Summer ‘olidays ideas please!

[Sulking]

We can’t afford to go away this year.. I was naive to the jump in holiday costs 😅 I took a job working in a school and thought it would be fine but a £250 4 night stay has jumped to nearly a grand just because it’s the summer holidays so AHHHH.

Now that’s off my chest. We need some ideas of what to do this summer, days out. We’re going to do a day at the beach and the normal days at the park, walks ect.

but is there anywhere we can go for a day out? We don’t mind travelling so all suggestions welcome. But I’m struggling for ideas except things like the zoo, which we go a lot anyway 🤣

Not the zoo!!!!

what happens if your in-laws get wind of it?!

Where abouts are you? Ages of the children?

If you have taken a job in a school, your summer holidays need to be may. Or easter. Much cheaper then

is your budget literally £250? It really depends where you are as well. But we like to do city breaks and make sure we go to the museums and art galleries. Even town libraries will have something on during summer holidays. My local museum and art gallery have craft sessions all throughout summer and my local library has events on too. Sometimes that is just a movie afternoon. My local council also puts on sports throughout the holiday. All free. Tennis is the big one at the moment. In the past there was a whole programme involving archery, accessibility bikes, football, tennis, orienteering…

Follow on social media your local council pages, library page, museum page, local clubs like catholic clubs / working mens club etc. our local Catholic club does regular events like ceilidh and irish dancing.

I used to phone Butlins last minute to get a cheap price for a holiday. The kids love it. generally paid around £500 for that.

Got bikes? Picnic and hit trails.

What’s your budget? You could send £250 at the zoo at the moment
without too much difficulty

You still have holiday options. A bed in a shared bunk room in a youth hostel is approximated £15 per person per night, and there are some fabulous hostels out there. You have to get used to the idea of sharing a room, but it’s fine for a short spell. Then this opens up all of the U.K. to you, and you’ve got a lot of free activities you can do then, hiking in Lake District or Peak District, days by the coast you can plan at short notice according to the weather.

For a cheap day out you could do the museums in central London, they are free. Or the museums in Oxford, also free and like mini versions of the ones in London (dinosaurs, Egyptian mummies etc.) or if you are more of an outdoors fan go to Lyme Regis for fossil hunting on the beach and the fossil museums, then fish and chips on the beach front. If you like ancient mysticism, go to Avebury stone circle then hike to East Kennet long barrow then go to the crop circle cafe (if it’s still there!) to find the locations of the crop circles this year. Puzzle wood in Forest of Dean. Loads of free or cheap places.

What area of the country are you in and how old are your children?

It depends where you are, "museums in london for a cheap day out " is only any good if you're within spitting distance of london!!
museums
geocaching
swimming
football / tennis in the local park
bike rides
orienteering
learn some life skills e.g. sew on a button, tie shoe laces (depends how old your kids are)
declutter toys and clothes

Agree about a family room at a youth hostel. We had a couple of nights at Ambleside which is literally on Windermere, awesome location. Chastleton in the Peak District is lovely. Wanted to go to Okehampton but didn’t make it, Stow on the Wold is fab.

You can rent a beach hut for the day in Bournemouth. A few years back it was £18. Have a look at your nearest beach. Great option with kids.

Hahaha! Alls well ends well.

For a few nights away yes; we did Disney earlier in the year so that was our main holiday. We were planning on just a long weekend by the seaside in the summer 🤣

We’re in the south west; kids are 6 and 3.

Am aware of the fact we could end up spending more money on days out than actually going away for a few nights 😅

How about camping, you could easily do that within the budget. There’s some nice sites near woolacombe perfect for your families age. Or saundersfoot both very accessible from where you are.

You could still book a family room in a premier in by the coast for a couple of nights mid week for £250?

Ah, you’re south west. I’m in the south east and have Knockhatch Adventure Park and Drusillas (way more expensive) but that’s probably way too far for a day trip.

If you're in the south west, is there any chance you can do a house swap? Someone elsewhere in the country might jump at the chance of a few days down your way without paying holiday cottage prices.

Otherwise could you make use of NT membership or stay in a Youth Hostel for a few nights?

Break the holidays into weeks.
Then ‘theme’ each week.

so eg Farm week

• go to a local farm park
• go to a farm shop and choose some new fruit and veg to try
• get out any farm related toys
• go to the library and get farm related books
• watch farm episodes of shows
• do crafts like making sheep out of cotton wool and loo roll tubes
• print off farm colouring sheets

other weeks could be space week, under the sea, pirates etc. gives a focus to the week so plan a day out once a week and then other smaller activites at home/garden etc

That is a bloody brilliant idea!

Buy a cheap paddling pool. I paid £20 for a standard size one, 6yo DS and our neighbour's little one have played in it intermittently during the warm weather for the last 3 weeks. Even my 1yo had a go in the pool! We've spent many, many days in the garden with bath toys in the paddling pool and then out for a 'picnic' on the grass in the garden, soaking from the pool. DS asks for the pool everyday. Best money I've spent all summer and we've had loads of days out!

Ive paid £1000 for a week in the southwest, im the opposite side of the country, we could house swap 🤣