Children require more activities to hold their attention when on holiday, signalling an end to the traditional bucket and spade family break, Club Med research shows.
The study of 2,000 parents and children released ahead of the October half-term holiday found that six out of ten parents feel their kids are less interested in classic holiday pastimes and need more activities to hold their attention.
One in three admitted their child would always choose to play computer games over a day on the beach.
The poll discovered that 65% of parents are more likely to book to stay at a resort that has a wide range of activities for the whole family.
Children in the study confirmed the trend, with almost half (42%) of those of primary school age admitting they get bored of sunbathing, one in four fed up with the bucket and spade, and more than a fifth saying the swimming pool doesn’t excite them.
The results contrast with the previous generation with eight in ten of the parents studied saying a day building sandcastles on the beach was all they needed when they were young.
But the typical sun, sea and sand holiday is no longer enough for modern children, with 62% of parents saying a simple beach does not satisfy the family.
One in four families have had to abandon days at the seaside because their children became bored and restless.
An increasing trend for children to try new activities was identified, with horse riding, crazy golf and windsurfing among the list of activities they most want to be able to try.
Go-karting, table tennis and archery were also high on the list for children looking to become more active while away.
Six in ten children said the biggest reason they like going on holiday is the chance to try new things as a family.
Club Med UK managing director Laurent De Chorivit said: “For this generation of children it’s less sun, sea and sand – and more trapeze, tennis and table football. With iPads, smartphones and so much to entertain kids at home, it’s no surprise they are more demanding on holiday.”
The top 10 activities children want to try on holiday:
- Horse riding
- Crazy golf
- Go karting
- Archery
- Table tennis
- Tennis
- Badminton
- Table football
- Trapeze swinging
- Wind surfing