If you dream of giving your children an Enid Blytonesque summer holiday, complete with ginger pop and jolly adventures, decamp to Dorset, to stay in one of three heavenly vintage Airstream trailers. Spend the day exploring nearby Corfe Castle (believed to be the inspiration for Kirrin Castle), then unwind toasting marshmallows on a fire pit back at camp before a cosy night in your caravan. A one week Famous Five Adventure Package costs from £435 for a 4 berth caravan. happydaysrv.co.uk
Summer holidays spent in a cottage by the Cornish coast, crabbing and eating ice creams and sandy sandwiches, are the stuff of which happy childhood memories are made. Base yourself in Tregonning, a cosy two bedroom cottage down a country lane at Polladras, four miles from the long sandy beach at Praa Sands. A week's rental starting 28 July, 04 or 25 August costs £495. cornishcottages.co.uk
The chance to run wild, barefoot and free, is one most of our children don't often experience these days, but at Stenebynäs estate in West Sweden, there are 200 acres of woodland and lakes where they can do just that. Horse riding, beaver safaris, rafting and zip wire days can all be arranged, or just let them go feral. 7 nights in Lommen, one of four traditional lakeside wooden cabins on the estate, costs £1200. Sleeps five. offthemaptravel.co.uk
Anyone with a boy aged between about four and fourteen will know the fascination the famous bricks hold, so head for a much more accessible and affordable theme park - Legoland in Windsor, which has recently built it's own hotel on the edge of the park, complete with Pirate, Kingdom or Adventure themed bedrooms, interactive play spaces and LEGO brick shaped chips in the restaurant. From £247 low season or £337 high season for a themed family room (2 adults / 2 children), including breakfast and park tickets for two days, guests also enjoy special LEGOLAND benefits including early bird access to the park. legoland.co.uk
A British summer holiday may save on sunscreen, but some of us crave guaranteed sun at least once a year, and with average August temperatures of 32, the Costa Blanca definitely ticks the heat box. Villa Santa Lucia nr, Denia, Spain is a traditional three bedroom villa with a private pool, a short walk from the beach and town. And if the heat gets too much, you can escape to the cool of the nearby mountains of Montgo. €1,610/week during August, sleeping 6 (€268pp) holidaylettings.co.uk
Exposing your children to other cultures is a wonderful way to open their eyes to a world beyond the computer screen, and countries don't come much more colourful than Morocco. An 8 day Kids in the Kasbah trip includes visits to ancient medinas and souks, the Atlas Mountains, Berber villages and camel rides on the Atlantic coast. From £439 per person, land only. theadventurecompany.co.uk
Forget the fusty old image of holiday parks... The best of them make for fantastic family holidays - affordable, full of activities and with plenty of other kids for yours to play with. Whitecliff Bay on the Isle of Wight is on a secluded, sandy beach and is packed with quirky, contemporary touches like chill out areas with bean bags and hay bales, free wifi, live music, glamping and outdoor cinema screenings.
Prices for seven nights starting on July 20 in a Canvas Village Luxury 4 Man Bell Tent are from £324. wight-holidays.com
This year, the French holiday club specialist Belambra is launching a Music Academy across 11 clubs in France and Corsica where teens and adults can sing their hearts out. Qualified instructors will be on hand to help your budding stars develop their musical ears and stretch their vocal chords - and they'll get to put on a show at the end of the week. Prices from 240 Euros for ten hours training. Seven nights at the Coves Club on the Cote D'Azure start at £361 per person all inclusive. Visit belambra.co.uk
You know where you are with all inclusive. No fiddling around with foreign currency and no scary bar bills at the end of the fortnight keeps parents happy, while a children's pool and unlimited ice cream will keep a smile on your children's faces. 14 nights at the 3* Hotel Piscis in Port D'Alcudia in Majorca for 2 adults and 2 children, departing 4 August, costs £582.50 per person with easyJet Holidays. travel supermarket.com
If money's no object, spoil your little ones (and, equally importantly, yourself) with a luxury stay at a golf and spa resort - complete with exclusive kids club place. 7 nights at Verdura in Sicily costs from £4,340 travelling in June or September (£6,055 travelling in July) based on a family of four sharing two connecting deluxe rooms on bed and breakfast basis with return private transfers. Price includes special offer of one complimentary Scott Dunn Explorers place, saving £300. (Price excludes flights, available with Easyjet.com) scottdunn.com
It's amazing how bonding (and relaxing, even) a bit of activity can be on a family holiday. Never fear, we're not talking Everest climbs, but how does sea kayaking along the Croatian coast, exploring vineyards on a tractor train and mountain biking around an unspoilt island sound? An 8 day Active Croatia holiday costs £729 for adults and £699 for children, land only.