A parents' guide to surviving the school holidays in Dundee

Take them on a woodland walk

Let's be honest. Children, as a rule, are not natural hikers. Give them a glorious mountaintop vista, and they'll only complain that there's no ice cream van.

But here's the thing. Kids might not appreciate the immortal beauty of the Angus landscape, but they sure do love poking around in forests and letting their imaginations take flight.

With that in mind, why not take them on a woodland ramble? They'll have tonnes of fun spotting bugs, jumping off logs and playing make-believe. So much fun, in fact, they'll forget they're getting some exercise.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly trails in and around Dundee. The Riverside Nature Park, for instance, is flush with wildflowers, wooded areas and flocks of migratory birds. And it's within easy reach of Dundee city centre to boot.

And, of course, there's loads of lush woodlands here at Forbes. Bring the kids to our country resort during the Dundee school holidays and they'll feel like they've landed in a real-life fairytale.

 
Try some water sports

Think of water sports and you might picture daredevils pulling stunts while tethered to a speedboat. But that's the serious stuff. Water sports can be fun – and safe – for all the family.

Take paddleboarding. This low-stress sport sees participants balance on a buoyant plank of fibreglass and gently ride the waves. With suitable safety equipment and a good instructor, you've got a tremendously fun family day out on your hands.

Or how about heading to an aqua park? Wild Shore, for instance, has oodles of aquatic activities for the school holidays in Dundee. That includes a floating playground, complete with inflatable slides and all sorts of bouncy, splashy amusements.

Keep in mind that children must be aged six years or older – and all participants must be able to swim at least 25 metres.

 
Teach them how to fish

'Teach a person to fish', they say, 'and you feed them for a lifetime.' Teach a kid to fish, we say, and you might just survive the school holidays in Dundee.

See, we live in a world of instant gratification. Kids are used to firing up a video game console or poking a tablet and enjoying entertainment on tap. Fishing can be the slow, serene antidote to this switched-on status quo – and, believe it or not, many children absolutely love it.

Sure. It might not come with flashing lights, loud noises and power-ups – but there's nothing quite like watching a child reel in their first fish. The excitement! The joy! The reward!

Fancy giving it a go? Angus has more than its fair share of fertile fishing pools. You'll find some of the finest here at Forbes of Kingennie – and we even host regular fishing lessons to help your tiddlers get started.

 
Make the most of rainy days

Fellow Scots will know the score. The Sun, you see, is an infrequent visitor to Scotland – and an unreliable one at that. She's liable to turn up at the height of the summer, promise days of glorious weather and then promptly abscond behind a passing raincloud.

So, while we're crossing our fingers for endless sunshine, the reality is that we always need to prepare for rain. That's why it's worth keeping a few rainy-day activities up your sleeve for the school holidays in Dundee.

In Dundee city, you've got museums like the activity-packed Science Centre and the family-friendly Museum of Transport. Montrose has the Air Station Museum, whose exhibits are helpfully housed inside hefty (and dry) aircraft hangers. And throughout the Angus area, you'll find a plethora of castles, historic houses and cultural sites to explore.

And did we mention we have some very cosy cabins here at Forbes of Kingennie? When the gas burner's roaring and the rain is pitter-pattering on the windows, there's nothing else quite like it.

 
Remember to take time out for yourself

We know what it's like. As soon as the school holidays start, the impatient chorus pipes up. 'What are we doing today, Mum?' 'Can I have another go on the iPad, Dad?' 'I'm bored.'

It's easy to feel badgered, bewildered and more than a little frazzled. But that's why it's doubly important to carve out some time for yourself amid the chaos. Without this downtime, you're setting yourself up for a very stressful seven weeks.

Of course, it's not always this simple. If you have a babysitter on standby and can enjoy a well-deserved night on the town – great, do it. But for the rest of us, it might mean grabbing five minutes to sip a coffee in peace or indulging in a good book before bed.