A Frugal School Holiday

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi all

For various reasons I need to spend as little as possible on days out and entertainment this summer. I just wondered if others were in the same boat and what your plans are. My kids are 10 and 12 so they are getting to the age where fun = theme parks, bowling, water parks etc. All expensive.

So to kick things off today we went for a walk! Hubby was at work so it was just me and the kids. I maybe didnt pick the best route for the walk - there was nothing much to see along the way and the kids both moaned a bit half way around but the ice cream and paddle in the river at the end more than made up for it. OH gave us some money for an ice cream so I didnt spend a penny - result!

We are going to an out of town shopping centre tomorrow - the kids both have some of their own money to spend. DS has just asked me if we are going to Pizza Hut or McDonalds for lunch (sigh) but maybe I can work that in the budget.

I got an English Heritage Membership with my Tesco points and there are a couple of good places near us so I am hoping this will go down well.

I am also going to do some research on the internet to find some cheap/free things to do. There are probably loads of places that we have never been to before.

Whats everyone else up to?

*onlyme*

I am in the same boat as you...limited funds and also working (I work from home fully time, flexi hours so will go out on the days I am working to meet OH for picnic during his lunchhour). DD is 10 and we don't drive so all has to be within public transport, walking or cycling distance.

First week she has a holiday club which is 3 hrs per day...£1 a day already paid for. Many of her friends go there too so she will enjoy that. At the end of the week they have a big outdoor event for all the kids and their families and there will be loads of games, BBQ etc.

For the other weeks, I have already booked traintickets with Southern Railway as they have 25% off on advanced tickets. Also have a friends and family railcard (got half price thanks to MSE!) so the tickets are really cheap. Again we going with some friends to visit Chichester and Winchester on 2 seperate days. We will take a picnic and I have received leaflets etc from both Tourist Informations, so we can plan our day. Both places have cathedrals and free museums so another cheap day out.

We are also going to the open day at the local firestation, local miniature railway folk have an open day which is always a lovely day out with steamtrain rides etc.

I have also collected the bottle caps of Schweppes water for free swimming which the local hotel is taking part in, so we will be booking some of those sessions. For anyone that is interested:

http://www.schwimfree.co.uk/index.php#home

Part from that we will be going to some local country parks and the rest we will spend at the stables with our pony and she can go riding on the days we aren't doing anything.

CH27

Blackburn Ice Rink does Mega sessions in the holidays.
Skate 10am - 3pm & skate hire for about £5.
Does your local rink do the same?

Check if your local council are organising any sports sessions.

Debbie_A_3

Hi! I have three children ... similar ages to yours

I took DS2 with a bat and ball to the park today. Free . We also do local walks. They are not too keen, but they will forgive me if there is something en route (ice creams are a good idea; I sometimes stop off at a chip shop and buy them a £1.60 bag of chips to share mid way).

Other things we will do this summer.
(1) Swimming: local baths. Probably once per week. It's not free but it can fill up an afternoon and wear them out.
(2) Library. They are all keen readers (lucky me!) and they are quite happy to sit in the local library for a couple of hours on a wet afternoon.
(3) Encourage them to spend time with friends. (Likely means you phoning up similarly harrassed friends' parents).
(4) Give them each a 2L ice cream tub and take them blackberry picking in the locality. There are several bushes that I am keeping an eye on for the second half of August. If you offer to pay them 50p per kg it will keep them busy (and maybe fill your freezer).

I try to avoid McDonalds/Pizza Hut etc: they can be very expensive. If the weather stays nice then it is much cheaper to buy food from a supermarket and eat it in a park. Your children are at an age when they might enjoy a £5 challenge ... give them a fiver between the two of them and send them into the supermarket to buy their own lunch. I have done this with mine (similar age). They seem to enjoy the activity, though what they come out with is not always what I would have chosen.

Debbie

Spendless

Vue cinemas do a kids am every day in the school hols. Costs £1.25 each they have something for all age ranges over the weeks.

Do you have any tesco clubcard vouchers left over, cos there's Magna.
http://www.visitmagna.co.uk/

York railway museum is free.

http://www.nrm.org.uk/

Haven't been for a while, but my 2 (eldest is 11) have always liked here.
http://www.hemsworthcouncil.co.uk/waterpark.shtml

Even if paddling is now uncool, they could fish or build dams in the sand.

I know my council is doing a set price for unlimited swimming at a selected pool, the 'fun pool' is also offering this for either swimming, ice-skating or both, so ahve you looked at your council's website.

claire16c

If they do insist on the themepark thing, lots of the newspapers have 2 for 1 vouchers in them at this time of the year, once I even went on ebay and bought some off someone for about a pound!

Are they friends with kids who live nearby? When I was younger I probably spent about 99% of my summer holidays, outside playing with the other kids, or in each others houses.

Molly41

I never used to do stuff everyday with my kids. They played out with their friends, camped in the garden, crafted, baked, went to the library and basically occupied themselves a lot of the time with their games. I firmly believe that boredom is actually a good thing as it encourages the child to think about what is going on for them at that moment and what they would like to do to occupy their own time.

dangers

National Trust are doing a children go free at selected places - just download the voucher.

moomoomama27

I am fortunate that the area I live is very child friendly, plus we live near a beach and have amazing playparks/water parks and a swimming pool that are all free, plus a great library which frequently puts on kids activity days! Our local cinema also is very cheap with £3.50 per seat at the weekend, or even cheper in the week, and have all the latest films, so we tend to do a cinema trip 2 or 3 times.

I try and budget for about 3-4 daytrips to places, the rest of the time we do things that are free or cheap. Walks, projects, beach, picnics, craft, lego days, baking and play dates

Lemoncurd

dangers wrote: »

National Trust are doing a children go free at selected places - just download the voucher.

Depending how often you would go it might also be worth becoming a NT member. I've just done this and got 1 parent + children membership for about £41 BUT if you go through quidco you can get 30% cashback. I took the children to our nearest place today and before we left they were asking when they coud go back!

YORKSHIRELASS

Thanks for the suggestions. Luckily my kids are very good at amusing themselves - and will spend 2 or 3 days each week out playing with friends (building dens, riding bikes etc). I also want to spend some time with them though. This is the first school holiday since they were very small when I am not working so I want to make the most of it. I am also very aware of the fact that they are growing up and there wont be many more summer holidays when they want to go on picnics with their Mum.

I have spent many happy days baking, making collages and having DVD afternoons with them in the summer holidays when they were younger, especially when the weather was bad. It does get harder as they get older though - and there is always the lure of the dreaded XBox or rubbish on TV if they run out of things to do.