Recent coach holidays research has suggested that families are due to spend approx. £2270 on activities to keep children entertained this summer. With so many financial hurdles to leap over and the school summer holidays on our doorstep, you could be forgiven for groaning slightly at the thought of the impending expense to keep the whole family entertained whilst the schools are closed. With this in mind, we’ve brainstormed a few ideas of things you can do that won’t snap your purse-strings in two this summer holiday…
1. Picnic in the Park
You needn’t travel far to come across parkland that’s suitable for a family picnic. Grab that cool box/hamper, stock it with wonderful food and drink (found in your cupboards at home), dust down that rug and get everyone together for a wonderful family picnic. Perhaps take some games, a book, a football or Frisbee to keep everyone amused when the dining has finished.
2. Day out at the seaside
This is perfect for everyone, as long as the weather stays nice (this can be questionnable as we live in the UK after all)!
If you happen to come across a balmy summers day, pack the family off to a day out at the beach. Make sure you take swim stuff, buckets, spades, beach balls and other game equipment so you can all have fun on the beach. Just don’t forget to slap on that sun cream!
3. History, Culture and Heritage
We are lucky in the UK to have so many museums and galleries open for us to explore and learn new things. There’s an added bonus in that usually there is no entrance fee to part with to visit these places. So when you’re struggling for ideas and the kids are moaning because they are bored, check out what’s on at your local museums and galleries. Discover the world in which dinosaurs used to roam at the Natural History Museum, see what the power of science has done for us at the Science Museum or soak up the arts at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Just a few ideas to keep you going…
4. Walking the dog
Let the family’s imagination run riot and make an adventure out of taking the dog for a walk. You could head over to some woods and pretend you’re in ‘Lord Of The Rings’ territory, imagine you’re wild animals roaming the woods and nothing beats a good game of ‘Hide & Seek’ – just make sure you keep an eye on the dog whilst you’re letting your imagination take over.
5. Flora & Fauna
Turn your day out into a fun, learning experience for the whole family. Grab a pair of binoculars, a guidebook and head over to your local Nature Reserve or Country Park. Quiz the family with nature-related questions and see if you can spot and identify various flora and fauna during your walk.
We hope that the ideas above have eased those purse-strings a little? Perhaps you have ideas that we’ve left out. If so, give us a shout as they may help someone whose struggling to keep their family entertained during the long summer break.