Ideas to entertain the kids this summer
Posted on Aug 01, 2023With most schools breaking up this week, many of us will be looking for activities and days out to entertain our children or grandchildren over the summer holidays!
Did you know the average UK family spends £1,400 entertaining the kids over the summer holidays and this year its likely to cost even more.
Here we’ve put together a range of ideas to keep your little ones occupied this summer, without breaking the bank!
Eating out
Lots of places are offering free or special price meals for children this summer including –
- Asda’s ‘Kids eat for £1’ scheme, where children aged 16 and under can access a hot or cold meal for £1 at any time of day in Asda Cafes across the UK
- Morrisons is also providing a free meal for every child at in-store cafes when a parent buys an adult meal
- Take a look here for 5 restaurants who are offering low-cost meals for £1 or less, for children during the school holidays.
- Many more places where kids can eat free of for a small charge during the summer holidays can be found here
£1 Train Travel
Southeastern, West Midlands Railway, London Northwestern Railway and Chiltern Railway are offering Kids for a Quid this summer! Under 5’s go free and tickets cost £1 for children aged 5-15 when travelling with an adult with a valid ticket. Find out more here
Museums & art galleries
The UK has some of the world’s best free museums and art galleries and they are the perfect place to keep kids entertained this summer! Check out these recommended museums and art galleries which are free for kids or search online for even more in your area.
FREE tickets to The West End
Many London Theatres are giving children the chance to see a West End show for free throughout August with a full paying adult, with half price tickets for two additional children in the same group. Throughout Kids Week, the theatre promotion week means you can nab a free children’s ticket (aged 17 and under) to our family favourites! Find out more here
Free Summer Magic
Looking for summer magic inspiration? Beaming a virtual dino into your home, writing to a celeb to painting rocks treasure hunts are just some of MSE’s 24 no-cost or cheap ways to create special memories this summer!
Go Geocaching
Geocaching is essentially a modern-day treasure hunt, and is a brilliant, fun way to explore new parts of your local area with the kids. Simply download the free app and follow the directions to the nearby location, to then find and log the hidden geocache. Find out more about Geocaching here
Go Cycling
Cycling is a wonderful way to have fun as a family. There are many traffic-free routes across the country where kids are able to ride their bikes, and there are lots of things to see and do along the way. Pack a picnic and enjoy a great day out! Sustrans is a great website for finding family friendly cycle routes, including these great traffic-free rides.
No bikes, no problem? There are lots of places where you an hire a bike, including electric bikes on the National Cycle Network. Find out more here.
Free Local Events
Check your local council’s website for kid-friendly entertainment, such as crafting, library and sports days during the summer holidays. Many are free, or at special rates, and are a great way for children to try something new.
Help for Households
The Government’s Help for Households website has details of cost of living support you could be eligible for including advice on income support, help with your bills, childcare costs, transport costs. Find out more here.
Need a helping hand?
Keeping the little ones entertained throughout the summer can leave you feeling overwhelmed. From time to time we all need to borrow, and with great rates from just 2.9% you can take the financial pressure out of the summer holidays.
If you need help with the cost of entertaining the kids this summer a Penny Post loan could lend a hand. With bite-sized repayments straight from your pay, a Penny Post loan could be cheaper than you think.
Check out our Loan Calculator to see how much a Penny Post loan might cost!