Family days...........

domestic_goddess

What can I do today.............

Me and my husband always spend money on our days off together. We have a one year old and a three year old. Does anyone have any DFW ideas for a family day (at home or out for the day) that wont cost too much.

Thanks

Wizwoo

You might be better off on the Travel / Family forum for this - but you could try using your Tescos clubcard points for this? Or a day on the beach is always fun as long as it's dry. Really depends on where abouts you are. Walks in the countryside or a visit to a local park - some of the smaller zoos around the country can be quite cheap especially if you take a picnic with you.

Have fun!

SaveMoreMoney

Go for a walk (or push the buggies !) in the park - woods - etc etc

It might not take up a whole day, but could be the start of a regular 'family thing'.

I'm sure that you will see enough to entertain the kids for a few hours.

Gets you all out - good exercise and it's pretty much free.

Spendless

If your little ones like water, swimming can be cheap. Our council run pools don't charge until children are 5. If yours are same it'd just been 2 adult tickets.

Do you know what is available in your area- eg there is a park with man-made beach and paddling lake and fishing 1/2 hours drive from us. If you take your own buckets & spades & picnic. It can cost as little as £1 for car park fees for day out.

Broken_hearted

You can do nature trails round the garden or local park. Bake cakes with the older child. Have a creativity day. Buy a paddling pool ELC has them from £3 and relax.

nearlyrich

I am going to move this to Days Out Board as there will be may response on there, all the ideas should be moneysaving hopefully. I hope it's not raining where you are it's awful here and I am putting off going shopping till it stops a bit!

Have a good family day whatever you chose to do.

hellofreebies

i would maybe opt for the theme parks ie. legoland, chessington world of adventures while you have young children under 4 as most park offer free infants until they are around 4-5years...ie stay at the travelodge for £26..with a buy one get one adult free coupon could make a themepark break including hotel as cheap as under £60 for the 4 of you...also sightseeing in london could be cheap for you both as the children would travel on trains and other public transport and admited free in several tourist attractions...i ve have fitted 4 hols including two abroad this year knowing we may have to cut back from next year when my infant turns two.

jet77

What area are you in? I'm in Birmingham and have just started making a cheap/free days out list. We have got a Nature Centre in Edgbaston which costs £1.60 entry for adults, there is a council run farm which is free to visit, there is also a big water park which costs about £1.50 to park at and then endless fun, we also have a local garden centre which has quite a few animals in (just have to leave purse at home when I go there).

In half term we are going to keep nature diaries and go out for a couple of hours each day with a picnic, write down what we see and then go to library and see what we can find out about the birds/creepy crawlies that we have seen.

gingerdad

Here’s my 2p worth: -

Things my now 4 and 5 y/o love to do and have done: -

Baking Cakes and Making Pizzas - the have both done this for since age of 2 loads of mess and fun, and they tend to eat a lot more, they now also often make their own burgers, crunchy chicken, sausage rolls, they also enjoy washing up from some reason.

Shopping - Going to Asda and getting a couple of the little trolleys - we can spend hours doing this, I always go with a short list of things we need, but never spend much - can cause chaos though, but good fun

Nature Walks - we live in the lakes and have some superb open space near by, but we go spotting trees and birds, and picking up leaves.

Feeding the Ducks

Bike or Scooter ride - again we have a long flat prom that they loved to be pushed along, now can ride themselves.

Play at any local park.

Swimming - again loads of fun at the young age you only pay for the adults.

Local indoor play area - again usually have a baby area and you'll only pay for the older child.

We also have a local ice cream farm with a cool playground and you only pay for the ice cream and can play for free for as long as you want.

Lots of museums now do free events and have free entry.

Gardening - again our two love to dig and play in the garden, currently they have loads of veggies growing.

Craft - we do loads of different crafts and painting, again can cost virtually nothing if reusing paper and other bits around the house.

We also have a season ticket to a local historic house, cost about 16 pounds for the year (again the kids are still free) they go a play in the gardens there a lot as well.

I am also lucky as through work get quite a few free tickets for events and attractions, so we also visit these a lot.

Sallys_Savings

I'd agree with gingerdad and also:

Visit the Library..they don't just lend books but story tapes and videos too. Most of the libraries also hold free sessions for under fives..our ones have rhyme time and story time so make the most. Also in the school holidays they have different activites on for a fee of £1, which normally covers the arty crafty costs.

Go for a "Welly Walk" with your oldest in an all in one splashsuit and wellies (charity shop or car boot) My four children have had great fun this way when they were younger. A time when they were allowed to splash in any amount of puddles they wanted and get as muddy as they wished. And always finished off with a shower and hot choccie and biccie afterwards Normally they are always told no, no don't splash etc because you're on the way to shops/school so its a time to have fun and don't forget to join in too. One of my boys would roll around in the mud that was left on a local footie field lol

Look at books (library) for creative ideas, they are lots out there. Make cardboard boats, rocket ships, shops, garages etc. Take time to "Play"

Make tents in the garden with old sheets and clothes horses etc.

Our local nature reservce hold special times to come along and do pond dipping etc (for when yours are a little older), bat evenings, frog watching, making bird boxes etc. These are really cheap (£1) or free so take a look in the local papers etc.

How about cycling ..lots of fun and healthy too

Animal rescue centres..our local one is like a mini zoo and FREE but we always put a donation in the boxes (lots of small change and the kids used to put them in every onelol) They have donkeys, horses, pigs, dogs, cats, small animals. It brings them up knowing about responsibility for animals too.

Seaside visit...either rain or shine I love it and my kids have probably had more fun in the winter months

swimming