How can I amuse up to 7 kids on little money in half-term?

Butterfly_Brain

If the weather is good picnics are the cheapest option you don't have to take a lot of food for a few hours out A big bottle of squash or water is a must plus a few sweets so you don't get mithered by the kids when you are out, some rolls or pitta with ham, cheese etc or even make a few pasties. Twinks hob nobs are a must in my house they don't last five minutes !
Take the kids to the library -they usually have something to do in half term at my local one.
Have a cooking day
Have a picnic day
Have a crafting day
Have a Library day
Have a DVD day
Or just let the kids decide to do their own thing

patchwork_cat

Part of your problem is your age range. Whilst a 3 year old would like to splash in puddles I can see it might not challenge a 15 year old! Or else they would jump into the activity with too much vim and vigour! Craft ideas would be good as they can be adapted for different ages. Salt dough figures, you could bake and paint and varnish the next day, papier mache pig is good. I love doing tie dye - best done outside, bowl of dye, value white tops from Tesco, ball of string , or even rubber bands - it is great. If you were good you could probably also do a dip dye thing. Have you ever made candles - might be able to do that on the cheap if you had some old candles.

SunnyGirl

A recipe for homemade play dough:

1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup of water & food colouring mixed
1 Tablespoon cooking oil
2 Teaspoons cream of tartar

Put all the ingredients into a pan (don't worry it washes off really easily ) and heat through whilst stirring all the time. Once it starts to get hot the mixture will magically thicken up and turn into play dough in the pan. Take it out of the pan and knead it briefly. I use a normal sized coffee mug. This makes a good sized lump of dough and it lasts for ages, wrapped in cling film, in an old margarine container or similar. I usually go mad with the colouring and we end up with lurid pink, purple, lime green etc Hope this helps.

jacky_horn

Try taking them to the Discovery Museum in Newcastle. loads of interactive stuff and it's free. Good for a couple of hours. In South Shields - go by Metro or car there is a Roman fort that costs only pennies to get in and during school holidays they usually have special activities on. In South Shields town centre there is a lovely museum with a mock street and interactive stuff that is free to get in and down the road from there, about 5 mins is the seaside with parks etc. Libraries have special days when they do stories for kids - all free. hope it helps.

Patchwork_Quilt

Get them to make a tent inside if it's raining - sheets, clothes horses and buckets of pegs. Fill it with cushions. Then you can have a picnic in it.

If it's dry and sunny, my best tip is to give the little ones buckets of water and paintbrushes and let them 'paint' on the patio. They can make their own hopscotch, mazes or whatever.

Boules is a good game for the whole family. Board games are good for the evening.

Maybe take the train somewhere completely different one day, like York, and just have a look around.

tessie_bear

id recommend the local libary...books internet sometimes activities reduced hire on dvds in the holidays...local museum ? they have free stuff on....day in the park...picnic...baking
goodluck

Floss

Take them to the beach - Whitley Bay, Marsden, even Shields..... Roman stuff - Wallsend & Roman pageant events..... the Quayside, watching the river...... the Baltic or the Sage - bet they will have some kids activities on....... flying kites on Town Moor....... Moon exhibition....... events