£15 per child for an hour, absolute rip off

[elliejjtiny]

Where we live the only attractions within walking distance are several restaurants, 2 garden centres and a trampoline park. No play areas or anything like that. No woods or places to walk unless you want to walk round the business park. Dh is away most of half term (eldest uni interviews and then working) and I can't face staying at home all week with the younger dc. Dh will have the car and ds2 can't cope with public transport due to SEN. In laws would sometimes help but they have their other gc all week.

So our only option for going out is the trampoline park which costs £15 per child per hour. Plus extra for ice creams, drinks etc which we will not be having. If I had the car we could go out for the day for less than that. The trampoline park is always heaving with people when we go so people pay the money but I can't see it costing that much to run the place. We will go once because there is no other choice really. My dc are too old to want to go round the garden centre now.

Did you advance search her or something? Bit weird

Trampoline park by me costs the same. I don’t know where you’d get a day out cheaper even with a car tbh. Easier in the summer when it’s nice to be outside. Then we’d just head to free parks etc but winter it’s expensive.

Swimming would cost us £21 for 3 of us for an hour. A farm would be about £60 for the day. Zoo closer to £70. Theme park even more. There’s no such thing as a ‘cheap’ day out anymore

Why don't you start lobbying for a local park; it's usually common community resource and I'm surprised you don't have access to one in your area.

Have you considered renting a car for a couple of days? Might be cheaper than the trampoline park.

You must have a local park nearby? Take them for a bike ride or a run.

This thread has gone so odd.

firstly why do you feel it is weird to use a function mumsnet makes available? Have you some secret etiquette that no one else got the memo on.

and what’s the relevance of the husband taking the car, if the op can’t even drive anyway,

I got 3 minutes away for £7 each way in a local taxi so doubt an uber would be cheaper

They are cheaper though. My dd got one home from school last week. It's five miles away and takes about 15 minutes and it cost £12.

Why would I no what the relevance is of the husband taking the car? My opinion is it was a bit weird, yours is that it isn’t. I don’t think the thread has ‘gone so odd’ but whatever.

Because having Sen children that can't Access public transport you would think it would be very high on the list of priorities to drive to get them out and about rather than making excuses for doing nothing with the children then wondering why they have mental health issues.

Any chance your oh could bus to work a day or two, or you drop him to work so you can keep the car for the day? Not ideal but better than having no transport.

Are any of the Uni visits in nice places? Go along with DH and Dc1 and go to the town / museums / local attractions there for a day out?

Sadly you might feel it is a rip off but others wont. The other options that have now closed clearly werent making any money. In our nearest large town a Gails Bakery has opened. The town is a mixture of different people, families with children, higher % of older people and just people mooching round the High Street.

Gails is hugly expensive but always packed. You literally have to queue up with your tray and like the US they also have a tips jar at the till!

I wont use it on principle but others seem to love it!

Their insurance costs must be astronomical which I'm sure accounts for high price. Absolutely awful places and should be banned in my opinion.

Some options I can see to get out would be:

• All drive to wherever the uni older child is visiting is located, drop off DH and older child then explore for day there
• Get up and drive DH into work then have car for day. Pick him up later
• DH to get a bus/train into work
• Uni child to check if any friends visiting same locations and see if you can lift share so you get car one of the days
• Work on finding ways to help SEN child deal with a bus (what can’t he manage and can anyone here whose kids have similar issues give suggestions)
• Walk further to get somewhere and get DH to pick you up on way home or taxi back (could make it so you walk a bit and have a drink somewhere then walk a bit more)
• Offer an at home activity one day with a friend and their child in return for them driving you all somewhere another day
• Use a taxi to go to a local park/town centre with various activities

In the house can you make a room ready for some messier stuff like slime making/painting, make up any games that involve finding things around the house following clues than involves going up and down stairs a lot, make cinema tickets/popcorn & sweet stand for home movie? Does your library offer board game rental (some do) & could you hire a couple of new games to try if so? Could you guys do an online exercise class together to burn off energy? We did some hula hoop, yoga and dance together in lock down.

Long term may be worth looking at if you have any options to move somewhere with more in walking distance or if you can run a second car but appreciate those don’t help for half term.

I wasn’t asking you.

Why not hire a car for days you’d like to take trips out if you can’t use public transport.

Has your older dc got a student rail pass for Uni interviews and are there that many really. I have three dc all doing / finished a variety of very different degrees and none of them have ever had interviews. They’ve just visited on open days .

Our trampoline park near us has just started a child membership which is a monthly cost but just slightly more than a one off visit.. may be worth checking out!

You literally asked me

How old are your children, OP?

Also ask ChatGPT for ideas, tell it where you live, your restrictions and give it a daily budget. It comes up with some wacky ideas but also has some good ones.

Exactly.

I literally didn’t, I only asked you about the fact you feel people shouldn’t use advanced search.

Are you near any English heritage sites
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