Budget-Friendly Family Fun For The Summer Holidays

Shauna Leebetter
2023-08-11T11:42:18+01:00

The kids have been looking forward to their summer break for months, but for parents, it can be a difficult task to pack every day with fun for 6 whole weeks, without breaking the bank. We’ve rounded up a list of our favourite budget-friendly activities that the whole family will love to help keep your little ones’ boredom at bay.

Enjoy the great outdoors

Spending time outdoors is not only good for our physical health, but our mental health too. Getting out into nature as a family can provide endless hours of adventure and family fun! From wonderful woodlands to beautiful British beaches, we have so much stunning scenery right here on our doorstep.

Whether it’s a walk to your local park, visiting your nearest National Trust site or a fun nature trail through the forest, taking a picnic full of all of your favourite summer lunch treats is a fun and low-cost way to fuel your children’s adventures and really make a day of it.

Make some new furry friends

Don’t worry – we’re not advising you buy a new pet to keep the kids entertained! If you’re looking for a fun and educational day out, your local pet shop just might have the answer.

Pets at Home are running their much loved My Pet Pals workshops daily across the country until 3rd September. Complete with crafts and puzzles, the workshops provide opportunities for your little ones to not only learn about amazing animals, but meet them too! Best of all, the workshops are totally free and all children receive a certificate at the end.

Find your nearest My Pet Pals workshop and secure your spot online.

Discover your local library

Why not take your child to the local library and help them pick out a book to read each week? Not only a fun activity they can get involved in, regular reading can help to support children’s language development and learning skills, and help them find stories they enjoy.

Most libraries offer so much more than just books now, too! From e-books and audiobooks, to CDs and DVDs, and even a schedule of family-friendly events, there’s so much on offer – totally free.

Visit your local library’s website to find out more about the materials available and any special events on throughout the summer.

Cook (or bake!) up a storm

It may often feel like you’re running a kitchen anyway during the school holidays with lots of hungry mouths to feed, so why not get the little ones involved? Giving them the task of choosing ingredients during the weekly food shop can give them a sense of responsibility and is a great way to teach them about the importance of good nutrition – it might even make it a more peaceful experience in the supermarket too!

Whether your kids are a fan of savoury or sweet treats, cooking and baking together makes for great quality time and is a rewarding activity for your children to get involved with. Buying ingredients to cook or bake from scratch, as opposed to a ready-made kit, is a fantastic way to get more value for money and in our opinion, is even more fun and tasty!

Be a tourist in your town

Your local area is a great place to start when wanting to explore as a family. From local parks and walking routes, to an amazing range of independent small businesses, what your town has to offer might just surprise you! Look online for free events nearby – throughout summer you’ll find free festivals, workshops and more! – or make an itinerary of your own.

Create an exciting day of adventure without having to travel too far by picking out a few places you may not have been before as a family, or visit your trusty favourite spots. Using public transport is a cost-effective way to get around your town, and you never know what else you might discover on the journey.

Save with summer discounts

From Kids Eat Free (or discounted), to reduced rates on family tickets for theme parks and attractions, there are huge savings to be made on summer fun! Membership clubs such as Kids Pass offer thousands of family deals, and most of these clubs offer a free trial period too, so you can make sure it’s the right one for you.

Restaurants across the UK are running Kids Eat Free schemes, where with every purchase of an adult meal, you get a children’s meal totally free, or at a heavily reduced price. Check out this list to find your nearest participating eatery.

Getting stuck in to some fun activities as a family doesn't need to cost the Earth. Enjoy budget-friendly summer days out - and days in - and make it a school holiday to remember!