Kids give UK holidays the thumbs up

The Isle of Wight was today named as one of the world's top holiday hot spots - by kids. The popular British holiday destination, which lays three miles off the Hampshire coast and is famous for the picturesque Needles and the Cowes festival, came third in the poll of 2,000 youngsters.

Only Florida, home of Disney World and the Kennedy Space Centre, and the sun-drenched Caribbean were ranked more exciting by children aged six to 16.

The Dorset beach resort of Weymouth was at number four, Greece was fifth and the Lake District was sixth.

Other resorts to feature in the top ten include the south of France, Blackpool and Australia.

Victoria Sanders, managing director, Teletext Holidays, which polled 2,000 children, said: "This just goes to show that kids have a mind of their own and don't always see far flung exotic beaches as the ideal place to go.

''Although Florida and the Caribbean were voted the all time top destinations by kids who took part in our survey, we were surprised to see so many UK destinations on the wish list.

“But the Isle of Wight has everything for children – it has miles of sandy beaches, a nice sea to play in and lots of new things to try.

''It seems UK holidays have appeal because there's action and adventure without having to spend lots of time travelling to get there."

Researchers also discovered iPods and laptops have taken the place of buckets and spades as kid's must-have holiday essentials.

Almost half of all youngsters wouldn't dream of leaving for their annual break without their MP3 player, and another 43 per cent would be lost if they didn't pack their Nintendo DS or PSP.

One in five even make sure they pack their portable DVD player to keep them occupied, and 15 per cent always take their laptop.

Keeping up with friends back home is also important for youngsters on holiday, with 41 per cent saying they have to have their mobile phone close by.

And instead of sending a postcard to let their friends know about their holiday, 40 per cent would rather send a text, while 14 per cent would leave a message on their social networking site.

Just over a third of youngsters even said that not having all their gadgets from home with them is the worst thing about being on holiday.

However, 16 per cent of children reckon the best thing about going on holiday is getting to visit a new place, and 14 per cent like to enjoy the nice weather.

Twenty per cent also make the most of being able to swim in the sea or swimming pool.

And kids also use their summer holiday as an opportunity to learn something new, with 19 per cent learning how to surf, and 13 per cent trying their hand at horse-riding.

Another 13 per cent learn how to swim, while 10 per cent give an extreme sport a go.

Victoria Sanders added: “Kids love holidays because they’re a chance to put the Nintendo down and try something new – they love surfing, swimming, riding and cycling.”

The study also revealed that kids would most like to go on holiday with schoolboy wizard Harry Potter, followed by Hannah Montana and singer Justin Timberlake.

Top ten holiday hotspots according to children

1. Florida
2. Caribbean
3. Isle of Wight
4. Weymouth
5. Greece
6. Lake District
7. South of France
8. Blackpool
9. Sydney - Australia
10. Majorca

Top five gadgets to take on holiday

1. iPod/MP3 player
2. handheld games console
3. Mobile Phone
4. Portable DVD player
5. Laptop

Top ten new things to learn on holiday

1. Surfing
2. Swimming
3. Horse-riding
4. Extreme sport
5. A new language
6. Ride a quad bike
7. Diving/snorkeling
8. A new sport, such as tennis or golf
9. Ride a bike
10. Arts and crafts activities

Top five holiday companions

1. Harry Potter
2. Hannah Montana
3. Justin Timberlake
4. Hermione Granger
5. Ben 10