Fun in the Family. Planning to spend quality time together.

Cheap and free things to do

Having fun with your family has to be one of the loveliest things about being a parent. However, as the summer holidays approach sometimes it is difficult to plan what to do so that everyone is catered for. This is made doubly difficult when lack of money is an issue. So here are some ideas for family outings, some free, some cheap and some that cost a little more but may serve as highlights for your children’s holiday if you can save up for them.

Why not look at the following suggestions and choose things that would be fun for your child? I have divided them into different age groups.

Babies aged 0-1

Free things to do

Singing songs & nursery rhymes
Play music
Talk, face on, animatedly
This little piggy/round & round the garden & other action rhymes
Peek a boo games
Park or garden
Sit in a washing up bowl with warm water
Dancing with baby in your arms
Read simple baby books
Baby massage
Playing with paper
Activity centre toy (baby gym)
Put bells on wrist/rattles
Swing
Lay on front with mirror
Bounce on ankles or knees
Walk baby roundhouse or garden & tell them what you see
Go round to a friend’s house
Fly around in air
Water play in bath
Practice standing
Go for a walk
Prop up with cushions
Imitate all their sounds
Toss and bounce around
Local library and Toy library
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Cheap things to do

Mother and toddler group
Baby bouncer
Do a photo session of the baby
Build blocks to be knocked down
Feed the ducks
Playing with balls
Sensory room

More Expensive

Swimming pool
Baby massage group
Soft play area

Children aged 1-5

Free things to do

Makeup stories with your child as the main character
Playground
Singing
Dancing to music
Visiting the library
Reading books especially at bedtime
Water play
Bath time with toys
Play hide and seek
Pretend play
Go for a walk
Nature trail /collecting leaves /feathers.
Throwing and catching balls
Counting games
Bring your child’s favourite storybook to life with props
Go to Toy library to borrow toys, instruments or ‘story stacks’
Toy shops
Making a blanket tent or den in the trees
Have fun cleaning (maybe while listening to lively music)
Make up a scrapbook all about your child
Hunt for mini-beasts
Playing in the garden
Spend 20 minutes a day watching them play and describing exactly what they do without making suggestions or taking over

Cheap things to do

Make a book of all the little efforts, improvements and good things your child does and share it with them every evening
Read books
Get them to read books to you
Adventure playground
Paddling pool
Sandpit
Playdough –making it and playing with it
Playing bells/ drums to music
Picnic
Trip out to buy a snack
Drawing/colouring
Painting
Chalk drawing outside
Have a teddy bears picnic/dolls tea party
Simple cooking
Making popcorn
Play doctors and nurses
Play with building bricks
Train set
Play with balloons
Bubbles
Playing with pets (yours or someone else’s)
Jigsaws /posting toys
Musical instruments
Punch and Judy show
Fly a kite
Photo session
Feed the ducks
Treasure hunt / Easter egg hunt
Family cycle ride
Sensory room
Make healthy smoothies, fruity cocktails and fruit kebabs

A bit more expensive

Swimming pool–indoor and outdoor
Inflatable toys
Beach with bucket and spade
Zoo
Farm
Train/bus ride
Children’s farm
Boat ride
Dressing up
Soft play area
Trampoline
Model railway
Children’s rides
Tractor ride
Pony ride
Maze
Ride-on toys
Hay bales
Bouncy castle
Gym class
Dance class

Children 5-12

Free things to do

Check-in your local paper or internet all the free activities planned in parks, shopping centres, playgrounds and nearby towns and cities
Go to the local park. Make full use of the swings and slide.
Set up a blanket on the grass,
Play ball games with the children
Play with a Frisbee
Plan a project to find out all about a holiday destination, history of your local town, family tree or country where your parents or grandparents were born
Go to a local beauty spot near your home (beach, meadow, woods, walk with amazing views) and take full advantage of exploring the area. Consider doing something special such as having a barbecue (if allowed) building a den, or playing outdoor games.
Do a treasure trail -give the children a picture of small things that they should be able to find (feather, pebble, leaf, etc) and see who can find the most.
If you have a nearby beach, paddling in the waves (or swimming if you are brave) is great fun. If not set up a water sprinkler.
A sheet of plastic and a hose makes a great water slide
Lie on the grass. Look at the clouds and say what you think they look like.
Get great books out of the library and read them with your child
Play games such as ‘Top threes’ here you take turns to think of a category such as colours, animals, songs, Disney movies and you choose your top three.
Play ‘Happy Memories’ with conversations beginning ‘Do you remember when….’
Take turns to tell a made-up story with each of you adding to the adventure
Go and kiss your child good night and have a little chat about all the things you liked that they did that day.
Plan a family meeting to plan holidays, discuss important family issues or to problem solve. Make sure that everyone gets a chance to speak if they are holding the ‘talking stick’, ‘magic pen’ or similar object. Have a nice family treat planned at the end

Cheap things to do

Sit down with your child and make birthday cards for forthcoming birthdays. If you can, find ideas on the internet, and make it as creative as you can
Buy an ice cream, Sometimes this has the ability to turn a walk into a treat
Go swimming at your local pool –indoors or outdoors
Train or bus ride
Board games & card games
Talk about when they were little or when you were younger
Plan a family party or outdoor family games day, with races and events
Picnic where everyone chooses their favourite picnic foods

More expensive

Theme parks
Active ventures such as rock climbing, trampolining, abseiling, sailing and canoeing
Cinema / Fair / Bowling

Teenagers

Free things to do

Plan to just listen when they talk about their interests, their day or their plans, without offering ANY advice or judgements. If you can just try to see if you can reflect the emotion they may be feeling.
Going out for walks
Cycling
Plan and cook meals or choose healthy snacks to make together
Watch favourite TV shows or shows on interesting teen topics and discuss them afterwards
Volunteer as a family to help out at a homeless centre or soup kitchen
Tell them what you like about them, using descriptive praise
Teach your child a skill such as knitting, sewing, cooking, doing a barbecue and car maintenance
Wake them up occasionally with a friendly chat and cup of tea. Breakfast in bed could be an extra special treat
Get your teen to write a quiz for you to complete all of their favourite things. See how well you do.
Ball games and Frisbee
Charades (possibly with titles of books or films downloaded from the internet)
Play ‘Top Fives’, choosing topics such as ‘Words I would use to describe myself, top films, foods, books, things I want to do before I’m 30, or people I would most like to meet (from the past or present).

Cheap things to do

Card games
Board games (E.g. Scrabble, Backgammon)
Museums, Exhibitions and galleries
Make a memory box
Have a pamper session -Give each-other a manicure or facial
DVD and popcorn
Ice creams
Have a family meal with candles (If arguments are likely to be an issue agree with everyone beforehand that all conversations should be conflict-free)
Plan with your teen a fun day out for under £10
Play your own version of TV quiz games such as ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’ or ‘Family Fortunes’)

More Expensive

Adventure Activities (white water rafting, horse riding, bowling, sailing, water sports, scuba diving or snorkelling
Going out to a coffee shop
Meals out
Guided walks around cities
Really nice picnics with home-cooked food
Concerts
Theatre
With girls, going to a salon for a manicure or facial
Going to a creative class together –painting, pottery, photography or jewellery-making
Booking a session of badminton, tennis, table tennis or golf
Booking a family session on a dry ski slope, archery, ice skating or Go-karting
Going to the cinema to see a family movie
Shopping (but make sure you set the budget beforehand)

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