To think big days out aren't worth it?

[tiedyetie]

Took the kids to a science museum/zoo type place. Cost loads, cost for parking too. Plus gas.

Drove there = 40 mins each way. Kids hyper in the car. On the way back too.

Museum was packed full of folk. Kids rushed round super quick, barely glanced at the animals.

Went outside, someone had set up some inflatables outside = fiver a child for one hour. Moaning because I wouldn't let them on it.

Had a picnic - found a really steep hill which the kids ran up and down for an hour! Best bit of the day apparently!

AIBU to think big days out are overrated???!!!

I agree. They can have as much fun at a park.
Days out aren’t worth the hassle and money.

We rarely do things with entrance fees, it would be mainly on holiday we would have that kind of day out. There are lots of places to walk to or a short drive or bus ride from here so we just do those. Sometimes we take a picnic, other times we will visit a cafe if we aren't spending money on anything else. My kids love theatre so I book that well in advance to get cheap tickets and they are generally better if away from home so a cheap stay somewhere else with lots of walking and free activities can cost less than a couple of big ticket days out from home.

They are expensive but overall worth the experience on occasion a trip to the park or local forest is enjoyable too.

I think expectations can be too high especially with little ones and higher cost days out. My 5yo now is good company but my 3yo is still quite hard work and still gets quite tired/overwhelmed. I’ve found shorter days work better and not being afraid to call it a day when they get tired. The times we’ve had problems were when we’ve been more focused on getting our moneys worth.

garden centres are good cheap entertainment for little ones. Both of mine have loved having a wander and going to the cafe.

This is why I love free museums - and I’m lucky to live in London so have a lot of choice. I find it changes your mindset a bit so it doesn’t “matter” that the kids are only interested in one exhibition (usually dinosaurs etc) and skip the rest and re-do the bit they want to do. I don’t have this mentality of needing to make my moneys worth so we end up winging it and having a much better time. I also love getting public transport with kids - I remember finding the tube and even buses so exciting when I was little.

I’m also increasingly wary of things I consider cheap but don’t turn out to be. Whenever the funfair comes I think of it as a cheap and cheerful day out - walking distance away, eat at home first and rides all advertised as only a few £ each - but of course DC are too young to go on rides on their own so you all have to get on and before you know it you’ve spent £50. We could have had a much better day out for £50 and I really begrudge it.

Honestly I also do a lot of stay at home days in school holidays too nowadays. I used to try and find things to do every day - even if just playground, library - but lockdown sort of knocked that out of me. I don’t want to be at home all week but my DC often have a better and less stressful time in the garden than at a playground anyway.

DS always loved the beach more than anything else. We used to build amazing sandcastles. All that was required were spades, buckets and a couple of old dinner knives. I have attached a picture of my own personal favourite a Mayan temple. It’s hard to see the scale but it was about 2.5 ft high. Just used to take a packed lunch and have an ice cream.

Problem is there's only so much you can do with the poor weather here in the UK. Only so many days you can spend inside or going for rainy walks. Unfortunately indoor activities usually cost a lot of money unless you're lucky enough to live near the very few free national museums. It costs so much here to keep kids busy and socialised here although it's much easier if you have a wide social network and you can go to people houses.

I think a lot depends on location.

Last place we were as far as it's possible to get away from the beach - so that was a big trip/overnighter.

There's a few big places near GP that if we lived closer annual passes would make it doable - but as we don't may never get to.

We we are now had many good walks and free musuems and much easier to access public transport - so easier to do many things. Last place we made the most of free parks and did more big days out though at most one a month if not further apart due to financial constraints.

I think they are worth it. I want ds to experience as many different things as possible in his childhood. I want him to look back and feel like he tried his hand at most things.

Our budget is actually quite small compared to most households. I would never get into debt to do things but, I see it as a big of a challenge to try and do big experiences on a shoestring.

Our big day out this holiday was white water rafting at the Lee Valley park, it did cost a lot but I have to say the kids loved it and it was their favourite thing of the holidays. They love a theme park too.

So I think YABU, although I do agree that cheap / free days out can be unexpectedly popular too.

They are worth it for the memories, if we were going regularly it wouldn't be a treat.

We do a theme park twice a year, the youngest talks about it often and can't wait for the summer holidays to return, it costs a small fortune.

I was going to say it’s the children who are stuck inside day after day you need to feel for, not the ones at least taken to a park!

some of my friends go all out on these amazing days out but in my opinion do them too often so they’re not special. I try to find free things to do and take a packed lunch with different treats than usual in it. Take drinks but pay extra for fairground rides or an ice cream.
when we do pay for a day out I’m like a previous poster and get there early, take lots of drinks and snacks so they’re not getting hungry and fed up and make the most of the full day.

I agree with the people saying it depends on the child, my daughter has always lived museums but not enjoyed things like soft play. Once I took her to the beach when she was three and she had an epic tantrum because I said we couldn’t go to the museum until after lunch 😩 (not a stealth boast btw, it’s a right pita to arrange trips out with friends because she just doesn’t enjoy normal ‘kid friendly’ activities).

I love a day out, but agree completely that almost all paid attractions are not worth the bother.

Beach or countryside, a walk and ball games/ general play and a picnic is much preferable. If there's money to spend, pub lunch.

One of my friends would say the same as you and i find it interesting. We also have bigger days out just probably not as often as you or my friend do. We might go to a big country park, go for a walk, spend (literally) hours in the park, take a picnic etc and these are when I often have the most happy moments, watching my children play and explore. It does involve time and it can be tedious, especially on colder days but that’s what I hope my children remember.

I do think big days out are now seen as a marker of success, with the social media photos and tagging themselves where they are. It’s also easier for some people to pay a lot of money at an attraction but they either don’t want to or wouldn’t know what to do just exploring a new place.

think it’s about balance.