Cheap (or Free) Ways to Entertain the Kids this Summer

Written by Gloucester Projects Team Leader Zoe Warner

Whilst the summer holidays are great because they allow you to spend quality time with your kids, one thing that most parents dread is having to come up with ideas on what you can all do together...and then find ways to afford it!

Entertaining your kids can be costly, which means that by the end of the summer holidays, you are left out of pocket (not to mention exhausted).

To help you find some inspiration and make sure you have the best summer ever, we have put together some cheap (or even better, free) ways to entertain the kids this summer holiday. 

Having a picnic

Sometimes the simplest things can be the most fun. Take having a picnic, for example. So long as the food is yummy and the weather is okay, picnics can be great fun. You can also get your kids involved in this by tasking them with cooking/preparing some of the things you will take. Not only does this help them to learn more about cooking food, but it also means they are guaranteed to have their favourite snack or treat with them!

Creating a nature scavenger hunt

Want to encourage your kids to get active outside? If you do, then consider creating a nature scavenger hunt. Think of things you can find/see in your local area and create a tick list they need to complete. You could have a reward at the end for finding all those things such as ice cream or a movie night at home. 

Go camping

You might just think that camping is something you would do as a break to get away from home, but it doesn't have to be. You can organise camping in your own back garden! Or, if the weather looks bad (or you don't fancy sleeping outside), you could even create your own camping set up in your living room. All you need is to make a den, have plenty of blankets and a variety of camping treats, and you are ready to have a fun family adventure together without even leaving your house.

Get messy 

Crafts (or should that be the mess they create) aren't always a favourite with parents, but they can be a lot of fun. If you are looking for a way to keep the kids busy and don't mind a bit of mess to clean up after, why not let them find some inspiration with arts and crafts? It could be painting, sticking, drawing, or anything else in-between. You just want to make sure that they have something that keeps their minds and hands busy. 

These are just some of the great ways to keep your kids entertained during the summer holidays. Make sure that you think about the fun that you can have as a family and always remember that just because the kids need entertaining, you don't have to spend a fortune doing it!