It’s not long now until the summer holidays start for the children. Six weeks of trying to find ways to keep them occupied and to stem the comments of ‘I’m bored’ which can often lead to your wallet being emptied on expensive days out. There’s lots of ways though to spend some great time with your family either at home or out and about which won’t break the bank.
Low cost and high quality holiday accommodation
Hostels are a great place to stay for a holiday with the family. Many now offer fantastic facilities and you can book family rooms. The communal kitchen and living areas mean you can save money on eating out by cooking your dinner whilst staying there and the children can make new friends with others who are also on holiday.
LEGO magic
To ward off the boredom of a rainy day this summer, sign up with LEGO for free magazines. They publish one every few months and send through the post to you and your children. They are full of projects, ideas and models to create and each edition has a different theme so they will appeal to everyone.
Sticky backed plastic and a cereal box
Most adults have grown up with Blue Peter as part of their lives, but did you know that if you write to them and let them know of any kind of achievement of your child, they could be rewarded with a Blue Peter badge? Not only is that a cool item to own, it also acts as a free entry pass to a number of attractions across the UK. Every child has done something amazing, so put pen to paper and let the team at the BBC know.
Free days out
Every area of the UK has some beautiful public bridleways and footpaths. They are usually in the countryside and through villages and the whole family can spend the day exploring the countryside. If you take a picnic you save on the cost of a pub meal or a visit to a fast food restaurant. Most local authorities will list walking routes and also how easy or hard they are to complete – useful information if you’re taking small children. Even for those in a town or city, you’ll be surprised at what is on your doorstep or just a short bus ride away.
Keeping the kids occupied over the coming weeks is a full time job, but with a bit of creative thinking and planning ahead, you can fill their days with activities and days out. The time will fly by and when it’s time for them to return to school in September, you’ll find that you’ve still got money in the bank to give yourself a well-earned pampering treat for when you get a day to yourself.
