School holiday activities for less
With more than one half term break in the year it can be difficult to find something to keep the kids happy while they’re off school – especially when the weather can’t be relied on. It can be expensive keeping them occupied without splashing the cash on days out, trips to the theme park or even holidays, so here are some tips on how to have some low cost or free fun throughout the holidays.
1. Stay local
Check out your local area, says Hazel from wedding-turned-parenting blog Mumming On A Budget: “Investigating your local area can show you some great places to visit for free. Researching around where we live turned up an outdoor splash park and free ball courts perfect for playing basketball, football or tennis as well as some great free museums.”
2. Get outdoors – weather dependent!
Hazel also suggests an outdoor treasure hunt: “Level up your outdoor walk by creating a list of things for your children to find. You can allocate points for different items with more points being awarded for harder to find items. Take the list with you on devices or good old pen and paper. Ask your children to use all their senses! Your treasure hunt could include seeing a snowdrop, hearing a bird song, touching metal and smelling wild garlic.”
3. Teach a new skill
Hazel had some more great outdoors ideas: “See if there is a community garden near you and take your children to help with planting and weeding. Community gardens or farms can sometimes put on a lunch for the volunteers using the garden's bounty or let you take some produce home which your children will love helping you turn into a meal.” This can teach children some fantastic practical skills such as gardening and cooking from scratch.
4. Get crafty with recycling
Get creative indoors says Faith from Much More With Less: “We've had great success asking our local shops if they can give us big cardboard boxes. Usually the boxes have already been flattened, but for the cost of a roll of parcel tape we can transform them into all kinds of houses, boats, camper vans or dungeons.” Plus, you’re bound to have a recycling bin full of empty toilet rolls and milk cartons perfect for crafting with – the old school way.
5. Make learning fun
Get little ones' brains ticking with food related experiments say Jo and Leisa at joleisa.com:
“We experimented with making butter from cream, making ice cream of different flavours, and made cakes in mugs. It was so much fun for the kids as we let them chose one to write up as a proper experiment. They will need these skills in their Science and English lessons in school. Nothing went to waste and the kids now have some knowledge that will certainly come up either at school or in their peer groups.” We agree, quick, easy recipes and baking are always winning activities for a rainy day.
Check out our five budget-friendly family ideas for the summer time for more ideas such as fruit picking. This is something that you could take into autumn and winter finding more seasonal fruit and vegetables such as pumpkins in the October half term. Have a great half term!
All tips and advice are solely the opinions and experience of the bloggers featured in this article.
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