If you have more than one child, you’ll already know that one day they can be peas in a pod, other days chalk and cheese.
One wants football. One would rather make something. One is first in the queue for the giant inflatable. The other wants to build a den, find their friends or disappear into a craft project.
And, naturally, both will tell you their preferred option is the only reasonable one.
It can make planning the school holidays tricky. Particularly when you’re trying to find childcare that everyone will actually enjoy.
That’s one of the reasons our multi-activity Holiday Clubs work so well for siblings.
They can come to the same place, on the same days, while still having completely different Holiday Club experiences.
We don’t expect siblings to stick together or enjoy the same things simply because they arrived together.
At Practically Family, children have lots of choice over how they spend their time. There are Big Sports, inflatables, outdoor adventures, games and challenges alongside crafts, messy play, den building, creative activities and plenty more.
That means one sibling can be racing around outside while another is happily doing something completely different indoors.
They might choose an activity together. They might barely see each other for an hour. They might reunite at lunchtime with VERY different accounts of who has had the best morning.
It’s entirely up to them.
And for parents, it means one Holiday Club, one drop-off and one pick-up, rather than trying to find different options to suit different children.
Our Holiday Clubs welcome children aged 3–11, so brothers and sisters at different stages can still spend their school holidays with us.
But having everyone under one roof doesn’t mean treating everyone the same.
Our team pays attention to children’s age, confidence, concentration and energy levels, and we regularly break into smaller groups so children can get what they need from their day.
Our youngest children also have space to slow things down when they need to. Being three or four is tiring business! There’s time to pause, process and take things at their own pace rather than trying to keep up with the bigger children all day.
Meanwhile, older children can enjoy more independence, challenge and freedom to make choices.
Everyone is part of the same Practically Family Club, but we recognise that what makes a brilliant day for a four-year-old might look very different from what makes a brilliant day for their ten-year-old sibling.
Having a sibling there can be wonderfully reassuring, particularly if a child is new to Holiday Club or takes a little time to settle into unfamiliar surroundings.
There’s a familiar face walking through the door with them. Someone they already know. Someone to sit with, play with or check in with during the day. But they certainly don’t have to stay joined at the hip.
Holiday Club gives siblings an opportunity to branch out, make their own friends and build confidence independently of one another.
And, after several weeks of the school holidays spent in each other’s company, a little time doing their own thing might not be the worst idea anyone has ever had!
We talk about choice a lot at Practically Family because we know children enjoy things more when they have some ownership over their day. That becomes particularly important with siblings.
One child might be naturally sporty while another isn't interested in organised sport at all. One might love big group activities while their sibling prefers something smaller and calmer. One might want to try everything; another might need a little encouragement before joining in. Neither experience is the “right” way to do Holiday Club.
Our Crew Leaders, Mates and Cadets are there to help children find the activities, people and pace that work for them. It means parents don't have to choose the Holiday Club that suits Child A and hope Child B goes along with it. There really is something for everyone.
Of course, choosing Holiday Club isn't only about what happens once the children get through the door. There’s the family diary to think about too.
Different clubs, different drop-off times, different collection times and children needing to be in opposite directions at exactly the same moment isn't anyone's idea of a relaxing start to the day.
Having siblings at the same Practically Family venue can make things considerably simpler. You can choose the venue and session that works for your family, drop everyone at the same place and know that, once they’re inside, they don't all have to follow the same timetable of activities.
We know that school holiday childcare is a significant part of the family budget, particularly when you’re booking for two or more children.
So we've introduced a permanent 10% sibling discount across our Practically Family Holiday Clubs.
And we've kept that simple too.
There’s no discount code to remember, special link to follow or extra form to complete. Book your children as normal and we'll apply the sibling discount automatically.
Ultimately, we think siblings should be able to share a Holiday Club without having to share every minute of their day.
They can arrive together, head off in different directions, follow their own interests, make their own friends, meet up again and probably argue all the way home about who had the better day.
And, naturally, both will tell you their preferred option is the only reasonable one.
It can make planning the school holidays tricky. Particularly when you’re trying to find childcare that everyone will actually enjoy.
That’s one of the reasons our multi-activity Holiday Clubs work so well for siblings.
They can come to the same place, on the same days, while still having completely different Holiday Club experiences.
Same Holiday Club, Different Days
We don’t expect siblings to stick together or enjoy the same things simply because they arrived together.
At Practically Family, children have lots of choice over how they spend their time. There are Big Sports, inflatables, outdoor adventures, games and challenges alongside crafts, messy play, den building, creative activities and plenty more.
That means one sibling can be racing around outside while another is happily doing something completely different indoors.
They might choose an activity together. They might barely see each other for an hour. They might reunite at lunchtime with VERY different accounts of who has had the best morning.
It’s entirely up to them.
And for parents, it means one Holiday Club, one drop-off and one pick-up, rather than trying to find different options to suit different children.
Different Ages? That’s Okay Too
Our Holiday Clubs welcome children aged 3–11, so brothers and sisters at different stages can still spend their school holidays with us.
But having everyone under one roof doesn’t mean treating everyone the same.
Our team pays attention to children’s age, confidence, concentration and energy levels, and we regularly break into smaller groups so children can get what they need from their day.
Our youngest children also have space to slow things down when they need to. Being three or four is tiring business! There’s time to pause, process and take things at their own pace rather than trying to keep up with the bigger children all day.
Meanwhile, older children can enjoy more independence, challenge and freedom to make choices.
Everyone is part of the same Practically Family Club, but we recognise that what makes a brilliant day for a four-year-old might look very different from what makes a brilliant day for their ten-year-old sibling.
They Can Stick Together… Or Not!
Having a sibling there can be wonderfully reassuring, particularly if a child is new to Holiday Club or takes a little time to settle into unfamiliar surroundings.
There’s a familiar face walking through the door with them. Someone they already know. Someone to sit with, play with or check in with during the day. But they certainly don’t have to stay joined at the hip.
Holiday Club gives siblings an opportunity to branch out, make their own friends and build confidence independently of one another.
And, after several weeks of the school holidays spent in each other’s company, a little time doing their own thing might not be the worst idea anyone has ever had!
Choice Matters When Children Are Different
We talk about choice a lot at Practically Family because we know children enjoy things more when they have some ownership over their day. That becomes particularly important with siblings.
One child might be naturally sporty while another isn't interested in organised sport at all. One might love big group activities while their sibling prefers something smaller and calmer. One might want to try everything; another might need a little encouragement before joining in. Neither experience is the “right” way to do Holiday Club.
Our Crew Leaders, Mates and Cadets are there to help children find the activities, people and pace that work for them. It means parents don't have to choose the Holiday Club that suits Child A and hope Child B goes along with it. There really is something for everyone.
It Makes Family Logistics That Little Bit Easier
Of course, choosing Holiday Club isn't only about what happens once the children get through the door. There’s the family diary to think about too.
Different clubs, different drop-off times, different collection times and children needing to be in opposite directions at exactly the same moment isn't anyone's idea of a relaxing start to the day.
Having siblings at the same Practically Family venue can make things considerably simpler. You can choose the venue and session that works for your family, drop everyone at the same place and know that, once they’re inside, they don't all have to follow the same timetable of activities.
And Now There’s a Sibling Discount Too
We know that school holiday childcare is a significant part of the family budget, particularly when you’re booking for two or more children.
So we've introduced a permanent 10% sibling discount across our Practically Family Holiday Clubs.
And we've kept that simple too.
There’s no discount code to remember, special link to follow or extra form to complete. Book your children as normal and we'll apply the sibling discount automatically.
Same Family. Different Children. One Holiday Club.
Ultimately, we think siblings should be able to share a Holiday Club without having to share every minute of their day.
They can arrive together, head off in different directions, follow their own interests, make their own friends, meet up again and probably argue all the way home about who had the better day.
Practically Family
07939 942334 (during Holiday Club weeks only)
