27 ideas for the six-week holidays without spending a fortune
It’s that time of year again. The summer holidays are fast approaching and as much fun as they can be, it can also be daunting to work out how to keep kids entertained for six weeks or more, without spending a fortune.
What works for you will depend a lot on your children and your family, but we’ve come up with a long list of things to do in the summer holidays that are either free or well-priced, to give you lots of options to choose from.
Free days out do require some creative thinking but sometimes that can make them better than those days when you throw loads of money at expensive summer holiday activities only to find your children just aren’t in the mood.
So let’s buckle up and get ready for some budget-friendly summer fun!
1. Go on a picnic
"One of the biggest thrills for children is having a picnic at the end of the garden or at the park," says Alison Rice, independent travel expert, who points out that we are lucky to have so much free open space in the UK.
Kids love to help prepare the picnic and don't forget to pack a ball or Frisbee. Or just sit and make daisy chains.
Picnics are also a great way to add some variety to your children's diet and help them explore new foods.
2. Get a Kids Pass
Kids Pass members get access to over 1000 offers, including kids-eat-free deals and up to 40% off cinema tickets.
There's up to 56% off family days out to theme parks and up to 40% off zoos and safaris. You can also save up to 40% off family holidays.
What's more, you can get a 30-day free trial for just £1. Monthly membership is £3.99 and annual membership is £39.99.
BUY NOW Kids Pass
You can also get a Kids Pass as part of a Boundless membership (see below).
3. Invest in an annual membership
If there’s a local attraction you think you’ll get plenty of use from, consider how often you’re likely to visit and if an annual family pass would make it cheaper per visit. Some attractions offer summer passes, too. Plus, you’ll often get added extras.
There are also annual passes that give you access to a range of venues. Here are a few to check out:
The National Trust offers family membership for one adult and children start at £99.00 a year (working out at £8.25 a month), with under-5s going free. This gives you free entry to over 500 places, as well as free parking, and 184 venues are taking part in the ‘summer of play’, offering extra fun and attractions for kids such as mazes, den building and pop-up sports days.
English Heritage membership starts at £42 a year (£72 for over 25s and £126 for joint membership). Up to six children get free access with one paying adult though. This includes access to over 400 historic places, free parking and free or reduced-price entry to events.
Boundless is an annual membership for current or retired members of the civil service or public sector. For £40 a year, you can get discounts through Kids Pass, access to TasteCard, access to Wildlife and Wetland Trust sites, unlimited access to Kew Gardens and more.
The RHS is another great membership option if you live near a garden. Normally £74 a year for two adults and two children, you can get a 25% discount on your first year if you pay by direct debit. It gives unlimited access to RHS gardens, and free entry to 220 partner gardens for the main member, plus reduced-price tickets to RHS flower shows, including Chelsea Flower Show, a free gardening magazine and free gardening advice. RHS gardens are well set-up for kids and there are always free activities in the holidays – such as their Shaun the Sheep activities this summer.
4. Find some water
Kids are never happier than when they have water to play in. So on hotter days, find a free splash park or a babbling brook. Or why not turn your own garden into a water park with a water sprinkler or a paddling pool and some pool toys. Just be sure to always supervise children around water. Also check with your local leisure centre as many offer free swimming for children in the holidays and good-value play sessions, such as floating obstacle courses and inflatables.
Kids' love of water is also worth remembering on rainy days, points out Fiona Dads, co-author of Run Wild: Outdoor Games and Adventures. "Parents are fine with kids getting muddy on the rugby pitch, yet they often freak out about a bit of rain." So get the wellies on and let them splash in the (inevitable) summer puddles.
5. Use your local library
Local libraries can be a godsend in the summer holidays. You can borrow audio books and DVDs as well as traditional children's books, and many libraries run a Summer Reading Challenge for children, as well as organising readings of favourite books such as The Gruffalo or even free craft activities.
Libraries are also a great source of information, particularly around free and cheap activities in your area – anything from free swimming to local family-friendly events.
6. Garden fun for kids
Make the most of your garden or backyard if you're lucky enough to have one. Encourage kids to appreciate nature by growing and caring for plants or building a bug hotel. Potion making and den building are always popular too. You could always invest in a couple of new outdoor toys or garden games for them to enjoy over the summer. If you're on a tight budget, Facebook marketplace and eBay can be great ways to pick up a bargain on a pre-loved toy. Or use what you already have to make a fun obstacle course for them to complete.
You may also find their existing toys grab their attention again when set up outdoors.
7. Free sports
You might be surprised to discover how much sports coaching for kids is actually free. Tennis For Free's website lets you know where there's free coaching sessions in your area, for example. Book early.
Or why not sign up for your local junior parkrun for a fun free way to get some outdoor exercise and meet other families.
8. Camp out
Let the kids camp in the garden – and if they're too young to sleep out in the elements alone, either bring them in just before sleeping time or join them for the night.
If you're feeling more adventurous, book a family campsite for your holiday. Tents and caravans knock the socks off hotel rooms, as any child will tell you. Plus, camping games are so much fun!
9. Visit a museum
Whether your kids are into football, art or history, there are hundreds of great free museums, many with interactive exhibits and activities aimed at younger visitors.
"If you haven't been to a museum since you were a child, I absolutely promise you they have changed," says Alison Rice. "Gone are the days when it was all about whispering and yawning your way through the boredom of it all, and some big museums have special places where you can eat a picnic, so you don't have to buy food."
10. Arts and crafts for kids
Encourage them to get creative with a crafty afternoon – perfect if it's a rainy day. You can pick up kids' art supplies relatively cheaply and you can use things you'd otherwise throwaway such as toilet roll holders and egg boxes to make fun new toys. We have loads of ideas for art and crafts for kids to inspire, such as making your own playdough, creating paper mâché and upcycling with tie-dye.
You can also buy craft kits for kids that include everything you need.
Or if you have kids who love a challenge, how about helping them get to grips with a new skill such as knitting or crochet.
11. Family board games
Family board games are a brilliant way to keep kids entertained and have some family fun. Most cost around £10-£20 new, but if that's out of your budget, look for a bargain in your local charity shop – just make sure all the pieces are present! Alternatively, a pack of playing cards can be bought for as little as £1 – super convenient to pack up and take on the go, too.
To keep kids engaged, why not draw up a tournament sheet to hang on the wall and keep the competition going for longer. Or, for afternoons when you really need to get stuff done, you could check out the BBC’s free games for kids online. They can be downloaded so good on the go, too.
12. Find free family-friendly events
From summer science exhibitions to mini music festivals for families, there's a wealth of free days across the UK this summer. Check your local library or tourist information office and search for events in your area online. Remember eating out can add up, though, so take snacks, drinks or a picnic.
13. Find a park
Head to a local park or forest to get some fresh air, exercise and a free trip out. Suggest a scavenger hunt or a nature trail to make it more enticing – or choose one with a novel playground or splash park. Take a picnic and make a low-cost day of it. For older children, there are lots of free skateparks across the country, too.
14. Seek out offers
Whether you're booking up a visit to a farm, theme park or a train ticket, find offers, book up in advance, or take advantage of group discounts – National Rail does 2-for-1 deals for a number of theme parks and attractions. Check everything from cereal packs to Tesco Clubcard vouchers and if you're booking ahead, do it online.
Also remember that if you're likely to visit more than a couple of times in the year, it might be cheaper to buy an annual pass.
15. Kids Eat for Free
A growing number of eateries have a Kids Eat Free or for £1 deal, slashing the price of eating out considerably. Be sure to check whether it's a walk-in deal, or if you need to book or register and get a voucher first.
16. Cinema deals
Forking out for tickets, popcorn and a drink at the cinema can cost a small fortune. But most cinemas now have deals for kids. For example, Vue enables children, and the adults accompanying them, to get tickets from £2.49 every morning from 10am in the school holidays, while Odeon has a similar offer for £2.75 at selected cinemas.
17. Go Geocaching
Geocaching is a treasure hunt for the digital generation. So long as you have a GPS device, it's a great way to learn about your local area too. To get started, sign up for free membership on the Geocaching website, then enter your postcode to find geocaches near you. Now you're ready to use coordinates posted on the internet to hunt out an item or container holding a number of them – often toys.
Join In! Sign up for Geocaching here!
18. Be flexible over holiday dates and airlines
Leaving mid-week can make your holiday a lot cheaper. You might also want to fly two different airlines, if you're not booking a package. Most airlines now sell on-way flights at reasonable prices, meaning one might be cheaper for the outbound flight, while another one's better for the return.
19. Free and subsidised holiday clubs
Many schools and community centres offer summer holidays clubs and activities that are either free or heavily subsidised. And remember holiday clubs are often eligible for payment through tax-free childcare and childcare vouchers (if you have them), too.
20. At-home cookery school
If you already feel like you’re running a canteen, turning cookery teacher and get your kids involved with food prep and cooking easy recipes. From baking to making dinner, it’s a great way to teach your kids life skills and hopefully getting them to eat more of the good stuff. Either invest in a kids' cookery book or look up recipes online.
As well as giving them some focus during the weekly shop, why not make it a bigger activity by letting them set up a ‘restaurant’ at home, designing the menu and setting the table. You never know, you may even convince them to help you with the washing-up!
21. Movie night
You can’t afford to head out all the time – and downtime will do you and the kids some good. Planning a movie night where the kids choose a film, make their own cinema poster and have some snacks to share can be a great way to turn a low-key activity into something more exciting. Why not help them make some paper sweet cones to hold their treats?
22. Go sight-seeing
You don’t have to book a full on holiday to go on a sightseeing tour. Book in advance to get cheap train or coach tickets to an interesting town or city not too far away. Pop to the local tourist destination (or check online before you go) to choose a few things to see and do beforehand for a fun day out.
23. Check garden centre activites
Lots of garden centres put on free and cheap activities for children over the holidays, from pottery painting to bug house building and planting up flower and herb pots. Dobbie’s Garden Centres, for example, are running free holiday clubs and workshops this August where children will learn all about butterflies and enjoy butterfly-themed crafts.
24. Fruit picking
Most kids love fruit picking – whether its blueberries, strawberries, apples, or whatever else takes their fancy. It provides a fun morning or afternoon outside and you just pay for the fruit, which if the picking was a bit overzealous, you can freeze for smoothies. Look up your local PYO farm or save even more and go foraging for blackberries and bilberries.
25. Find a forest
The Forestry Commission puts on lots of free and low-cost children’s activities and trails. You can find Gruffalo trails across the country and there's a Peter Rabbit trail, too. You generally have to pay for parking, although sometimes it’s possible to park further away and enter the forest at a different point – then walk or cycle up to the visitors’ centre. They also offer free printable activity sheets that you could take to your local woods. You can find your nearest Forestry Commission forest here.
26. Head to the beach
On a sunny day, heading to your nearest beach with a picnic is a surefire hit with most kids. For those who live further inland, look for lakes with natural or man-made beaches, such as Loch Morlich in Scotland, Gaddings Dam in Yorkshire and Frensham Ponds in Surrey. If you’re prepared to spend a bit more you could consider renting a kayak or paddleboard for the day (do check first whether licences are needed). Decathlon rents kayaks and paddleboards from £35 for the day, or there may be somewhere locally where you can rent by the hour for less.
27. Big summer clear out
And when they say they really are bored… encourage them to have a sort out of their bedrooms. Yes, really!
Getting the mounds of toys and into some sort of order and the missing pieces reunited may create new play opportunities. You’ll probably have to help them get started, focusing on one area or type of item at a time. But we all know the joy of a good declutter. Kids love labelling up their boxes and drawers, so a label maker if you have one can make tidying feel more fun. Or you can design your own labels together if not.
For added incentive, why not book a space at a car boot sale to help them sell on toys they no longer want and clothes they don’t fit into anymore.
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