Every now and then, you need a chill-out day. These low-octane activities are perfect for keeping the kids amused without the adrenaline highs (or crashes!).

We love Disney, Universal, Legoland – the parks are the main reason many visitors come to Central Florida.

But a whole week of amusement parks? We’d be gibbering wrecks in the corner if we had to do 7 full days back to back!

They’re fun… but exhausting. And, especially if you have little ones with you, we really recommend planning some down days into your schedule too.

1. Chilling round the pool

You might just want to spend those days chilling around your own private pool.

Or, if you’re on a resort with a wide range of amenities such as Emerald Island or Terre Verde, exploring what’s on offer onsite can take a full day!

But when your kids need a change of scenery, a short low-cost adventure can break up the day really nicely, without tiring them out. So you’re all refreshed for another crazy all-day stint at the parks the following day!

2. The Crayola Experience

This is new to Orlando this year and we’re hearing some very favourable reports. Located in the Florida Mall, the Crayola Experience offers 25 Crayola-themed attractions over 70,000 square feet.

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It’s a little on the expensive side $16.99 for each person (kids and adult tickets are the same price), but under twos go free.

Your kids should be able to try their hand at everything – from melting and moulding crayons into new shapes, doodling, having a go at drip art or one of the digital games, creating their own personalised crayon label, or running off some excess energy in the play area – within within three to four hours. There’s a couple of cafes inside too, so it could be a great middle-of-the-day excursion before you return to the villa and the pool.

3. Crazy Golf

I’m not a huge fan of crazy golf myself, but my boys love it. There are a number of great crazy golf courses in and around the Kissimmee/ Orlando areas, not least Disney’s Fantasia Mini Golf and Universal’s excellent Hollywood Mini Golf on its City Walk.

However, if you’re staying in Kissimmee, particularly one of our holiday homes on Seasons, Indian Point, Terre Verde or Emerald Island, the most convenient place to try your hand at minature golf is Pirate’s Cove.

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My sons love it! If you can brave the walk, it’s just a short stroll away from Seasons – or a five minute drive, if you prefer. 36 holes of pirate-themed fun on your doorstep! And – even better – at the moment, their website if offering 1 free kids entry with every full-price adult entry.

4. Petting Zoo

Another of my family’s favourite down-day activities is the Green Meadows petting zoo. Ok, so maybe a petting zoo isn’t what you flew over the Atlantic to experience, but it really does make for a relaxing family outing.

My kids love to see the farm animals and take a ride in the tractor trailer. You can take a picnic lunch and chill out in the shade of the oak and sycamore trees. Half a day here is plenty long enough, then return back to the villa to spend the afternoon by the pool.

It’s a great place to pick up a pumpkin, if you’re holidaying in October definitely plan in a visit to their pumpkin patch!

I hope we’ve given you some ideas here. Orlando has so much to offer – it’s nice to mix it up every now and then and then return to the parks refreshed and ready for more amazing fun!

What are your family favourites? Please share your ideas for down days with us below.