Kids Day Out

It’s Best when...you can entertain and educate the kids over the summer.

This summer, we’ve come up with our fabulously fun and informative ‘National Curriculum’ tours to spare parents everywhere the misery of trying to find new and exciting things to do every day that don’t break the bank.

After all, there will be an estimated 8.5 million kids free from school for over six weeks this summer – that’s a lot of people to keep happy!

Whether you’re relaxing in the Lakes or checking out the hippest cities in the UK, each tour is based around a core school subject, with topics covered in Key Stage One and Two of the National Curriculum featured.

English, History, Geography and Science have never been so much fun. So turn off that TV, confiscate the games console and take your children on a trip they’ll never forget this summer, staying at a Best Western hotel en route. Who knows, maybe you’ll learn something along the way too!

Follow the links below for each subject and find out how you can have an unforgettable summer...

History
English
Science
Geography

Let the past come alive with History!

Vikings in York (covered in Key Stage Two)

Step back in time with a visit to York’s Jorvik Viking Centre (www.jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk) and trace the history of these Scandinavian invaders who made the city their own 1200 years ago. Why not fit in a visit to York’s majestic Minster too – the largest gothic cathedral in Northern Europe.

Stay: The three-star Best Western Dean Court Hotel, in the shadow of York Minster, makes for the ideal location to this historical break. With four family rooms and a baby listening service, prices start from £110 per room per night, based on two adults sharing a twin/double room on a bed and breakfast basis.

Victorians (covered in Key Stage Two) in County Durham

Beamish, the Victorian Living Museum (www.beamish.org.uk) is the ideal place for children to learn about the Victorians without getting out the dusty textbooks! Nearby Durham is also a historical feast, with its Norman Cathedral commanding views of the city on its rocky promontory above the river Wear.

Stay: The three-star Best Western Highfield Hotel in nearby Middlesbrough offers guests an award-winning restaurant and has two family rooms. Prices start from £76 per room per night, based on two adults sharing a twin/double room on a bed and breakfast basis.

Tudors (covered in Key Stage Two) in Warwickshire

Warwick castle (www.warwick-castle.co.uk) is one of the greatest castles in England. With much of its construction happening in the Tudor period, it is a perfect location for children to see how people lived in the 16th century.

Stay: The three-star Best Western Peacock Hotel is ideally located, just a few miles outside Warwick in Kenilworth. This hotel also has three family rooms and prices start from £60 per room per night, based on two adults sharing a twin/double room on a bed and breakfast basis.

Encourage your little bookworms with English

Shakespeare in Stratford (Key Stage Two)

The Bard’s birthplace, Stratford-Upon-Avon, is bristling with monuments to the English language’s best-known playwright and is a beautiful town in its own right.

Stay: The three-star Best Western Northwick Hotel in nearby Evesham is a relaxing location with four family rooms. Prices start from £110 per room per night, based on two adults sharing a twin/double on a bed and breakfast basis.

Alice in Wonderland in Oxford (Key Stage Two)

The dreaming spires of Oxford have inspired many novels, due to the beautiful buildings and peaceful surroundings of the river banks, including children’s favourite Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll and Philip Pullman’s more recent books.

Stay: The three-star Best Western Linton Lodge Hotel in Oxford has three family rooms and prices start from just £112 per room per night, based on two adults sharing a twin/double room on a bed and breakfast basis.

Peter Pan in London (Key Stage Two)

Peter Pan, the perennial children’s favourite by J M Barrie, features a family brought up in the West End of London who are transported to Neverland. Let your children be transported to their own fantasy world in London, with a visit to the best toy store in England – Hamley’s (www.hamleys.com)

Stay: The three-star Best Western Phoenix Hotel in the West End of London makes the ideal base for families to stay, with seven family rooms and a baby sitting service too. Prices start from £84 per room per night, based on two adults sharing a twin/double room on a bed and breakfast basis.

Watch their imagination grow with Science

Green Plants (covered in Key Stage One and Two) in Cornwall

A visit to the Eden Project in Cornwall is a must for budding biologists (www.edenproject.com) and offers more plant life that you could possibly see in one day.

Stay: The three-star Best Western Falmouth Beach Resort Hotel in Falmouth is ideally situated in this bustling Cornish town, close to the Eden project. It also offers 19 family rooms, a baby sitting service and a baby listening service, all from only £124 per room per night, based on two adults sharing a twin/double room on a bed and breakfast basis.

Electricity (covered in Key Stage Two) in Cardiff

Techniquest in Cardiff (www.techniquest.org) is a leading science museum for kids of all ages in the welsh capital, where you can literally ‘experience’ science. The up-and-coming city of Cardiff is definitely worth your attention too, with an ever-growing list of family restaurants and attractions to keep the kids entertained.

Stay: The three-star Best Western New House Country Hotel, which is just six miles outside Cardiff. With an award-winning restaurant and three family rooms, prices start from just £100 per room per night, based on two adults sharing a twin/double room on a bed and breakfast basis. This hotel is participating in the three for two offer.

The Earth and Beyond (Key Stage Two) in Leicester

The National Space Centre (www.spacecentre.co.uk) runs a programme of events throughout the year with an expanded offering during the school holidays. Children young and old can find out about space exploration and the forces needed to escape the earth’s atmosphere.

Stay: The four-star Best Western Sketchley Grange Hotel, in Hinkely, Leicestershire, is close to the National Space Centre and also offers families ten family rooms, a crèche and a baby listening service. Prices start from £120 per room per night, based on two adults sharing a twin/double room on a bed and breakfast basis. This hotel is participating in the three for two offer.

We’ve got it all mapped out for you with Geography

Water in the landscape (Key Stage One and Two) in Perth

The Scottish Lochs make for an ideal place to explore the effects that water has on our natural landscape. With so many to choose from you might need to spend a couple of days here.

Stay: The three-star Best Western Queens Hotel in Perth is the perfect base for exploring the Lochs and countryside of Scotland. With four family rooms, prices start from only £96 per room per night, based on two adults sharing a twin/double on a bed and breakfast basis.

Water in the Landscape (Key Stage One and Two), Lake District

The Lake District National Park needs no introduction – inspiration for Wordsworth and perennial favourite for those wanting a nice relaxed break with the chance to get some fresh air in stunning surroundings, this is truly the place to go. Kids will also love exploring the fens and even scaling a mountain or two.

Stay: The three-star Best Western Glenridding Hotel is ideally located on the banks of Ullswater in the Lake District National Park. With six family rooms and a baby listening service, prices start from just £120 per room per night, based on two adults sharing a twin/double on a bed and breakfast basis.

Settlements (Key Stage Two) in Manchester

The ground-breaking museum of the built environment, Urbis (www.urbis.org.uk), in Manchester, charts the history of humans and cities and is a fascinating centre housed in some breath-taking architecture. At the heart of the city centre, this is an ideal location from which to explore one of the North’s most vibrant cities.

Stay: The three-star Best Western Princess on Portland Hotel boasts seven family rooms and is close to the theatres and attractions of Manchester. Prices start from just £72 per room per night, based on two adults sharing a twin/double room on a bed and breakfast basis. This hotel is participating in the three for two offer.