More Than a Kids Club: Why Scott Dunn Explorers Holidays Are Different 

It’s just gone eleven in the morning, and a nine-year-old is standing at a low counter, flour up to her elbows, trying to roll out her pizza dough evenly. The person guiding her isn’t reading from an activity card; she’s just as invested in getting it right as the child is. Later in the week, she’ll be leading a treasure hunt around the resort or taking the group out biking, not simply there to supervise, but genuinely part of the fun. 

And that’s the part that tends to surprise parents most about the Scott Dunn Explorers programme: it isn’t childcare with a craft table bolted on. It’s built in the same way we build the rest of the holiday, around real expertise, real places and a personal approach. Increasingly, that’s what wellbeing on a family holiday can look like: children who are nourished, curious and unhurried, and parents who can properly switch off, knowing they’re in good hands. 

Our people 

The people matter more than the programme, and it shows in the team we’ve built. Our Explorers staff come from a mix of nationalities, hold recognised childcare and first aid qualifications, and many return season after season. In fact, all our Childcare Managers this summer were returning team members, and the entire team is returning for the winter season in the Alps. That level of continuity is something a typical resort kids’ club simply doesn’t have. 

It means the person leading a pirate treasure hunt at Costa Navarino in Greece or providing flexible childcare with our Private Nanny service or Kids Club in the Alps while parents ski, brings real depth and experience to what they do. It’s the difference between a child being minded and a child being genuinely engaged. 

Our food 

Food is treated with the same care and attention as everything else on the holiday. It isn’t an afterthought, squeezed into a standard children’s menu, but something created in consultation with the chef, with thoughtful allergy handling and picky-eater options that still feel considered rather than an afterthought. Local flavours are introduced gently rather than forced on anyone. At Sun Gardens Dubrovnik and Eagles Palace, children can pick their own herbs and vegetables with the chef to make a sublime pasta sauce, or using the freshest ingredients making their own pizzas for lunch, a small detail, perhaps, but often the one they talk about for weeks afterwards. 

Our activities 

The activities are rooted in where you actually are, rather than being a generic programme that could run anywhere. At Costa Navarino in Greece, that means golf with a pro, learning new skills on the resort bike track, and burgers and bowling at the American Diner! In the Alps, Le Portetta’s Explorers kids club sits right by the ski school meeting point in Courchevel Moriond, with morning, afternoon or full-day sessions, giving families the flexibility to ski together or for parents to take some time for themselves. 

Our Explorers will immerse themselves in Alpine life, with fun sledding and snow games, hot chocolate and crêpes in the village, or a trip to the local farm or waterpark. Along the Mediterranean coast, clubs such as Daios Cove in Crete make the most of gently shelving, golden-sand beaches – perfect for little ones to paddle or for the more adventurous to try an introduction to scuba diving – as well as Cretan cooking classes and visits to the local olive farm. It’s an easy, unhurried way to introduce younger children to Greek culture. Or, for something more adventurous, families can embrace a true Robinson Crusoe experience, exploring local islands and trying a range of watersports, including learning to sail at Sun Gardens Dubrovnik. 

The activities are carefully tailored to suit each age group. Globetrotters (4 months–2 years) are given a gentle, nurturing introduction to new experiences, with age-appropriate sensory play, plenty of one-to-one attention and familiar routines that help little ones feel secure. Adventurers (3–4 years) are encouraged to explore, discover the joy of doing things for themselves, with the reassurance of close, attentive supervision; Voyagers (5–7) focus on new friendships, discovering new skills and plenty of fun; while Pioneers (7–11) develop confidence through greater independence, with activities such as high ropes, climbing walls, surfing and bodyboarding, alongside plenty of space to simply unwind with new friends. 

Throughout, there’s a deliberate balance between structured sessions and open, free-flowing play, and screens don’t feature. Le Toy Van wooden toys and dressing-up costumes encourage imaginative play for younger children, while older children have space to explore, create and follow their own interests. It’s often in those quieter moments that children become most absorbed, curious and genuinely engaged. 

What parents say 

"As always, the club was brilliant. The activities are so wide-ranging and perfectly balanced for the children, but as always it is the staff (Fia, Peter and Tara) who really make it - they are amazing with the children - fun, attentive, kind and really switched on. You can trust them to get to know each child and listen to their likes, dislikes and concerns. Stargazers remains a firm favourite."
- Guests who travelled to Pine Cliffs, July 2026 

"Kids had the most incredible time. Staff are just amazing and activities are brilliant and entertaining. Costa Navarino is such an amazing holiday and gets better each time. Room is ideal and food is absolutely delicious. Helps to have so much choice. Lovely to have staff on WhatsApp for help with bookings etc…"
- Guests who travelled to Costa Navarino, August 2026 

"The club was the best part of the holiday. The team were exceptional, activities were varied. Our kids loved it. It was better than top London nurseries. Highly recommend."
- Guests who travelled to Eagles Palace, August 2026 

"The kids club always gives the holiday a perfect balance of adult time to relax and time to play with the children, for which we are always grateful."
- Guests who travelled to Daios Cove, August 2026 

What all of this creates goes beyond the experience for the children. It gives parents something just as valuable: the freedom to properly relax. When you know the person looking after your child is experienced and capable, when the food is thoughtful enough that you’d happily eat it yourself, and when the activities are creating memories your child will talk about long after the holiday, you stop hovering. You stop checking the time. You can be fully present in your own holiday, too knowing your children are having an experience that is every bit as rewarding as yours.