Days Out Guide: Family fun on a shoestring
It's not easy entertaining the kids during the school holidays, even if you've got plenty of cash to throw at having fun.
But when money's tight – as it is for many families suffering during the current credit crunch – the prospect of finding exciting things to do during the holidays can be daunting.
Although a National Lottery survey has found that the average spend on a day out is over 19 per family member, having a great day with the family doesn't have to be expensive - or indeed cost anything at all.
Certainly, nearly half the parents questioned in the Lottery survey said that a typical family day out for them would be to the UK's beaches, woodlands and parks, at no cost at all.
Just over half (53 per cent) of the children questioned said their ideal day out was an entertainment-based activity, such as a trip to the cinema or a games arcade.
Such activities, of course, aren't cheap – a fact which wasn't lost on 36 per cent of the seven- to 16-year-olds questioned, who admitted they were aware of the cost implications for their parents.
And 71 per cent of those parents said money was a primary concern when planning a day out, followed by the weather (45 per cent).
The National Lottery commissioned the survey to raise awareness of Lottery-funded venues and activities throughout the UK. They are at the centre of the Lottery's Love UK campaign, which celebrates the fact that since the Lottery was launched, players have contributed 21 billion to good causes, many of which provide low-cost family days out.
TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, an ambassador for Love UK, says: "Planning a family day out can seem like an impossible task when considering time, money and effort.
"But with a little investigation, there are actually a wealth of options on your doorstep – many of them free – and more importantly, many of them allowing families to spend quality time together."
The research found that 95 per cent of families are making sure they have at least a couple of quality days out together each year, and 73 per cent of children say they want to go out more.
Top Tips
Parents can share tips on cheap, fun days out and pass on vouchers and discount codes or anything else that might help keep the cost down. Such sharing is often done by members of the Mumsnet parenting website. Its tips include:
Try a day at the beach, woods, or a country park, and turn it into a nature hunt, ideal at this time of year.
Check out your local toy library. They often run special events in the holidays for low or no cost, as does the local council.
Go for a long walk after making nature trail sheets. You can use the sheets like a bingo game if you put things to spot on a grid and cross them off as you find them.
Mumsnet co-founder Carrie Longton suggests collecting tokens for theme parks, or 'kids get in free' offers as a great way to keep costs down and give children a special treat, and says it's a good idea to go early and stay late to make the most of the day. Take a packed lunch and water bottles to keep costs down.
She points out that a family railcard can make getting to the seaside a cheap day out, particularly if you take a picnic.
A railcard could also get the family to the nearest big city, and Longton says: "Lots of the city museums are free, and as long as you pack your food and stay strong in the museum shop, it should be a cheapish and educational day out."
She adds: "With acres of holidays to fill every year and money getting tighter, Mumsnetters are always swapping tips on how to entertain their children without blowing the family budget, whether it's sharing discount codes or vouchers for major attractions or just letting others know about a cost-free pastime that they've discovered will keep a child occupied happily for a few hours.
"Most parents will usually plan at least one day out during the holidays at a special venue or event as a treat, but if you're paying for a family of four or five, it can sometimes feel as if you've spent your entire week's housekeeping on a single day out."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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