No need to splash out to keep the kids happy
Do you dread school summer holidays? It is a challenge for parents — and grandparents — but this year, with sky-rocketing petrol prices, rail and plane strikes and energy bills soaring, is a tough one.
So you’re not alone if you’re struggling to think of ways to keep the kids entertained over the summer on a minimal budget. Many parents I know are planning to get round the cost of travelling by spending most of the holidays in their local area, with a few special trips here and there.
Happily, there are some good deals around to help with this — like the great offers at London’s West End throughout August, where children aged 17 and under get a free ticket when an adult pays full price. Plus, two extra children can get in half price on the same deal.
My neighbour, Sarah, took her seven-year-old to see Mary Poppins and it cost her only £30 for both of them. you can see what other shows are available at officiallondontheatre.com/ kids-week/
If you live outside London and want to come in by train, it’s best to use the Family and Friends railcard (£30 for a year or £70 for three years) and you get a third off adult fares and 60 per cent off kids’ fares.
There are also free days out to be had, courtesy of Kellogg’s, this summer. Grab the unique code printed inside any pack of Kellogg’s cereal then upload the code to Merlinfun.com to select one of their attractions — including Legoland, Alton Towers and the Sea Life Aquarium — and book a date.
Most councils run Summer Activity Programmes in partnership with the Department of Education. Search ‘School’s out for Summer Activities near me’ for a list of all holiday clubs, camps or workshops.
Hull offers a handy £10 Junior Swim Card, enabling kids to enjoy unlimited swimming in any of Hull’s public swimming pools during the summer holidays. They also offer holiday camps, including a hot meal, and netball taster sessions led by England Netball. Go to hcandl.co.uk.
Another example of help from the local authority is in Northumberland, where families can get free travel for kids this summer. An adult with a valid ticket or pass can take up to three children aged 11 and under with them on any journey within Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and Durham for free, with participating bus companies. Find out more at Northumberland.gov.uk.
The local library is a treasure trove of fun, with most offering free story-telling sessions for kids. Most local authority art galleries are free and give out activity packs. Lots of councils also offer free swimming sessions for kids. Check your local authority website for details. Do also keep an eye on the local paper and listen to local radio for tips and deals in your area. Talk to other parents, carers and grandparents about what they’ve found and are doing (either faceto-face or via Facebook groups, Nextdoor.com or your local WhatsApp group). It’s also worth using deals sites to see what’s on offer. on Hotukdeals. com right now, for example, there’s a link to a free bus pass for families (and singles) in Kent. It’s part of its Reconnect programme. Families of up to four people can travel by bus for free. My friend, Rachel, in york says she and her friends get through the summer holidays by sharing as much as possible. ‘We set up “summer swaps” as a group,’ she says. ‘Basically, we pool resources by listing what we have that we can swap with another family, like roller skates for outdoor badminton, paddling pool for a rounders set, pop up tent for face paints. For those who need to keep the kids occupied but don’t want to spend, this is a great way to keep them entertained.’
For sports fans, a few commercial organisations are also offering activities to children, either for free or very cheap. The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has free tennis sessions for children, so check out its website at clubspark.lta.org.uk/ for what’s on offer near you. Some events are free, others are paid for, so be sure to check the small print.
Recently, I met a man who works for Premier Kicks, a charity run by top football clubs around Britain that runs free football training and general sports events for local kids from vulnerable families.
‘We even have football boots and trainers that kids can wear if they can’t afford those,’ he told me.
There are 90 Premier League, EFL and National League clubs running these sessions at over 700 venues around the country.
Go to Premierleague.com and look for Premier Kicks to see what’s happening in your area. you could be setting up a future Marcus Rashford or Alessia Russo for the country!