Budget Days Out with Kids

Taking the kids out for the day can prove an expensive undertaking when you take into account petrol/fares, entry fees, lollies, ice creams and other treats and that’s before you’ve even really thought about having something to eat.  Entry fees for many local attractions nowadays are quite steep, making this prohibitive for families with a few kids.  If you’re wondering what to do with the kids next half term or holiday, look for some of the less well-known local facilities like community farms, woodland trust parks and walks.

You don’t have to live in the countryside or small village to get close to nature, most towns and cities in the UK have some great parks where you can get away from it all, surrounded by greenery.  Trees and shrubs, streams and waterways, flower beds – larger parks are usually divided into areas with something to interest most people.  A walk through a long park with a visit to the playground and an ice-cream from a van at the end before the walk home can while away a long summer afternoon and tire the kids out without breaking the bank.

Museums are another great place to visit with kids, especially those with free or low entry.  Larger museums are often close to parks or city gardens where you can go to eat a packed lunch – a picnic is always a fun occasion for the kids and they usually eat better outdoors.  Museum visits are not only fun, they’re always a learning experience – an opportunity for the parent to teach the kids about their environment, their history and their culture with all the props you could possibly need.

Taking a packed lunch and snacks is a great way of saving a few pounds on a day out.  Pack sandwiches, drinks and snacks with some fruit and cake and it will save you a small fortune on treats during the day.  That way when it comes time for an ice cream for everybody, the cost won’t come as a shock – instead of thinking how expensive it is to buy a few ice creams, you’ll focus on what you must have saved by bringing food with you.