The summer holidays will be soon upon us. 6 whole weeks of trying to entertain the children, some people thrive and love it others dread it. Of course, this is a time which can be very pricey you want to make it a summer your child is going to remember. Creating all those precious memories however, this can come at a huge cost. On average a family spend £522 on 6 days out during the holidays. £245 on sweets, games and toys and £1575.32 on an annual holiday or short breaks. This is a crazy amount of money so today I am going to share with you some cheap ideas to entertain your child this summer.
Movie or Games Nights
Trips to the cinema to go see the latest release can be fun. However, the cinema can be so expensive so why not use Netflix or even buy a DVD. Grab some popcorn and other snacks which you may have at the cinema and do it for a fraction of the price. The same could be done for games you could either use board games usually you can find loads in the charity shop for a good price. Or get console games preloved and have hours of fun with them and also snacks.
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Arrange a Playdate
6 weeks is a long time not to see your friends when you are used to seeing them every day at school. You could host them at your own house, however, if this is not something you want. After all having your a number of children in your house may not be something you want to do. You could arrange to meet them at the park this does mean that your child is going to see their friends and burn off some energy which is something I find the best. You could meet at soft play if your child is not that old because the weather is not guaranteed to be amazing in the UK.
Picnic
If the weather is nice you could always go for a picnic. We have some actually some lovely areas close by which means we can go there. I am sure you have some beautiful areas which you could visit. Even if you are going on a day out you could take a picnic with you to save money. This does mean you can save money on eating out this also means you may not be begged for as many trips to McDonald's this summer.
Arts and Crafts
Of course, you need things which you can do when your at home and the weather is not great. We have a wide range of arts and crafts which means that Jess can do whatever she wants. We have a lot of crayons, gluesticks, things which we can stick down. This allows us to do lots of artwork we can give this to grandparents or others who may not see a lot of your child. You could even get playdoh I know this is something which some people do not like however, we do put a messy play area down and let the fun start.
Baking
This is something which me and Jess love to do on a weekend. This is something which you could easily do with your child this summer. It is always fun to make your own tasty treats. Of course, this is saving you money because you do not have to purchase snacks. You could get the kits which children love which usually have their favourite characters on. You could make your own creations from scratch if this is something which you would prefer. Usually, this is something Jess and I do so we get more treats. I always find the best bit is decorating the treats you have made.
Beach Days
Places like a trip to the beach do not have to cost the earth. Of course, this does depend on where you live and how close the local beach is. Usually, when we got to the coast it will cost us parking and usually some fish and chips for lunch. However, of course, you could take your own picnic instead of purchasing food out. Kids have a lot of fun running along the beach building sandcastle. Sometimes it is cheaper to by your buckets and spades at home in stores like home bargains then take then to the coast.
Trips to the farm
Farms can be a lot cheaper than actually going to the zoo. You still get to see a number of animals and I am sure that your child will not be bothered that they are not going to see tigers and elephants. Instead, they will be thrilled to see animals such as sheep and cows. You can spend all day at the farm this is something we have done and usually they so much closer to home than the zoo.
Build a Den
This could be out in the woods or forest however, it could be in the comfort of your own home. All you need is a large blanket or sheet and some cushions and let them pretend they’re in a tropical rainforest or somewhere similar. A large box is also a great idea for a cave – this is likely to entertain them for hours. The same if you got out in the forest or woods you could use branches, twigs and leaves. For sure this is hours of fun.
Visit the Library
There are thousands of books for your child to borrow. Which means you both can not get bored of the same stories been constantly read. I know when I was younger and I have been told there still doing it. You can have a reading challenge which gets your child to read 6 books in 6 weeks. This is something which we used to love. You can also borrow DVDs from the library. This can save you so much money because we could spend so much money on books.
What are you going to do this summer which is not going to break the bank?
Charlotte x
