Looking for a holiday closer to home? Here are four UK staycation options

It's not every day you're happy to stand back and watch your five-year-old whack a table with a large, wooden mallet.

But at Woolley Grange, a luxury hotel on the edge of the Cotswolds, that's exactly what my son is being encouraged to do.

We've travelled to this Jacobean manor house for a short break, and our visit happens to coincide with a Tuesday morning gardening session for children (aged two to eight years).

And so, Isaac is thoroughly enjoying bashing apples from the hotel orchard to bits to make juice for the restaurant.

Dating back to the 17th Century, Woolley Grange looks imposing when we first walk up the gravel pathway to the entrance.

But we soon discover a relaxed atmosphere, where children can run around despite such grand surroundings.

Isaac gets to plant broad beans and collect a freshly laid chicken egg from the nesting box. And his tablet - which we'd brought along for the car journey - is now lying abandoned and forgotten in our room.

Depending on the time of year, different activities, such as apple pressing, take place in the walled garden, where chickens, ducks and geese roam freely.

It's a kids' haven with a tractor to climb on and two wooden playhouses with real geraniums growing in the window boxes.

Eliza Reid, the head gardener, who used to work as a researcher on wildlife TV shows, wants children to get planting young. So she launched the once-a-week Little Green Fingers Club, where kids hone their skills planting flowers and vegetables under the tuition of the gardeners.

But it isn't just our son getting an education.

I'd never thought about where my bathroom loofah came from and hadn't realised it was a fruit.

But Isaac helps cut the loofah, which resembles a large cucumber, from the "Loofatorium" for later use in the hotel spa.

And this is where I find myself a few hours later, having a full body massage where the "golf balls in my shoulders" are rubbed away with jojoba oil.

The spa menu includes facials, mud cocoon and pumpkin treatments and some shorter offerings for teenagers.

I come away from my massage feeling taller - and at 5ft nothing, that's a real result.

Being vertically challenged can be advantageous at Woolley Grange, however.

My 6ft 2in husband has to duck to enter our Jacobean-proportioned bedroom, with its beautifully exposed low wood beams.

Our two-level suite comprises a sitting room, which serves as our son's bedroom, a walk-in wardrobe, huge bathroom and our bedroom, with views of Woolley's grounds.

We look out to cedar, weeping willow and walnut trees and the inviting-looking outdoor pool.

There's also a 12 by 7m indoor pool, with a view through full-length glass windows of the herb garden.

There's a sauna and steam room next door, so you can nip in while taking it turns to play sharks with your children.

If you want more time to yourself, you can book a session for your offspring at the Ofsted-registered creche, or Woolley Bears Den.

And at night, most parents enjoy a candlelit dinner alone, by making use of the in-room monitoring service where reception staff alert you if they hear your child wake up.

Woolley Grange was a family home in 1989 when its owners opened it up as a country house hotel.

It's now part of the Luxury Family Hotels group, a collection of eight, upmarket child-friendly properties, ranging from a castle in the Cotswolds, to Fowey Hall in Cornwall, said to be the original inspiration for Toad Hall in The Wind In The Willows.

Inside, Woolley Grange is full of character - we find carousel horses and a stuffed bear on the landing.

There's a dark panelled lounge and a sitting room that doubles up as a cinema, with DVDs you can take to your bedroom.

But we spend most of the time outside, doing a little pond dipping and visiting the nature garden with its rabbit and "insect hotel".

For those with energy to burn, there's a trampoline, Swingball, a croquet lawn and space to play football or bat a tennis ball.

We'd planned to venture out of the hotel during our stay - Bath is only eight miles away, the historic town of Bradford on Avon is a five-minute drive and there's also Longleat Safari Park - but we don't quite manage it.

There's simply too much work to be done in the garden, Isaac informs us.

Small family double room (sleeps two adults and one child) from £190 B&B per night. Visit luxuryfamilyhotels.co.uk or call 0844 482 2152

MORE STAYCATION SANCTUARIES...

Claire Spreadbury enjoys a stress-free holiday in SOMERSET 

Driving into Cheddar Woods - one of Hoseasons' more luxury resorts, it's easy to wince snobbily at the static homes, all laid out next to each other, between the flowerbeds and open green spaces.

But scratch the surface and the modern lodges, decked out with trendy kitchens, flatscreen TVs and en suite bathrooms, make a great base for families.

With excellent kids' club facilities, a bar (with outdoor play area), golf simulator, bowling alley, restaurant, spa, pool and gym, all set on a 25-acre site overlooking an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, there's rather a lot to occupy the average clan.

And if claustrophobia does set in, the luscious rolling hills of Somerset will come a calling. Nibble on award-winning Cheddar cheeses, being made from scratch by the locals, stir up a cauldron of inquisitive minds in the caves of Wookey Hole, where witches are steeped in folklore, and picnic on giant, gnarled rocks at Cheddar Gorge, all just a swoosh of a broom away.

Lodges start from £299 per week and retail from £79,995. Visit cheddarwoods.co.uk

James Tapsfield builds bridges with with his daughter in WINDSOR

Some people still say Lego is for boys - but my five-year-old daughter Evie just can't get enough of those little plastic bricks.

So she was overjoyed to learn we were heading for the corner of Windsor that is forever Denmark.

Legoland, like the brand itself, is growing fast. There are now more than 50 rides to try out across the picturesque 150 acre site, plus a Lego-tastic hotel if you're travelling from distance - or just want to spoil the kids.

This season's additions include the Heartlake City area, home to the Lego Friends characters beloved of primary schoolgirls. Mia's Riding Adventure - a new equestrian-themed waltzer that zooms up and down a curved track - will leave your head spinning, and the acrobatic pirate show in the harbour is slapstick genius.

One smart thing about the park is that it knows who it's for. Children over 0.9m tall can go on pretty much everything, meaning less traipsing around seeking age-appropriate entertainment.

Thrill-seekers won't find major roller coasters, but we had great fun on the pirate boat slipway descent and viking rapids ride - both of which involved getting utterly soaked.

If you're going at a busy time, remember to sign up for the Q-Bot device to minimise the inevitable queuing.

But apart from that, as the Lego Movie anthem has it: Everything Is Awesome.

*Themed family rooms available from £289, with Premium LEGO Friends packages from £369. Price includes breakfast and Park tickets for two days, plus early bird access to selected rides. Visit legoland.co.uk/hotel/shortbreak

The SUFFOLK seaside is a sure-fire family favourite, says Claire Spreadbury

Golden sands and splashing sea may conjure up images of happy families, but give tots a bucket and a beach full of stones and they're entertained for hours, while you soak up the ocean view and stock up on freshly caught fish for supper.

Amble past rusty boats moored along the shore in Aldeburgh and discover a multitude of friendly pubs, quaint shops and a wonderfully relaxing atmosphere.

Moot Green House

There are oodles of holiday lets, such as Suffolk Secrets' charming Moot Green House (so close to the beach, you can get up with the kids and take a morning stroll over the pebbles - wearing only pyjamas - to watch the sun come up), yet strangely, there's a strong sense of community here, which feels really welcoming.

Outside, children race boats in the boating pond, while golden oldies play boules just a few feet away. History buffs can top up on local knowledge in the beautiful Moot Hall and ale fans can visit the nearby Adnams brewery for a tasting tour.

*Stay at Moot Green House, a four-bedroom duplex apartment with sea views, from £1,306 per week in June. Visit suffolk-secrets.co.uk