The school holidays can be an expensive time for families; trying to keep the kids occupied without spending a fortune during a seemingly never-ending break is not easy!
With the hustle and bustle of daily life the school holidays are the best chance to spend time as a family and create some great memories together.
It’s good to have a plan, however; the days can pass you by, and before you know it, you haven’t tried any of the activities or days out you had hoped to.
These ideas should help you to plan some memorable days with the kids, whilst sticking to your budget. They’ll be having so much fun they won’t even notice, I promise!
Geocaching
Geocaching is a type of free scavenger hunt, perfect for getting the whole family involved.
It’s free to play, just create a geocaching account and download the official app.
There are three main rules to Geocaching; find the cache, sign the logbook and replace the cache where you found it. It’s a very simple premise, but one that can keep you entertained for hours. You can also leave ‘treasure’ inside the caches you find for others and may find items yourself.
Geocaching’s purpose is to get more people outside and exploring nature, and it’s a great group activity. There are hundreds of geocaches to be found, and you can create your own for other players, so this could keep you entertained for the entire school holidays.
Treasure hunts are ideal family activities, as everyone of all ages can get involved, and they get us up and out of the house too; perfect!
Nature Collages
If you want to make a countryside walk a little more interesting, why not suggest a challenge; making a nature collage.
Each child takes a container with them to collect any interesting leaves, twigs, and other items they might find on their journey.
Once they are back home, provide each child with a plan piece of paper, pens, and glue, and see what image they can create with their finds.
We did this with my younger cousins and challenged them to create Harry Potter themed pictures; we ended up with images of Hedwig made from leaves, Hogwarts school and the Womping Willow. Try picking a theme that your child loves to inspire them further.
It can get messy, so remember to cover your table before the creations begin to take place!
Little Libraries
The holidays can be a great time to encourage your kids to read more; they will have plenty of time to get lost in a new series.
As well as trips to your local library, you could try hunting down your nearest little library. Little Libraries are small public bookshelves, which are often hand painted, quirky and unique. All books are free to read, and you can also drop your own books off at the little library, which is a great way to teach your children the importance of decluttering, and also giving to others.
If you fancy a holiday project, you could even create your own little library with the help of your kids, by teaching them practical skills, whilst helping them to create something they will be proud of.
Trip to the Movies
I remember excitedly visiting the cinema when I was a child during the summer holidays, and it was the ultimate treat!
You could take the opportunity to teach your children about the history of the cinema, perhaps showing them some black and white cartoons and introducing them to a couple of famous cult classic movies at home before your trip to get your kids excited.
It’s also a great idea to pack snack boxes to save on expensive cinema food prices. Pop in to Poundland to pick up some cheap sweets and make your own pick n mix to take along, or buy a large popcorn tub from Iceland which can be split into individual portions.
There are lots of ways to get cheap cinema tickets, so be sure to check before you book!
This blog post was guest-written by Taryn at savinginlondoncity.com, where you can find more information on life in London, and having fun on a budget.