£55 for a family of 4 - 2 games of bowling?!

[icecreamsundae32]

Is it just me or is this a ridiculous amount of money?

It's pouring with rain here and was looking for ideas of something to do today as we stayed in yesterday due to the rain. Kids are 11, 8 & 2. I hate soft play on a weekend it's packed and oldest is not into it anymore anyway. The trampoline park will be too busy for the toddler to bounce safely. Swimming is not an option today as local pool has a gala on. So I thought we'd give bowling a go, not been in ages so looked it up - £55 for 2 games for 2 adults, 2 children! This does not include any food/drinks, parking and the petrol to get there - 30 min drive each way.. I just can't believe how expensive it is! I'd rather save the money for a dry day and go for a proper day out instead of a couple hours in a bowling alley. Why are family activities so expensive these days? Cinema is easily £50, even swimming £25. No wonder so many kids spend winter weekends on consoles! It's so much easier in summer to go for walks etc but it's literally pouring down and is set to all day!!

Download an app called "kidspass" it's a subscription service but you can cancel after the trial and it saves so much money, I took 4 of us to the cinema before and it was about £20 compared to the £50 without the pass

It's so expensive now. I remember it being a cheap/fun activity when I was a kid. But I also think - a bit like the cinema - you were only paying for yourself as a child (if going with mates) and as a parent you pay for everyone, which makes it seem a ridiculous amount!

Have you got a local VUE? Tickets are a fiver per person regardless. Cheapest option for me. Bring your own snacks.

Bowling has offers online

Or download HOOP app for events local to you

I have HOOP app there's nothing special on locally just usual kids activities like dancing or karate that you'd have to book termly. The nearest VUE is unfortunately through the dartford tunnel and into essex so not local.

It's less than £7 per person for a game. That doesn't seem that extortionate to me?

Museums are often free if you have one near you, and usually have lots of child friendly activities.

£55 for 4 people for 2 games doesn’t sound that bad.

Vue is also only £4.99 a ticket at the cinema so £19.96 for a family of 4 if you take your own snacks.

I think that’s a cheap! I normally take my daughter to see new films after school on a Tuesday or wed and it’s £4.99 with a bogof code so a fiver!

The cineworld near me is also pretty cheap!

Blimey. Our local bowling place (independent) is £5 for 2 games, adults or kids!

I think that’s a lot of money too.

Bowling is priced similarly here, which explains why we've never stayed for a second game.

However swimming is good value - there's one (admittedly very no-frills) pool where a family swim is a fiver, and even the the fun pool with waves and flumes is just under £20 for a family.

@Lockheart I think it's just because it's such a short activity that the cost seems high to me. We'd be there less than 2 hours so it doesn't seem worth the money compared to paying £55 for a whole day out somewhere like Hampton Court Palace which I'm planning to do if we get a dry day in half term but no point going today as the maze will be closed with the weather.

That's why bowling is a treat when we go.

I agree with you OP. So much money to splurge on a couple of hours.

It's very expensive. We will often just pay for the kids to bowl and we just watch.

I think nowadays consumer goods are so much cheaper than they were in the past but actual activities are so much more expensive.

We've done the local museum so many times the kids would roll their eyes if I suggested it lol. We are over an hour by train from London so those kind of museums are a school holiday thing really.

If you can stretch it out to two hours that's longer than I can do.

It is extortionate for such a short activity.

@formerbabe that's a good idea and I looked at doing that but crafty wouldn't let me book for just kids under 12!

What about table tennis at a local sports centre? You could take it in turns to occupy the two year old.
Or
Our local bowling alley have table tennis tables and pool tables so you could do one game of bowling and play pool or table tennis which would save quite a bit of money.

Only book for one adult and two kids. The two year old can "help" the adult.

I agree with you. It's about value for money. £55 for at max two hours entertainment Vs £55 for a full day out. Things like that are a one off special treat imo. Get wellies on, get raincoats on and go for a wet splashing in puddles walk followed by a treat lunch or something after.

I'm with you, OP. It's crazy money!

Do you have English heritage or NT membership , great for cheap days out .

I paid just over £50 yesterday for 2 games of bowling for DD and 7 of her friends for her birthday treat.

It’s not hard to find deals. (Hollywood bowl has a 30% off code floating around the Internet at the moment ;))

A 2a 2c family ticket at Odeon is only about £24 here too.

Our council has free swimming for under 18’s.