Let Cadbury know your shared joyful summer moments which cost nothing - £265 voucher and Merlin ticket to be won! NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

The school summer holidays are a great time to share lots of wonderful moments with your children, and though the cost of exciting days out can really add up, they’re not the only way to have fun.

Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons would like you to share the joyful summer moments you’ve shared with your children which cost nothing.

This could be a water fight in the garden on a hot summer day, a trip to a local museum that you both really enjoyed or an impromptu picnic in the park. Have you found creative ways to have fun without the price tag? Whatever your joyful summer moments that cost nothing, share them with Cadbury below.

All those who post a comment below will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will receive a £265 Love2Shop voucher and a second winner will win a Merlin family ticket worth up to £200.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

Additional information for Merlin prize: the winner will need to advise on the attraction they would like to visit and they will be sent a set of open dated tickets to use in 2016. The exception is Madame Tussauds in London where it gets very busy. Therefore, the winner will need to advise on three potential dates for their visit and Merlin will book them in in advance for one of those dates.

hubby made a canoe and the family canoed the Wye River in the Forest of Dean. The wildlife was amazing

My favourite and free joyful summer moment was putting the tent up in the garden with the paddling pool and watching my two daughters play outside all day including a tent picnic :)

We always take a picnic everywhere we go. We've recently been on holiday to the Isle of Wight so visited the beach for free, a lighthouse. We've got National Trust and English Heritage membership so visited lots of their sites for free. If a place offers free return entry for 7 days making sure we return to get the most value.

Walking on our local Malvern Hills. Both kids love collecting sticks and when they can find a lot of them, they are happy.

We have found lots of bike trails in our area. Lots of them are old railway lines. It's great fun setting off not knowing what you'll see along the way and they are totally safe and traffic free.

Watching DS (2) stripped down to his bright orange pants; running round in the water fountains whilst shouting with contagious laughter on a super hot day by the seaside.

Going out on our bikes for a bike ride and picnic.

Went on a bear hunt

We went to a music festival where dd was so tired she fell asleep in the trailer. She woke up to sea shanty music and insisted on getting out because she would "have to dance". DD danced her heart out and clapped and cheered when they finished.

Having a teddy bears picnic on the lawn with teddy bear food i.e. sandwich cut with a teddy bear cutter and Pom bears. We also use paper plates with a teddy face drawn on and the children colour them in.

We do baking together if its miserable outside, if its nice then nothing beats the garden with a paddling pool and water pistols.

There is a beach which has been set up in our town with a sand area and a small paddling pool, I made a packed lunch and I took my 2 daughters there, they had such a good time. We also have a splashpad in one of the local parks where the kids can cool off after running around, cheap and very cheerful :)

walking along the beach and jumping over rock pools and looking for crabs

Head to our local river and throw sticks in for our ever enthusiastic springer spaniel to fetch back. If it's lovely and warm we go in for a paddle too

My best day was when it was torrential rain - my 3 year old daughter and I put our wet weather gear and wellies on and went outside with our rubber ducks. We floated them on puddles and a little stream created by the rain and when we were thoroughly soaked we went inside for hot chocolate. Yet wonderful!

nature trails, they cost nothing and you can spend as much time as you want and do what you want. we collect leaves, take photos etc,

Best day so far was today: cycling without stabilisers!
Ok, so it was day 1, not quite there yet but it turned into a lovely family day.
Dd2 bombing along on her trike (teasing Dd1 a bit about her lack of speed), husband with us (rare occurrence due to work & DIY) and THE SUN SHONE
We are both back at work on Monday but I know today was a memory that will stay forever.

I work fulltime, so spending time at the weekend with my one year old is special. He adores birds so he gets excited by walks along the river.

making daisy chains!

Walk along an empty beach at fleetwood watching the sun set

There's so much to do for free!

Water fights, mud pies and collages in the garden. Trips to a park or a beach can last all day.

And we bake our own treats at home and take them to save on expensive snacks when we aren't out!

Love summer!

Long summer walks through the Yorkshire dales.

impromptu picnics in the garden when the sun decides to peek out for a bit!

Water play in the garden brings such laughter and excitement in our house. You don't even need water pistols, just old water bottles with a hole made through the lid.

Carpet picnics with a new (or rediscovered DVD) always go down well and are a great rainy day activity.

We are loving trips to the beach, park and forest - geocaching and playing Pokemon Go, which is getting us out of the house and meaning the dog is having some pretty epic walks!

We are also planning to do our local sculpture trail, which will only cost the price of the bus fare.

My daughter and I recently revisited a favourite childhood activity of mine - making potions. My daughter & I collected various items from the garden, petals, leaves etc and she had great fun making up potions!