Free Summer Activities and Days Out.......or Very Low Cost

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We all know how expensive school holidays can be but the six weeks holiday in particular is a monster. I don't know about you but when my children are at home during the holidays the fridge empties faster than I can fill it up. The energy bills are always higher thanks to the extended gaming, charging of devices and use of ALL the televisions and then its the cost of all the uniform and stationary on top of all of that!
Sooooo, free and cheap days out and activities are always a win for me.
Days Out

 Have a look on Eventbrite for free events local to you.

 Visit a city farm. Most are free entry and those that do have an entry free charge minimal amounts.

 Visit a pick your own farm. Many don't charge an entry fee and you just pay for what you pick so free day out plus pick up some groceries...win win.

 Be a tourist in your own city. Living in London I take a lot for granted so sometimes it's nice to pack a picnic, do some sightseeing and really take in what London has to offer.

 Visit a museum or gallery. Entry is free to a lot of these and there's so much to see and do that you'll while away a day in no time.

 Go geocaching. All you need is a smartphone or GPS device to track co-ordinates and a smartphone to download the app for more details.

 Go to the beach. Ok,so if you don't live close to the sea it may cost a small amount in petrol, train or bus fare but that's a small price to pay for a day playing on the sand(I can't guarantee sunshine unfortunately)

 Go to the park. Sure your local park will do but why not have a look to see if you have a larger park not too far away. Places like Virginia Water Lake and Beckenham Palace Park are fab for a fun full day out.

 Visit a national park, there are 15 across England, Scotland and Wales. Often they have trails to follow, lots of wildlife to see and are beautiful places to spend a free day.
Activities

 Check out your local leisure centre. Many have free activities for the kids during the holidays and some often do fun days.

 Have a baking day. Get the kids to decide what they'd like to make and then spend the day baking some tasty treats, Why not package some and gift them to neighbours, friends and family.

 Go on a scavenger hunt. Either download one of the many free ones or make your own and see what you can find.

 Have a 'spa day.' My kids love nothing more than a very bubbly bubble bath, face masks, painting nails, foot scrub. You can do as little or as much as you want but a little self is definitely a worthwhile activity.

 Hold a sports day. Why not get some friends or family together and hold your own sports day. If you don't have a garden then head to your local park.

 Play board games. We are huge fans of board games in our house and often spend a day getting rather competitive. The only warning I will give is that Monopoly can take aaagggeeess and get really competitive

 Have a movie day or night. Get some snacks in(maybe even some of the treats that you baked), clothes the curtains and snuggle on the sofa together.

 Check out some local stores for free in store activities. Lego stores, Hobbycraft, Pets at Home and Dobbies are just a few shops that run workshops or free activities for kids. Whether it's pet or gardening workshops or arts and craft sessions, if you have a shop close by see what's on.

 Conduct some science experiments. You may need to buy a few materials for this but there are loads of resources online that are free that will tell you everything you need and all the instructions for an afternoon of educational fun.
Whatever you do over the holidays, try to remember that it's not about the most extravagant days out, fancy holidays or most instagrammable pics its about quality time and memories(and if you're kids are anything like mine just surviving.) Before you know it they will be grown up and times like these will be a thing of the past.

 I'd love to know what your plans are for the summer and your free and cheap days out and activities.
Emma xoxo

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