As prices continue to rise endlessly, it is becoming more and more difficult to entertain children on a budget. In fact, according to the Parental Summer Expense Report (2018), summer vacation spending has risen 25% over the past five years, while 61% of parents are concerned about offsetting their children’s entertainment expenses. No one wants to back down from the shock of spending a day, so at BestFreeStuff we have put together some of the best cheap family activities and ways to get the best deals for the day.

Note that many of the following options are not available while the UK is still locked. Attractions and shared spaces are expected to reopen whenever the government allows and when it is safe. When following someone outside your home please follow the rules of social distance.

Be Creative in your Home

Keep costs to a minimum by making more use of your home space to entertain your children. There are plenty of activities that use items you already have, so you don’t have to spend much to buy new items!

Baking

Baking with your kids is not only a great activity you can do, you will get the added benefit of being able to eat all your creations! Take a look at what ingredients you already have and see if you can do something with them – BBC Good food is a great website that has free recipes that are worth getting inspired by.

Why not create a day and host back-themed events? You can create competitions with different themes and challenges, or have your kid team up with an adult or older sibling who can compete with each other if they need some supervision.

Board games

Board games are always a great rainy day activity, but if you do not already have some they can be very expensive to buy and see if a friend or neighbor can lend you one. Enter our contest to win the good life game!

Why not create your own if you want to get a little tricky. You can base it on the old option or get creative by completely redesigning the new one and designing and decorating the board.

If you enjoy a little frivolous and quiz, compiling your own pub quizzes with questions suitable for the whole family and transferring it to the host is a great way to spend an evening.

Create a scavenger hunt

Even if you are confined to your own home, you can get more creative if you have a garden or can use public outdoor space. Make a list of everyday things for kids to find or get a little more imaginative about, and hunt for something they think smells good or makes them laugh.

Create the Bulk of your Local Space and Community

If you know where to look, there are plenty of things to do at your local doorstep!

Local events

Most cities and local companies often list upcoming events such as movie nights, music and art festivals and any social celebrations. These events are always family oriented and child friendly with minimal or free entry costs.

Public space

A local park or open space is a great place for a picnic, involve the kids in preparing snacks, and then why not go for a walk first and then be a worthy treat to your picnic.

Sports day

Embrace your competition page and host your own sports day in your backyard or Local Park. Why not include the Egg and Spoon Race, a DIY Barrier Race and some sprints? You can even get a small prize as another extra incentive for the overall winner.

Great Exteriors

We are lucky to be surrounded by such vast beautiful countryside in the UK, but not always so lucky with the weather. It is best to use it on days when we have sunlight!

Beach days are perfect for warming up when the sun goes out and the bonus is you don’t have to spend much- money to buy a bucket and spade and a little extra for an ice cream. There are plenty of beaches in the UK to choose from so you can find one close to you or spend some time visiting many and exploring local cities.

National Trust sites are beautiful and easy places to browse and enjoy the outdoors. Depending on how many attendees you have, a member may be considered or you may purchase an entry and those under the age of 5 may go for free. Keep in mind that you have multiple National Trust properties, allowing you to walk on the ground for free even if you enter the property.

Free of Cost Museums and Galleries

There are many free museums and galleries in the UK that are ideal for a rainy day, and many of them offer fun and educational programs for children and families during the school holidays. Try these for a start!

– British Museum, London

– National Gallery, London

– Science Museum, London

– National History Museum, London

– National Football Museum, Manchester

– Kelvin grove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow

– National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh

– V&A Museum of Childhood, London

– St. Fagan’s National History Museum, Cardiff

– World Museum, Liverpool

– Nottingham Contemporary

– Royal Armor, Leeds

– National Railway Museum, York

– Ulster Museum, Belfast

The amazing thing is, you can still visit these places even in the locks! Check out the gallery or museum website for talks about virtual tours and interactive videos or exhibitions.

Always Use Discounts and Deals

Savvy Magpies basically uses discounts and deals on every occasion to save a lot of money throughout the year.

Supermarket Loyalty Points

Using your loyalty points on the day rather than using them in the store will give you better value for money. You earn 1 point for every 1 you spend at Tesco, and this point in the store is worth a penny. By swapping points for club card Reward Tokens they are worth three times as much.

Groupon

Groupon offers discounts of up to 70%, and includes full parts of things to do and days to finish. You can browse all their deals or search by location and see what offers you have.

365 tickets

Worth looking at 365 tickets to search deals in days. There will be choices ranging from cultural and historical sites to theme parks and zoos depending on what you are looking for. With discounts of up to 50%, guaranteed low prices and no additional booking or card fees, this is one of the cheapest options for tickets.

2FOR1

Look at 2for1 when you go on train deals. Pay a full price ticket to get another free, which includes tourist sites such as St. Paul’s Cathedral and HMS Belfast, but it is also available for some restaurants and bars.

If you regularly take the train to go on exciting day trips with the kids, invest in a rail card. One card is just $ 30 a year – and offers 30% discount and 60% child fare for adults traveling up to 4 adults and 4 children. Great savings!

 

Great Life Game

Our competition that is actually for a lucky winner to win The Good Life board game is now live! Recommended by Good Toy Guide, it is a great game for 7 year olds and over and a whole family to play together. You try to fill your garden and allotment with fruit, vegetables and livestock, the winner is the first self-sufficient.