted to as little as £9 a night.

• Click here to see the deal at Travelodge

The rooms are only valid from 28 August until 28 November with rooms in Spain and Ireland for as little as ten and 19 Euros respectively. There will be around 30 thousand rooms available for this special offer so you’re bound to get your chance if you’re ready on the 15^th.

There is not a lot of information as to which days the offer applies to and what terms and conditions there are, so I guess it’s going to be pot luck. I think that Monday to Thursday is a good bet so perhaps plan your holiday around that.

Happy hunting!

Thanks to icejamin at HUKD!

If you’re anything like our family, then it’s highly likely that you’ve been too busy to sort out your holidays in advance and now you’re staring at either very expensive or worryingly strange options for your much-needed break. Well the Haven Holidays 48 hour sale started yesterday and it may well be your ticket out of here (hur hur).

• Click here to be first in line with Haven

There are quite a few deals included in this 48 hour special and the prices are rather insanely good. Although there are very few of each holiday left so I would hurry up if I were you. Just to give you some ideas as to what to expect, I’ve listed some of the ones listed in the top ten.

Devon Cliffs for three nights in a two bedroom caravan that sleeps six for £149. Primrose Valley in Yorkshire for three nights in a three bedroom caravan that sleeps eight for £199. Rockley Park in Dorset has three nights in a two bedroom caravan that sleeps six for £169. The deals are rather amazingly extensive but the dates are for pretty much right now!

Thanks to edi at HUKD!

OK, so these deals are really awesome and I just have to tell you about them! After spending weeks trying to find a decently priced holiday that wouldn’t break the bank I am dancing about like a loon right now. These self catering holidays range from as little as £131 to £200+ at Thomas Cook.

• Click here to party on over to Thomas Cook

The link above is to a stay at Costa Dorada in Salou for an average rate of £136 per person. It is for seven nights self catering in a four star resort from 09 May. It looks to be a good place to stay and there are some excellent reviews from people who’ve stayed there (always a bonus in my book).

There are plenty of other options for you to choose from so feel free to just click on their Last Minute Deals on their home page to see what else is on offer. After all, for prices this decent it’s well worth taking a break.

Thanks to sussexguy at HUKD!

I have been desperate for a holiday since last year so forgive me for drooling all over this one, and handing you a slightly damp deal over the monitor...Here you can explore the magic of cruising on a sweet and sassy trip for two nights to Amsterdam for as little as £33.

• Click here to float on to BreakFree Holidays

BreakFree Holidays have teamed up with DFDS Seaways to offer this mini cruise break that will cost £33 for four sharing at £39 for two sharing. Those of you who have families of three may well have to add in that fourth £33 and spread it over the three of you.

The deal includes two nights onboard the ship in an en-suite cabin with access to entertainment and great food. When you arrive in Holland you are taken into the centre of Amsterdam by coach where you can either follow a set tour or you can explore the city on your own.

It looks to be a really good deal for that price, although it doesn’t tell you whether you are abandoned in Amsterdam to find your way home, or if the price includes the trip home. Either way, this is a cracking idea for a long weekend.

Thanks to Trogglescow at HUKD!

I love it! How can you not adore this gorgeous little ride-on suitcase? As a fan of anything to do with cows this has completely captured my attention. Down from £34 to only £17.99 at Amazon, Trunki Frieda may well be the perfect complement to your next holiday.

• Click here to visit Frieda at Amazon

Remember the days of travelling when you were a kid? I was given a book and told to sit still for hours and hours. Imagine being able to relive that with a ride-on suitcase that you can hurtle about the airport at great speeds. Perhaps not great for parents but definitely a plus for kids.

Your little one can ride on it, sit on it for a rest, pull it along behind or you can tug your tired tot about while they rest happily upon it. This is a genius invention. The other plus factor is that it’s the exact right size to fit as hand luggage so you can pack it full of lots of useful stuff. 

It can store up to 18 litres of useful things so get those favourite books and toys in there before you go plus some snacks and juice for longer trips. They advise that it’s only for kids. Boo. I could really do with one for myself. Why can’t the hubby drag me about after I’ve spent eight hours running after my tot?

Thanks to benjamine1979 at HUKD!

I bet you’re desperate to get away from the ice and cold for a bit and this may well be your lucky chance. This deal is absolutely superb for seven nights, all inclusive with the cost of the hotel, the flights and the taxes included in the price.

• Click here to visit the deal from Thomas Cook

The holiday is available from 07 to 14 January and has reasonable flight times but you will have to make your way to Birmingham airport if you want the deal. If you think that the current temperature in Naama Bay is 24C then you can’t help but be tempted!

The hotel has a wide range of facilities including a pool, pool bar, TV and some evening entertainment. The deal is for two adults sharing but rooms have up to three beds for those of you with little ones. You can even get fit with their aerobics lessons, tennis and waterpolo activities. 

Those of you who prefer to just lie about enjoying the sun will appreciate the sun terrace and the whirlpool and the massage service. Deliciously cheap for seven days of delightful relaxation.

Thanks to andywedge At HUKD!

If you weren’t one of the lucky few who managed to get away this Christmas then this fabulous offer from Disneyland in Paris should get you grinning. Adults pay only £150 each for all accommodation, tickets and breakfast included plus all children under the age of 12 go absolutely free. 

• Click here to see the deal from Disneyland Paris  

So, if you’re feeling even more exhausted after your Christmas break – what with running about after family and kids all the time – then why not consider this lovely short break? It will only cost you £300 for two adults to visit both Disney Parks and to stay in a room at the Hotel Santa Fe. 

Transportation to the hotel is not included in the price, nor is transport to the parks themselves, but perhaps you can snag a great deal or two by checking out our sister site HotUKDeals. I’m certainly excited about this idea, my daughter will love seeing all the Disney characters come to life and I will love all the rides. 

The deal is on offer from now until 15^th February 2010 so book soon to avoid missing out on all the fun. Usually Disney only permit children under the age of seven but this offer is for all children! Bargain. 

Thanks to ianshona at HUKD!