How to improve holidays with children

Spring half-term is just around the corner, and I've been keeping my eyes peeled for decent last-minute deals. I love bargain-hunting, and so, as it happens, do my kids. Forget theme parks and fairgrounds, their all-time favourite treat is a trip to the 99p shop with their grandmother, where they get the chance to "snap up" all sorts of objects they never knew they wanted. Sometimes it can get a bit much: I've just had to donate a bag of their great "finds" to charity (well, what would you do with a banana-scented candle in the shape of a football boot?).

But not all bargains mean acquiring things you don't really want, and they don't have to be bad quality, either. If you know where to look, you can find some very good deals on half-term breaks.

At the luxury end of the market, Abercrombie and Kent (0845 0700618 abercrombiekent.co.uk) is reducing prices on selected properties throughoutMay. More than £500 has been deducted from a week's stay at Quinta da Caiada, for example, a luxury family villa on the Algarve, which sleeps six. It's within easy reach of huge beaches, comes complete with tennis court, golf nets, exercise machines, croquet, table tennis and a private swimming pool, and it's yours for £1,575. Flights are not included.

There are also significant reductions to be had at the five-star Azia Resort and Spa in Paphos, Cyprus. This hotel, which is right on the beach, has a good reputation for families, perhaps because parents get the chance to hang out in the spa, safe in the knowledge that their little angels are being looked after at the supervised kids' club.

Other attractions include scuba-diving lessons, speedboat rides and sailing trips. Book through Argo Holidays (0870 0667065; argo- holidays.com) during May and you'll get a free half-board upgrade, giving a saving of £22 per person per night.

If you're itching to go to Italy, Sanctuary Villas (01242 547906; sanctuary-villas.com) is offering 10 per cent discounts throughout May and June. Check out Il Fagiano, at the centre of a nature reserve in the heart of Umbria, which sleeps up to 10, so it's ideal for a large family, or two families travelling together. Nearby attractions include Perugia (known for its chocolate) and Lake Trasimeno, with its watersports, beach and restaurants. Il Fagiano is well-stocked with bikes, toys and games and can be rented for about £310 per person for a week.

But with all this wonderful weather at home, maybe you won't want to leave the country. One of my favourite tourist companies, Helpful Holidays (01647 434063; helpfulholidays.com) has just informed me that it's taking 20 per cent off the price of some of its properties during the next month. Check out Grenfells Cottage, a 19th-century Cornish retreat just six miles from St Ives, which sleeps five. It has been reduced to £467 for a week from 25 May, saving £117, which can't be bad. The extra cash will come in handy next time the 99p shop calls.

Katy's top tip

Crete is one of the best places to go for half-term: the weather is perfect and so is the scenery. Head for the west coast, or take the kids off the beaten track with Simply Travel ((0870 1664988; simplytravel.co.uk), which is offering savings of about £110 per person during half-term at its luxury Villa Maria-Emmanuella, Prina.

Interesting? Click here to explore further