Keeping the kids entertained on a budget this summer.

[mmmmmchocolate]

Is anyone else starting to get nervous that the summer holidays is getting closer? I thought it would be nice to combine our ideas so I can steal all yours lol a bit like the prepping for winter credit crunch thread.

I'm trying to put a bit of money away each week so I've got a some spare to have some days out and get the train to some different places.

I've checked the cheap kids cinema listings, the ones local to me haven't been published yet but there have been lots of kids films this year so far that are likely to be on kids club this summer. That's £2.50 a ticket but some cinemas do the tickets for £1-£2. Obviously we sneak snacks in ;)

I've asked for a year pass to a local(ish) farm for my birthday, so that will only cost the transport to get there and I can use it all year.

There are lots of different parks near to us, 3 within walking distance. One of them has a museum in the grounds that puts on lots of activities in the holidays. These haven't been published yet but there are bound to be a few that will keep us occupied for a few hours.

I find that as long as I can get the DC out for a good few hours a day they will be happy to chill, watch a movie or read or play for the rest of the day.

So how are you all going to fill 6 whole weeks with not a lot of cash. Thank you! 🙂

[ShesAStar]

Thanks for all these fab ideas. I went to Aldi yesterday and bought two space hoppers for £3.99 each, I also got two board games, Times Table Bingo and a counting game for £2.99 each. I've got a Tiara making kit and a Charlie and Lola mag that came with some crafty stuff, I've also been collecting sweet wrappers and anything else eye catching so we can do 'sticking'.
We have a local splash pool and a few playgrounds. The local cinema is doing older films for a cheaper entry fee. I'm going to let them make pizza dough and biscuits/cakes. Paddling pool in the garden, cheap sand pit and The Entertainer is doing 4 bags of sand for £10.00.

I'm going to get up and out every morning, even if it's just the park or a local playground. Then have afternoons mooching about doing the garden, baking etc.

[clippityclop]

When mine were younger they loved making a den indoors on wet days. Show them how to use chairs and table draped with sheets then let them get on with furnishings it with cushions, teddies whatever to play house, shop, have a picnic , read stories or sleep in.Great fun but make sure they clear up afterwards!

[doughnutcraver]

Great thread and can now add to my list thanks OP.
Plans so far
Mini beast hunt and build a shelter at at local forest walk.
Camp in garden.
Sewing
Paint pebbles.
Baking biscuits/cakes/pizza (weekly)
Swimming (weekly)

[AppleAndBlackberry]

I usually let mine have a couple of friends over during the holidays, which entertains them and costs very little. We also try to meet up with my friends who have kids of a similar age. As long as the kids get along reasonably well they're happy to have someone play with. We'll also do the beach at least once, which only costs petrol and parking, country parks, playgrounds, splash park, swimming, library, baking, teaching DD2 to ride her bike. We have a holiday planned too and I work part-time so I don't know if I'll be able to fit it all in!

[notanothercheesesandwich]

I have done similar to brieandchill, we have theme days, French day; made flags out of duplo to use as coasters had paino au chocolat for breakfast, baguettes and cheese at lunch pancakes (crepes)at dinner, muttered limited french to each other. Royalty day; dessert up smartly or in fancy dress, I refered to them as m'lady or sir throughout the day. I used a cake stand for lunch and put sandwiches with no crusts and little cakes on it. I bought silver paper plates and plastic martini glasses for their squash, we went out for dinner (in full garb) which is a rare treat.

At the start of the holidays I draw out a big calendar with a box for each day. I pencil in events/plans then as we do stuff I write it on it helps show them how much we actually do if they moan on a quiet day.

I also ask them at the start to each write a list of what they would like to do. Luckily they like the things we usually do (walks, picnics, parks, beach etc)so are fairly realistic. A couple of years ago DD2 wanted to go to France for her holiday hence french day was born. The next year they loved having a themed day so royalty day was added. As they are all getting older (10,8,6,3) we might add a few more, love the space theme. Other ideas include Spanish, Chinese, Australian, Romans, cavemen, transport, colours and farms. As brie said it can be quite fun to see what you can link to it - food, dress, stories, films, art, music and days out.

[Abominablebride]

I've found some reduced days out on www.littlebird.co.uk/ideas/family-days-out.

Some great ideas on this thread

[SoupDragon]

Download the Geocaching app, i think its about £6/£7

Download the free one - bizarrely this is the main one now (although I have and prefer the paid one as it seems far less buggy)

[CountryLovingGirl]

We are already members of the National Trust and English Heritage but we have also, recently, joined the Historic Houses Association. We have been to some great places (entry free with HHA membership) like Castle Howard and Newby Hall.
I love the 50p IKEA ice cream suggestion!

[Canklesofglitter]

For anyone near Birmingham with slightly older children the Pen Museum is fabulous. It's about £2 for adults and children go free. It's not huge but the volunteer guides are amazing and they help the children to make their own pen nib and beyond that there's a huge collection of pens and you can spend hours setting them challenges like "find me one that looks like an elephant" or "find 12 green ones". My 10yo spend an hour playing with a typewriter as he'd never seen one! .

We were there for about 5 hours in the end!

[Millie2013]

Bham (ish) people. If you are in west or SW Birmingham, there's woodgate Valley country park, which has a mini farm (cheap entry) and Sandwell valley too (I haven't been there yet).
Lickey hills country park (should be fairly accessible by public transport, ?train to Barnt Green?)
A bit further afield, we love the park in Warwick, fab play area, mini golf, mini fairground, riverside walks and a paddling pool!
Again a bit further away, but the lido in droitwich, which has splash pads too and the park there has free splash pads (next to the lido)

[Oh2beatsea]

Geocaching!!! Lots often available in your local area and can be great fun.
Making a film using a camera phone in an area of interest - pick a theme like pretending to make a historical film or to be a tour guide.
Buy some cheap clay off ebay and have a creative day.
Check out your local university- ours does Summer Science Week for children to attend for a half day. They carryout some research via the kids answering questions and they have fun activities between sessions like face painting or tattoos.

[CountryLovingGirl]

We are members of the National Trust and English Heritage. We have recently joined the Historic Houses Association (that I had never heard of) and there are loads of nice places to go with lovely grounds. We did Castle Howard (nr York) last week - it was lovely.

My children are 12 and 8. The eldest one is very hard to entertain these days.

[BrieAndChilli]

When mine were all preschool I did themed weeks throughout the holidays so we had a farm week - trip to a local farm attraction, walked to local farm shop to buy fruit and veg, made cotton wool sheep, coloured in tractor pictures, read all out books that are about farms, sang farm songs, watched farm editions of programmes - big barn farm etc, I also got out the farm toys and left the happy land farm etc laid out all week.
I also did a space week, fairy week and a transport week. Again did a day out, colouring, crafts, stories etc based around the theme.
I found it helped give a focus to our activities and made things seem new and exciting.

[Smartieskid]

Ice cream for dinner every year in summer always having or going somewhere for ice cream for dinner was always the best day ever

[rose69]

We brought a rubber dingy on ebay and go to a local park with a stream.

[imip]

Oh, I think it starts from 5yo or reception, but depending on the librarian, they've let my younger ones 'play' at participating also. The goal is to keep kids reading over summer and it is bloody brilliant!

[imip]

Libraries (I'm pretty sure this is a nation-wide thing) have the summer reading challenge. It's free and great. Kids follow a reading challenge of 6 books. Each time they read a book, they get a reward - scratch and sniff stickers, a key ring etc etc. I have 4 DCs and ime it does work better if they are a little older and can read themselves, my younger ones/less interested in reading don't finish the challenge, but older/book worms do. It really is a great initiative, keeps kids reading over the summer the focus isn't education and it's completely free!

[Worcswoman]

Forgot mjnibeasts - in a jamjar and they can draw them then a trip to the library to learn all about them.

[eatingtomuchchocolate]

If you live in Birmingham look at what your local and central library are doing. They often run free activities and they can take part in the reading challenge. You do need to book onto the activities.

[PotteringAlong]

Also, cosford air museum is free

[PotteringAlong]

If you're the furthest from a beach you're Birmingham way then - look out for cheap cheap train tickets from Wolverhampton (if it's near you) to London. Honestly; you can get them for less than a tenner if you book wisely and in advance and if you take a picnic you don't need to pay when you're there.

Also, if you're not a national trust member you can buy a garden only ticket for shugborough hall that's £3 but they don't advertise it on the website!

[Lagirafe]

I was thinking the same thing today! 6 weeks is such a long time!

I am planning week by week and probably 3 things per week as I have 4 under 8 and I'm knackered most of the time!

Most weeks will probably include a walk and picnic lunch locally and a trip to the pool (have bought years membership for kids for £10/year).
l

[mmmmmchocolate]

Pottering- we could make puppets and film a puppet show. It might help DDs writing to write a script for it.

[mmmmmchocolate]

I'd love to be near a beach, unfortunately I think I'm at the furthest point from any beach in the uk 😂

For those bored of the National trust, English Heritage I'm sure is cheaper for a membership. Same sort of thing as NT but it would throw up different properties for a year, depending of course what is in your area.

This came up on my Facebook feed ( disclaimer, it's a netmums link 😂) www.netmums.com/activities/g/20-activities-for-a-rainy-day But there are some good ideas on there for things to do at home, probably is more aimed at younger children though.

If anyone is local to Birmingham, the Thinktank science museum is quite expensive but the outdoor science garden is free between 3-5pm.

I love the campfire idea. That's definitely going on the list. I'd also love to camp in the garden but my garden is concrete and stones so that's a no 😂

We have lots of craft items, tbh the thing that they want to do the most is to paint and to get the playdoh out! I might even get started on the Xmas cards lol.

[PotteringAlong]

Do you have something they can film on? Phone/iPad/camcorder? Get them to make their own films. Hold a film festival!