6 weeks hols looming - any suggestions on cheap entertainment for Kiddywinks?

Robbda · 17 July 2008 at 9:14AM

School Holidays no money! what are you guys all planning?

We saved the tesco's vouchers for 2-4-1 for one of the theme parks as a treat and i'm trying to find bike trails around that we can perhaps go for a long bike ride and picnic on but anyone else got any thing up their sleeve?

thankfully (this sounds awful) we only have the little angel for 3 weeks as he is from my husbands first marriage!

Cleosmum · 17 July 2008 at 9:58AM

I have 3 to entertain, all from quite different age bands, so its great fun trying to find something to entertain a 5, 9 and 13 year old :eek:

I have been collecting the brit trip points and will use those to visit some national trust places, will also take a picnic and have a lovely stroll round.

We have a couple of days away, booked £19 rooms with travelodge and taken advantage of advance train fares.

I have saved tesco clubcard vouchers and will have some days out with those, taking our own picnic to keep costs right down.

I have also been collecting the Nestle Go Free and Kelloggs Free Swim vouchers, so we can go swimming. Luckily my local pools accept both for swims.

Near the end of the hols the blackberries should be good for picking, so we will go out with lots of tubs and collect those for the freezer.

Other than that we will visit the parks in the area, probably with a picnic, cant go wrong with park and picnic

immoral_angeluk · 17 July 2008 at 10:02AM

:rotfl: :cool:

Robbda · 17 July 2008 at 10:34AM

Just collect the vouchers

Swimming lesson, martial arts, rock climbing... :j

Singsalsing · 17 July 2008 at 12:52PM

It depends on the kid's age and what they're into. I have 8 and 11 yr old step children. They love theme parks and all the expensive stuff but they also love the theme nights we have that cost us nothing or next to nothing.
We have movie nights where we close all the curtains arrange the sofa in front of the tv, turn off the phone and settle down to a good film with some home made popcorn.
They love it when we just drag out all the old board games and put out snacks, they will happily play games for hours.
My hubby will spend a couple of hours with his son playing video games while me and my step daughter do nails and girly stuff.
Walks, football in the park, bike rides, these cost nothing. Check out your local library for details of different schemes being run thru the holidays. If your local council has a web site there might be activities advertised there too.
Most kids just want your attention and time and this costs nothing at all.

Robbda · 17 July 2008 at 1:52PM

What a wicked idea

anthony1 · 17 July 2008 at 1:54PM

take them out to country side, walk, picnic, hide and seek. Let them get dirty and burn off some energy

Snaggles · 17 July 2008 at 2:01PM

If you have quite young kids, get a bucket and some big paint brushes (the sort you would use for decorating) - fill the bucket with water and let them 'paint' the exterior of the house with it - they feel like they are having proper messy fun, and you don't have to do any cleaning up! :T

Someone posted this on here last year (can't remember who, sorry) but my almost 8 year old STILL loves doing this!

peb · 17 July 2008 at 2:16PM

I was going to propose something similar to IA but I understand it may be illegal.........

However check out your local newspaper (free ones or at the library of course!) and library for info. For example Leeds City Council are doing a free Party in the Park for the older youngsters* (details on their website) and other councils may be doing something similar. The big libraries often have events on for younger folk.

For people round Bradford /Halifax Ogden Water tend to have lots of activities such as making your own kite etc.

(*if that is not an oxymoron)

Robbda · 22 July 2008 at 2:25PM

Check out your council sites... they have mini beasting and raft building at he local country park

scooterwife · 22 July 2008 at 7:34PM

For little ones (up to about 6 ) give them a piece of garden and some spades and buckets and let them dig. - the kids at my local pre-school have been doing this for weeks ( ever since we decided to weed the flower bed & they wanted to help)
we hide 'treasure' ( stones covered in glitter & PVA over the top) (they made these as well actually), make runs for cars, plant things ( and then dig them up again!)
Just make sure they aren't wearing new clothes.

If you really want to let them get messy give them water as well!!!:rotfl:

6 weeks hols looming - any suggestions on cheap entertainment for Kiddywinks?

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