£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.

Won’t it just save 15 quid?

I haven't read all the pages of the thread but have you access to Dial-A-Ride who provide public transport services for those with disabilities who can't access public transport? I'd say bus drivers not allowing you on and there being so many obvious difficulties for your DS when on the bus sound like you meet the criteria.
It's a service we have locally but I don't know how widely it's offered.

One of local softplays is about £19 per child plus adults pay in. So the one that is a more reasonable £7.50 per child is always fully booked.

I don’t know if you have applied for disability payments for your child? We are in Scotland, so it’s child disability payment here but both of mine qualified for this due to autism. You would maybe qualify for the mobility component which would helps with costs if you child struggles with the bus?

Oh, that’s interesting.! I didn’t know that…thanks.
Just goes to show I wasn’t listening properly when my three applied.

So your kids are all secondary age or last year primary. Apart from DS2, can’t your other kids get the bus into the nearest town one day, and either do a museum, mooch round shops, lunch out or packed lunch? Then you could spend quality time with DS2.

Or can’t they go and see their mates? Bike ride? I don’t see why kids that age would be going to soft play. They should be able to entertain themselves. Get them to cook dinner one day or bake a cake. Clear and tidy the garden. Treasure hunt round the village - oldest grave in the churchyard, what’s the name of the house with the cart wheel on the wall, how many houses with thatched roofs, war memorial - who died furthest from the village?

You can use the DLA for activities after all it is for the children

You make your own entertainment! The happiest memories for me when db and I were sent to our very poor grandparents. No trampoline parks, no play parks. But those were the best holidays. We walked to/from/in the forest, collecting things - leaves, pebbles, talked to random people (with gran), were taught to spot things, like edible grasses and bush berries, we helped her cook (from age 3) and we were made to do tasks in her house, like dusting, we were even allowed to light her gas cooker. We went to the library (no special children-friendly area like these days). And when dark, we would sit up in a double decker bus, looking at people's flats (not the same fun in daytime). Went to a local market to look - never to buy (gp were poor) and gm taught us things about food, went to fabric shops to look at things - I can't even remember all the things we did, but it was truly great.

Unfortunately the problem is your transport situation, not the cost of a trampoline park. Those places are always eye wateringly expensive. Our local one is £22 per child per hour with zero extras! We only go there 2-3 times a year as a special treat.

You don't necessarily need to go to a fun place for activities? Not sure how old DS2 is but our standard routine is to get out of the house for a bit every day and then do indoor activities like Lego, crafting, iPad games etc. Going to the supermarket or garden centre absolutely counts as a day out and we pick up a few bits and bobs to do for the rest of the day. Eg Baking ingredients, random seasonal stuff, easter egg painting, a cheap game or activity book.

The supermarket is not a day out for children.

Any community facilities nearby?

I was thinking something like a community garden that you could join and all work in. Perhaps you would be supported by volunteer drivers, who would collect and drop off, given your DC’s SEN needs.
Many community gardens offer food back to the gardeners too, win,win.

Do you have allotments locally? Would your DC’s be interested in this?
Things like these would help in the long term, as your DC’s grow up.

I know we have these opportunities in our next town.

Going to the supermarket is absolutely not a day out. For anyone never mind children, give over.

I totally think it can be for a toddler - maybe not a 'day' out, but definitely a trip out. I agree it clearly isn't for children of OPs age.

That’s about average for a trampoline park - ours is £14. It’s in the middle of nowhere really, as trampoline parks often are.

It costs a fortune to run a trampoline park, which is then empty for most of the school hours.
£15 for an hour seems OK.

You do realise that for some people the £1000 for a car and the £50 a month is totally out of reach.

This is a good point. Sounds like you have at least two kids, so that's £30. £15 in a taxi each way to go somewhere interesting. Or do you intend to pay for two hours? In which case you could easily do £20 Rach way and money for treats

the one near me is £15 an hour but you can use your blue light card if you've got one and get money off

How far to the nearest park? I've never known an urban area be more than a couple of miles from one, why not walk, you say they have tons of energy.

It’s also worth looking at events running for kids over the holidays. Our local Waterstones is doing a Pokemon trading card event for free this week, for example. And look for carers discounts. We travelled down to London for the Harry Potter studio tour and both me and my husband were classed as free carers since two of the children get child disability payment. I’m sure quite a few places offer this

Nearest park is about 1.5 miles away but is aimed at much younger children. Next nearest is just over 2 miles away so would be doable as long as it's not chucking it down with rain.

Unfortunately ds2 doesn't qualify for dial a ride or anything like that. He was turned down for DLA aged 10 and we went to tribunal and lost. He is old enough to get PIP now so I need to try and see if he can get that.

Where is ds2 supposed to go? Do you object to all adults being at the trampoline park or just adults with disabilities?

I don't know about all trampoline parks but our local one has people from babies to 19 stone adults jumping in the same sessions.

Have you checked out the price of a hire car from your nearest city? It might be worth it to get out and about.

There is no allotments, forest, green spaces or anything like that. Youngest is only 10, if I sent him out on the bus on his own or even with his older brothers I expect someone would call social services. It's just a small housing estate next to a business park, half way between 2 towns.