What do you do with your kids?

DigForVictory

Check out your local library - they may have well have reading schemes that aren't just for the summer holidays, as well as a thriving activities calendar.

There are loads of free museums, as well as some that you can get into all year on a relatively cheap family ticket & again, they often have activities (although pay admision may mean pay activities.)

"Film nights" with other children - bring your favourite cuddly toy to share the treat, draw the curtains, serve popcorn & small fizzy drinks & start the DVD. (Next week, film night at other child's!)

It need not be cold if you have the right coat - look at what's in the sales! The feather lined things are hell to wash but bliss to wear - warmer than you'd beleive, even just stood watching them hurtle. Thick socks and insoles in the wellies, then home for mugs of hot soup.

If it isn't too cold, and you are not on metered water, have them wash the car. Degenerates into a water fight pretty quickly but loads of fun. (Hot bath & bucket for soaking wet clothes on standby!)

If you have a place with ducks, it is worth getting the yellow stickered loaf occasionally. Just try not to issue mouldy bread as we found it was 50/50 how much bread went into child as opposed to chucked to ducks.

A dressing up box (especially if your phone has a camera) canb be worth its weight in rubies. Shirt, tie, charity shop hats, crowns, swords, "armour" (tinfoil on cardboard, or shiny grey duct tape), a sheriffs badge, a 'cloak' (gather one cot sheet edge & add ties to hold it together or attach to shoulder harness), tights in bright colours - then let them devise the story & act it for you?!

A lot of childrens TV show websites have colouring-in sheets you can download & print off.

We used clubcard points to get CADW (Welsh heritage) membership & so have visited almost every castle in South Wales. Especially on days when they have the living history/reenactors on show. Loads of fun!

Delree

masonsmum wrote: »

As my OP said Getting married has stopped the expensive days out as we are trying to get back on track financially after such a big outlay. Not days out as a whole!

Great, kids miss out so you can have a big day. Nice.

BitterAndTwisted

"Getting back on track" sounds to me that the wedding-money wasn't from savings but borrowed from the bank. Not what I'd choose to do but then I'm not the OP.

Kids of this age need to get out of the house and do some running about. Cooping them up at home all day is probably going to result in fighting if they're left to their own devices. I'd expect a 7 year old to be able to amuse themselves for a few hours, but certainly not all day every day, but not a 2 year old. A two year old with time on his hands without being fully engaged with/watched is just asking for trouble.

Nadstar

Delree wrote: »

Great, kids miss out so you can have a big day. Nice.

Pffft!

Hardly missing out is it? OP is clearly looking to spend quality time with them, just not pay through the nose to do it!

There is something that I am currently pricing up to do in October, if I decide to go ahead, there will be a very frugal summer ahead - That said, I have no plans to not enjoy it or to not go out, my daughter and I will just have to focus on getting the most from our money, through vouchers, deals and the many and varied freebie days out on offer!

Will be keeping an eye on the thread for ideas