Well, now it’s warming up (in Ibiza anyway), the almond blossom and spring flowers are blooming I thought it was about time to give a round-up of how it’s been, spending our first winter in Ibiza with children.

The first thing to say is that Ibiza has never been all about the tourists, it is a thriving island where people work and live.  The main economy is based around tourism however schools and offices need to run, roads need to be fixed, buildings are constructed, salt is produced and all the services people need and want to live are here all year.  We live in a small town where things do not change too much from summer to winter so it is our own lifestyles that change more than our environment.

Our 2 children, who are now 5 and 3, have never been happier and have adapted incredibly well to speaking Catalan and Castilian (Spanish) at school and with their ever growing circle of friends.

We have been able to see much of the island looking at its best with very few people and filled with the vibrant colours that the bright winter sunshine brings.

Working as a nanny and babysitter in Ibiza through the winter also allows me to see more of the Island as I regularly go for walks with the children in the surrounding areas of the homes I work in.

There are events held all over Ibiza for you to take your children to in the winter although they are not regular and you need to keep your eyes open to find out about them.  If you are not a resident here you can still take a look at the notice boards outside schools or town halls.

In November we went to an Emergency vehicle show in Santa Eularia where children were allowed to climb into and were shown a whole variety of police cars, motor bikes, fire engines, ambulances, scubber diving gear and the most exciting of all, 2 helicopters!

Our children’s favorite parts of the day were pressing all the VERY load sirens and shouting over the police load speakers along with playing inside the helicopters they see flying over head on a weekly basis.

Christmas was obviously a big event and when we were sat outside a local cafe having a coffee in the sunshine on the 23rd of December we had mixed feelings about the decision to return to England for Christmas.  It was important for us to see our families this year however we returned to Ibiza on the 29th December and still had the chance to enjoy the festive period and it was perfect for our children as the main children’s event is when ‘els tres rais’ (the 3 kings) have a procession around each town and bring presents on the night of the 5th January.

There is always plenty for children to do in Ibiza and Christmas time is no exception.  There is a Christmas fair on Vara de Ray every year and events with rides, stalls and food (especially churros) in all the larger towns.  Everyone has their own idea of what the right amounts of festivities are and what is over kill.

In my opinion Ibiza has got it just right, the Christmas decorations
and shop window displays appear at the beginning of December rather that
in October/November and they look amazing againt the beautiful Ibiza sky.

Our first full winter in Ibiza has been in many ways just as we expected, quiet, beautiful, peaceful and spiritual.  What we could not have even hoped for is the extent to how happy, healthy and settled our children are.  This island has exceeded any expectations we may have had and proven without a doubt that Ibiza is a wonderful place for families and children to live and of course visit.

Running childcareibiza.com gives me the opportunity to appreciate and see Ibiza’s beauty in its simplest form because I am always on the look out for activities and places that develop children’s imaginations, interest in the natural world and history.  As you can imagine this is not hard as the richness of the islands ecosystem coupled with its past and architecture makes this the perfect place for anyone planning and implementing developmental activities for children.I would advise anyone to bring their children to Ibiza out of season and see the island’s tranquil side.  Not every shop or restaurant is open and some resorts do seem to nearly close down but you are never far away from a delicious meal and stylish clothes, even in winter!

Both beaches are very popular with visitors to the island and are great for families.  They have soft white sand and the sea is clear, shallow and turquoise in most places.  There are amenities such as snack bars and toilets in both locations along with activities like pedaloes and banana boats.  They do get very busy in the summer months however the busiest times are usually in the afternoon so mornings are a good time for families.

Lowdown on Cala Bassa:

• Large beautiful cove
• Shallow clear water with few waves or undercurrents
• Approximately 300 metres long and 30 metres wide
• No natural shade near the sea but there is a pine forest behind the main beach
• 2 restaurants and 2 snack bars
• Toilets and changing area next to the beach
• Plenty of places to explore in the surrounding area
• Rocks hanging over the sea are used to jump in by older children and adults
• Man made levels with sun beds to the rear of the natural beach
• 10-15 minutes drive from San Antonio or you can take one of the boat trips that allows you to take in some scenery and sun while you travel

Lowdown on Cala Conta (Conte) beach

• 800 metres of white sand spread over 3 beach areas
• Diverse area with sand dunes, forest and rugged coastlines surrounding the beaches.
• No natural shade on the main beach areas (parasols available)
• Snack bar and toilets in the middle of the two main beaches
• 3 restaurants in total with sunset views (booking is necessary)
• The smallest of the 3 areas is a naturist cove
• 15-20 minutes drive form San Antonio or can be reached by boat, as above
• Like Cala Bassa, lots of places to explore with children

Cala Bassa and Cala Conta are places of natural beauty and in my opinion are at their best outside the months of July to September.  Even in the height of summer it is possible to find a nice little spot if you go early or don’t mind setting up camp a little bit back from the sea.

Quality, professional and fun child care…especially for Ibiza!

The first thing to mention is the overall lack of quality child care on the island.  There are some really good people working as nannies, childminders and babysitters in Ibiza but compared to the amount of children, they are few and far between.

So the problems that we looked at solving when starting up childcareibiza.com were:

• Availability (How do you find the best people?)
• Flexibility (You want someone to fit in with your holiday plans, not the other way round!)
• Flexibility with location (Will they come to us, where ever we are on the island?)
• Checking qualifications and experience (How do you know if they are qualified and experienced?)
• Safety (How do we know if the person looking after my child is safe to work with children?
• Reliability (Will they turn up?)
• English speaking (Will they understand what my child is asking for?)
• Individual treatment (How will they know what my child needs, wants and likes?)
• Fun (Will my child have fun?)
  

Availability

We set up childcareibiza.com’s website with a contact us page, email address and phone number as a central port of call for families and professionals.

Flexibility

We listen to what you want and do our best to put together a package that fits in with you.  We also come to you whether you are in a hotel, apartment or hideaway villa anywhere on the island.

Checking qualifications and experience

Childcareibiza.com only work with professionals that have a minimum level 2 qualification relating to childcare and we thoroughly check all references.

Safety

Naturally child safety is at the forefront of  we do so everyone who works with us has a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check or equivalent.

Reliability

We are a professional operation with reliable practitioners and as we have a team working on the island, there is also a back up plan in case of any sickness or absence.

English speaking

We always send professionals that are fluent in the native language of the child, this is important for even the youngest babies.

Individual treatment

Every child is an individual an has their own personalities, routines, likes and dislikes and this should be embraced.  It is our policy to meet the family before the first session to ensure that we have all the information we need about your child to give them the best possible care and experience.  We also request that the parents or carers fill out an individual  form with details of their child’s like, routines etc so that we can plan activities suited to them.

Fun

As mentioned above, we look at each family and child to plan activities that they will enjoy and are age appropriate.  Having said that, we follow the child’s lead on many occasions and ensure that we are flexible enough to allow them to fully enjoy all the experiences that Ibiza has to offer.

2009 promises to be a great year for childcareibiza.com and we are really excited about meeting new families and children to work with.  We would really appreciate any comments about the issues raised here and would love to here if anyone has got any suggestions as to how we can improve our service or how we can solve any additional child care issues in Ibiza.

Image © www.ibiza4all.org

Walking down the beautiful promenade, it is easy to see why.  The beach is long, sandy and clean and there are more restaurants, bars and shops than anyone could attempt to visit within one holiday.  You can get an English bacon butty or top quality international cuisine for those who are into the more finer things in life.

If you are looking for somewhere to have a civilized evening out without the little ones, Santa Eulària is a good choice and www.childcareibiza.com regularly work in and around the town.

Santa Eulària is very special to me as this is where we stayed with our family and close friends when we got married.  There are a large amount of magnificent villas, apartments and 5 star hotels in the area catering for the elite, and many of the boutique style shops reflect this.  I also love the individual craft stalls and art galleries showing local and international talent in a very Ibicencan way.

It is also where I first had the idea for www.childcareibiza.com as we found it impossible to find a good babysitter for our daughter, who was one year old at the time which meant that we had to take turns in staying in to look after her.

We went for a day in November this year and were pleased to find many things open all year with lots to do for the children.  We walked the full length of the promenade with only the odd stop off on one of the millions of benches, well, millions may be a bit of an exaggeration but there did seem to be a huge amount!

We then came to the foot of the river, that happens to be the only river in the Balearic islands, and crossed the bridge to the play park.  This is a lovely large area with all the usual equipment such as swings and slides, along with space to run around and picnic tables.

We then walked along the riverside until the Roman bridge, Pont Vell that was build between the 14th and 16th centuries, and we came across the ducks who were obviously expecting to be fed.  We will definitely take something with us for the next time as this is the type of thing that my two children love to do.

The whole walk took us a few hours including stopping off at the park and for a picnic.  There was so much more to do that a return visit is certainly on the cards in the next few weeks.

We went on a very windy day in November when the beach was almost none existent, however the waves against the coastline were breathtaking and we were able to explore the surrounding area.

We set out to find the Phoenician settlement of Sa Caleta that, according to the ‘Consell Insula d’Eivissa i Formentera, Conselleria de Culture’ was founded by the Phoenicians at the end of the 8th century BC and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999.

The historical content of this site is vast however our children were far more interested in the trees and rocks to climb nearby.  The settlement itself is cordoned off from the public although you are able to walk all the way round so you can see all areas well and get a real perspective of the space.  I would however advise keeping hold of little ones hands as it is close to the edge of a high cliff with no manmade or natural barriers.

A with many places in Ibiza, the pine forest surrounding the area are good to explore and there are boat shacks at the sea front accessible down a  small uneven stone path.Sa Caleta is a great place for families who love the piece and quiet along with a bit of adventure, the activities are not commercial or planned, they are for you and your children to find and develop in your own unique way.

Summary:

• Situated in the south
• Man made sandy beach
• Very good resaurant
• Busy in the summer
• Phoenician settlement
• High cliffs
• Forest and boat shacks to explore

Talamanca is our children’s favourite beach in the summer for a number of reasons.  It is a family beach first and foremost and is relatively tranquil even in July and August.  It is also an area in which my Ibiza babysitting services have been used in the hotels and apartments but especially in private villas.

It is located north-east of Ibiza town with a beautiful view of Dalt Vila from the beach.  It is east to get to with no unmade roads, cliffs or forests to contend with.  There are plenty of nice bars, restaurants and hotels overlooking the beach that are open all year round, and some shops although most of them are closed during siesta (between 2pm and 5pm), Sundays and out of season.

The larger main beach closest to Ibiza town has a wide expanse of soft sand, enough for a kick around with a football.  The sea is usually calm, warm and shallow next to the shore until you reach the seaweed where there is a variety of marine life to be seen with goggles and a snorkel.  It is situated in a bay so is less windy than some beaches and there is very little natural shade.

There is a second small beach divided by a raised concrete area with parasols and a path separated from the sea by a wall where the seaweed collects on the sea side.  This small beach area it is even more enclosed and is great for babies and toddlers, the sea is shallower, warmer and full of little fish to watch and the beach itself is small enough to allow them some freedom.

Along with the usual beach activities we like to go exploring a little further round the bay and in the seaweed on the other side of the wall.  Little fishing nets, buckets and wellies are needed to investigate the crabs and other creatures fully and the boat shacks nearby seem to bring out the imagination of little ones obsessed with pirates like ours!

Quick Summary:

• Located near Ibiza Town
• All year round resort
• Sandy
• Situated in a bay
• Little shade
• Shallow water
• Areas to explore
• Accessible

Platja d’en Bossa / Playa d’en Bossa

Quick facts:

• Largest beach in Ibiza
• 2km long and 20-30m wide
• Sandy
• Situated in the South East of the Island
• Approximately 4km from Ibiza Town

Platja d’en Bossa is a beautiful sandy beach with views of Dalt Vila at one end and pine covered hills at the other. The beach is well suited to families although it is often better known for its close vicinity to the club Space and other bars and clubs such as Bora Bora.

In the summer months we usually set up camp further down the south end (away from Ibiza Town) as the beach in front of Bora Bora and the Jet Apartment complex next door became very busy with clubbers either preparing for the night ahead or recovering from the night before.

In addition to the usual summer beach activities, there are a large variety of water sports such as windsurfing and parasailing, along with jet-skis, pedalos and banana boats.  Our children are a little too young to take part but watching was fun and by the time they get bored of sand castles and wave jumping there will be plenty for them to choose from.

Pros of Platja d’en Bossa as a family beach:

• Sandy
• Clear blue sea (with fish)
• Lots of space to run around
• Lifeguards up and down the beach
• Possible to swim out for older confident swimmers
• Toilets and showers on the beach
• Plenty of supermarkets and child friendly places to eat nearby to suit all budgets
• Easy to get to by bus, car or taxi

Cons of Platja d’en Bossa as a family beach:

• Some areas are very crowded in peak season
• No natural shade
• Sunbeds and parasols are expensive (about 12 euros for a bed)
• On a personal note, the large expanse of sandy beach was a disadvantage for us on occasion as there are no natural boundaries so when our 3 year old son made a bid for freedom there was no option but to sprint after him down the beach, to the amusement of the other beach goers!

Quality, professional and fun childcare...especially for Ibiza!

During my time running the babysitting and nanny service in Ibiza, childcareibiza.com, I am regularly asked by parents to recommend things to do with children on the island.

My plan is to build up a comprehensive guide to Ibiza for families with children aged from 0 upwards by writing a blog about places we go and things we do with our own children. It also gives us a reason to truly explore and get to know this beautiful diverse island.

I don’t know about you but the phrase “fun for all the family” makes me cringe, and yet that is actually what I’m looking for. Don’t get me wrong, there is no substitute for a few hours to yourself away from the children when you are on holiday (which is where www.childcareibiza.com comes in), but finding things to do that you all enjoy together as a family can turn a nice break into an amazing memorable holiday for everyone.

Gracias,

Alexis