layers which can be easily removed if necessary.2. Bring a kitYour child can make the most of his discoveries with a few essential pieces of kit such as a magnifying glass or binoculars to inspect your discoveries more closely, a notebook to keep a rock-pooling

1 PebblesLook at the pebbles on the beach and see if you can match them to the rocks in the nearby cliffs. Large pebbles are great for making beach art or even just for spelling out a child’s name. Collect large smooth pebbles to make paperweights

1. Write your name or funny messages in the sand with shells2. Decorate sand-pies and sandcastles with different shaped shells3. Have a rock-pool ramble  Learn about the food chain of this natural aquarium so your child understands how it works

of white sand. Then, as the tide drops, the beach slowly creeps along the rocky coast, stranding an enticing string of rock pools and knee-deep lagoons. Keep your eyes peeled for glimpses of dolphins, seals and basking sharks near Porthcurno – especially

for pampering at Rock Lodge’s Aroma Boma Spa: African Goddess treatment for Mummy, The Lion Tamer for Daddy. There are also fun treatments for children aged four and over. The family could also play tennis or cool off in your infinity pool before the evening

Head to Nottingham’s summertime Riviera, located in the Old Market Square, with its beach, deckchairs and a large paddling pool doing the job of a stand-in sea. You can even get your hands on a Nottingham branded stick of rock.Further afieldParis Plages

with the fashionable town of Rock. The Mill is one of three recently converted cottages at Mesmear and comes complete with a cook and a housekeeper. The combination of contemporary furnishings, indulgent bathrooms and a heated outdoor pool is almost too good to believe

AS THE LONG, lazy days of summer stretch ahead of us, how do you envisage filling the days? With idle pursuits like relaxing walks in the park, watching the leaves shimmering in the breeze, maybe a spot of rock-pooling or making footprints

, child-friendly cuisine.What’s best for parents? The famous Thaermae Spa is a must for parents. Relax in a therapeutic seawater pool and indulge in an extraordinary water massage with the monk-like Guido. Parents can hire the spa suite for themselves

, and some alfresco, child-friendly cuisine.What’s best for parents? The famous Thaermae Spa is a must for parents. Relax in a therapeutic seawater pool and indulge in an extraordinary water massage with the monk-like Guido. Parents can hire the spa suite