Wondering how to entertain kids on a budget during half term? If you’re strapped for ideas for half-term family activities, never fear.
Take a free event.
Have a look at Free-events and wherecanwego for more children’s events going on in your area over the course of the week.
Watch a film
For a lazy start to the day, Vue cinemas host Mini Mornings every morning during the holidays. Both adult and child tickets are £2.49 for selected movies, so you could release your inner child for very little expense.
Odeon offers something very similar with Odeon Kids. Kids and adults can go every morning during the school holidays at a slightly higher ticket price of £2.50.
Cineworld also does Movie for Juniors where you and the kids can get in for a tiny £2 each (3D £3.50).
Go bowling
Head over to your local Tenpin from Monday to Friday and get a cracking School’s Out deal. If you go before 5pm, kids can get one game of bowling and a burger meal for £8.49 and adults can get the same for £10.99. Deals vary between bowling alleys so check the Tenpin website before you go.
Learn a new skill
There’s everything from free scales and fins pet workshops at Pets at Home stores to spooky shadows workshops at the National Gallery.
Hobbycraft also runs free workshops for kids in some of its 81 UK stores over the weekends and during half term. Check if your local store is running one.
Alternatively stay in and pass on your own skills (think instruments, drawing, cooking) to the kids.
Get sporty
If the weather holds up, get them outside for a bit of a kickabout. Find out where to get free holiday football coaching at various skill centres throughout England.
Or if the kids prefer a spot of tennis, clubs up and down the UK offer free weekly tennis coaching lessons in public parks and free ‘walk on and play’ in certain courts.
The National Trust has a number of cycle routes for families too as well as some great walks including walks for little legs so that the young ones don’t get too tired.
Councils across the UK offer free swim programmes for certain residents, so check out your local council’s website to see if you or your children are eligible.
Soak up some culture
There are free museums up and down the country just waiting to be explored, and many of them host special events for children during the break.
If you’re in or around London, there’s plenty of theatre to keep children entertained too. For example, if you go and see Let’s Fly at the Little Angel Theatre you can get tickets for £10 for adults or £8 for children.
You can bag more free tickets, money off and cheap meals by visiting Groupon, Wowcher, VoucherCodes and Voucher Cloud.
Eat out on the cheap
You can guarantee that there’ll be some great offers available for families over the half term.
You can find a load on websites like VoucherCodes. Or if you have a craving for a roast dinner, find your nearest Crown Carvery. If you order a meal on any Sunday (or bank holiday Monday) any child under 10 will get their meal for free!
Get creative at home
You don’t have to go on a grand adventure to have a memorable day with the family. Find something you can all do together like play a game or do a project which the whole family can get involved in.
It can be as simple as grabbing some old scraps and getting crafty. There are thousands of projects available online, including ones that can be made using household junk. If it’s not raining, put together a scavenger hunt in the garden using small knick knacks or wrapped chocolates. Don’t worry if it is, just take the hunt indoors.
There are also some wacky experiments you can do at home like creating your own tornado, fashioning a soap sculpture or growing edible crystals. You don’t even have to leave the kitchen.
And if all else fails, raid the linen cupboard and make a giant blanket fort.
