“Hit the fence in the kart!” Our four daughters chattered when asked what their favorite part of their vacation was.
Suffice it to say that driving a kart was not the strong suit of Emilia, eight, and Eva, five.
But as Emilia points out, if Eva hadn’t distracted her by screaming, it wouldn’t have happened in the first place.
Fortunately, the newly refurbished £11 million holiday park in Skegness, Lincs, is full of friendly people who don’t care that the odd fence post looks a little wonky.
And Emilia and Eva crashing through the fence with a pedal cart while Jessica, eight, and Isabelle, six, looked on with giggles, didn’t cost us an extra penny – thankfully.
As a family of six, finding affordable holidays can be a bit difficult.
But Haven offers great value trips with activities for all ages.
We went to Skegness Park late last month and stayed in a three-bedroom caravan.
There are three levels of caravan, Economy, Bronze and Silver, which accommodate between four and eight guests.
We had a silver room which had plenty of space for everyone and had a modern kitchen/living room with a comfy sofa bed, plus an outdoor deck and private parking space.
Where Haven comes into its own is with its many inexpensive activities.
Everyone loved the bungee trampoline, with attached ropes that help you get higher.
This was a particular favorite of Isabelle, who spent a full 15 minutes screaming at the flight attendant to help her go “Up, up, up!”
All four kids were also excited to experience the NERF boot camp – especially Eva, who initially thought she was too young to join but was then allowed to join.
This was probably a decision regretted by Coach Alfie, who spent the next hour desperately trying, and failing, to teach her how to reload her gun while being sprayed with pellets by Isabelle.
Fish and chips
The idea is that two teams get the ball into the opposing team’s goal, but if you get shot you drop the ball.
It sounds simple – but never underestimate the ability of four kids to completely miss the point of the game.
The park also has family-friendly entertainment and music every night as well as an outdoor performance area if the weather is good.
There is an arcade with the obligatory 2p machines, dollhouse games and some games for younger children.
There is no risk of starvation either.
There is an on-site pub offering budget children’s meals for £1, as well as pizza and burger places.
We also had a fun-filled time at the park’s pool, which you can reserve if you have a Play Pass.
The hour was just right for us, as wrestling with four kids who are still in the swimming phase and seem to be drowning most of the time can be nerve-wracking.
For those who prefer the sea, Skegness Pleasure Beach is a few minutes’ drive away, or you can walk if the weather is good.
Even on an off-season Sunday, there was plenty of activity – amusement parks, horseback riding, timber runs, and lots of coastal-style shops.
We got a fish and chips lunch for all six of us for £24 – and a nice addition to our beloved toy collection in the form of a sausage dog called Skeggy.
According to Jess, our weekend in Skegness was the best holiday ever – we didn’t even need to pay for flights.
Go: Skegness Haven
stay there: A three-night weekend break in a three-bed Silver caravan costs £425 based on two adults and two children sharing, arriving on 20 October.
See Haven.com or call 0333 202 5250.