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Original poster

£15 per child for an hour, absolute rip off

246 replies

elliejjtiny · 17/02/2025 14:23

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.

OP posts:
LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 17/02/2025 20:37

elliejjtiny · 17/02/2025 20:01

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.

How old are the brothers. A 10 year should be able to go out with a 14 plus year old easily. Ones older than 12 should be able to do a couple of trips on their own.

Mrsp2b33 · 17/02/2025 20:41

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I do agree, I love fairly rural and spend all my time driving the kids to different friends or activities. When it was having an MOT, I did 8 miles walking in one day.

It would give you freedom and independence.

HuckleberryBlackcurrant · 17/02/2025 20:42

elliejjtiny · 17/02/2025 17:04

One of my dc has announced that he doesn't want to go to the trampoline park which will save me an absolute fortune and make the price a lot more manageable.

Oh well that's a relief then. I could hardly sleep thinking about how you'd afford to take your children to a completely unnecessary activity because there's nothing else they could possibly do apart from go to soft play as a teenager.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
Gagaandgag · 17/02/2025 21:06

Taxi to somewhere free?

Queenofthejabs · 17/02/2025 21:29

HuckleberryBlackcurrant · 17/02/2025 20:42

Oh well that's a relief then. I could hardly sleep thinking about how you'd afford to take your children to a completely unnecessary activity because there's nothing else they could possibly do apart from go to soft play as a teenager.

Show quote history

The ops children have additional needs. I’d not advise being catty if you don’t understand, it is best to ask.

SheilaFentiman · 17/02/2025 21:33

HuckleberryBlackcurrant · 17/02/2025 20:42

Oh well that's a relief then. I could hardly sleep thinking about how you'd afford to take your children to a completely unnecessary activity because there's nothing else they could possibly do apart from go to soft play as a teenager.

Show quote history

If you aren’t interested in the OP’s thread, don’t waste everyone’s time by posting, including your own. There’s a whole forum to look through for something you do want to be helpful or supportive on, y’know.

ThanksItHasPockets · 17/02/2025 21:46

Oh, I was going to suggest pricing up a hire car. Never mind.

It really sounds like it would be life-changing if you could possibly learn to drive.

DazedAndConfused321 · 17/02/2025 21:51

It's not a 'rip-off' you just can't afford it. Hope that helps.

Mrsp2b33 · 17/02/2025 21:53

DazedAndConfused321 · 17/02/2025 21:51

It's not a 'rip-off' you just can't afford it. Hope that helps.

Facts.

BlondiePortz · 17/02/2025 21:59

It is not a charity but a business and like all businesses there is a choice

SheilaFentiman · 17/02/2025 22:20

DazedAndConfused321 · 17/02/2025 21:51

It's not a 'rip-off' you just can't afford it. Hope that helps.

Oh, if only OP had posted something like this in her second post…

. I don't really blame them for costing that much I just wish there was a park or something like that we could walk to.

Oh wait! She did!

Hope THAT helps.

Spillageremover · 18/02/2025 06:38

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Spillageremover · 18/02/2025 06:39

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Spillageremover · 18/02/2025 06:45

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immoreexcitedthanthekids · 18/02/2025 07:22

I do appreciate that dc2 has SEN but if your older kids are early teens by that age I would be expecting them to organise their own entertainment in the school holidays.

By age 11 most kids are getting themselves to school on the bus or by walking, so I would expect them to be able to meet up with friends/have friends over in the same way in the holidays. I know you said dc2 doesn't like the bus but what about the others?

I honestly thought your op was about primary aged kids Confused

Wrongsideofpennines · 18/02/2025 07:40

Geocaching, bike rides or Treasure Trails or similar would be more affordable than going to the trampoline park every time.

But also 1.5 mile walk to the local park isn't that far if you say the kids have lots of energy. I used to walk that distance to and from school every day. The older ones probably need to start coming up with their own ideas on how to entertain themselves in the holidays rather than looking to you to spend a lot on them each time.

Queenofthejabs · 18/02/2025 07:48

immoreexcitedthanthekids · 18/02/2025 07:22

I do appreciate that dc2 has SEN but if your older kids are early teens by that age I would be expecting them to organise their own entertainment in the school holidays.

By age 11 most kids are getting themselves to school on the bus or by walking, so I would expect them to be able to meet up with friends/have friends over in the same way in the holidays. I know you said dc2 doesn't like the bus but what about the others?

I honestly thought your op was about primary aged kids Confused

4 of her 5 kids have additional needs.

AliciaSoo · 18/02/2025 08:00

elliejjtiny · 17/02/2025 14:40

Sadly no discount for children with SEN or carers. I don't really blame them for costing that much I just wish there was a park or something like that we could walk to. And I feel resentful that softplay is half the price for double the time and the zoo with a huge softplay and high ropes included is the same price to go all day. But we can't go to those places without a car.

My dc need lots of fresh air and exercise otherwise they will still be awake at 1 or 2 in the morning. They have plenty of things to do at home and will have friends round but that won't tire them out unfortunately.

When we first moved here there was loads of cheap things for the dc to do but things have closed down and prices have gone up.

I'd say, expand your searching area to maybe 10-15 miles and Uber it x

SillyNavySnail · 18/02/2025 08:05

Can you cycle to the park / day out? The bike ride forms part of the day, stopping at various places like park/softplay etc?

IVbumble · 18/02/2025 08:12

Have you all got bikes OP? Maybe a cycle trip out.

Botanybaby · 18/02/2025 08:14

Where is this zoo and high ropes if sounds fantastic

Would an Uber be an option to get you from a to b as your son could watch on the app where the car is to minimise his

Spillageremover · 18/02/2025 08:18

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StarTrek1 · 18/02/2025 08:19

elliejjtiny · 17/02/2025 14:23

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.

Can you Google ‘free and fun things to do’ and make the week fun at home?

Or car share with another family to do things?

Figgygal · 18/02/2025 08:22

I was at one yesterday £40 for 90 mins for 2 kids which is obscene but ninja warrior, inflatables Park, aquarium, animal parks are all the same.

Maybe you need to move somewhere with more facilities

Snugs10 · 18/02/2025 08:27

elliejjtiny · 17/02/2025 16:45

Thank you.

I tend to bend the truth on posts when it comes to irrelevant details to keep myself relatively anonymous. I thought most people did that these days. I like to be able to moan about my in-laws occasionally without them seeing it and recognising me. So no, I can't drive but I thought it wouldn't be relevant if dh had the car anyway, I forgot about hire cars.

Taxi quoted £40 each way to get to town with library, free museum, softplay etc. Nearest park is closer so would be cheaper, still probably not much cheaper than trampoline park and at least trampoline park would be warm!

Dc2 problem with buses is he can't cope with waiting for them, can't cope if the bus is late, can't cope when he sees someone he knows on the bus, can't cope if a wheelchair user isn't allowed on the bus because there is already a buggy on the bus. Also most of the bus drivers won't let him on the bus if he is having a meltdown which is understandable but makes the meltdown worse. We have tried and tried with him but realistically about 2/3 of the time I have to phone dh to come and get us because ds can't cope. Ds2 is 16 and weighs about 11 stone so I can't manage him in a meltdown on my own anymore. He is ok with noise and crowds, as long as everyone follows the rules.

Dc are 2 older teens, 1 younger teen and 2 nearly teens.

We have NT membership but nearest NT property is 30 minutes drive away. We also have another different local membership each year that costs about £50 for the family.

Can't remember if there were any other questions.

We do just dance and similar on youtube and I have a few exercise/dance dvd's as well. Big climbing frame in the garden which the dc use most days.

Can't move house unfortunately as it's tied in with dh job.

Dh is normally working from home with flexible hours so we can go out as a family most days, this is an unfortunate one off situation. In laws usually look after their other gc a couple of days but not all week. Eldest has applied for 3 universities and had interviews at each one. Dh and eldest have to stay overnight in a hotel which would cost more for all of us. If it was just the day we would probably all go and do some sightseeing, we often do that if dh had to go away for a day with work.

The bus driver is in the wrong if buggy stays on and wheelchair refused maybe your son realises that.