Cost-friendly ways to keep kids entertained this summer

Outdoor activities provide a myriad of learning opportunities.

These activities teach children about sustainability and healthy living. (Alamy/PA)

During the school summer holidays, the cost of childcare has increased to over £1,000 per child on average, a new survey suggests.

According to the Coram Family and Childcare charity, the research found that the cost of holiday childcare for school-aged children has increased by 6% in the past year.

As a result, families now pay on average £1,049, which is £635 more than what they would pay for six weeks of after-school childcare during term time.

So what are the cost-friendly ways to keep kids entertained this summer? An expert explains the fun ways parents can help their children to have fun and continue learning over the summer holidays.

Cooking and baking

The summer holidays are an excellent time for children to take more responsibility around the home – baking and batch cooking could be a great way to introduce this.

Who doesn’t love baking a vanilla sponge cake or some chocolate chip cookies? Turning this into a fun activity could help prepare the snacks and sweet treats for the duration of the school break.

This also applies to batch cooking. To avoid having to think about what meals to make every single day, why not make meal plans inspired by some of your children’s favourite foods?

But there are some nationwide restaurants where kids can eat free or at a very discounted rate, if you just want a break from cooking or an affordable meal after a day out, including TGI Fridays, Bill’s, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, Sainsbury’s Café and Bella Italia, just to name a few.

Foster independence, problem-solving and learning

Outdoor activities provide a myriad of learning opportunities; use walks to encourage problem-solving and knowledge-building.

“For instance, you can use your phones to identify plants to integrate technology in a meaningful way into your child’s learning. You can also encourage your child(ren) to navigate paths and read maps. Even handling moments of getting lost teaches them how to find solutions, which, in turn, will foster independence and resilience,” said Gwendoline Sandow, science, outdoor and forest school educator at ACS International School Cobham.

For Sandow, incorporating lessons about the environment can be as simple as packing a snack box without any packaging or discussing the origins of their food.

These activities teach children about sustainability and healthy living in a practical, hands-on manner.

Support physical and mental health

Outdoor activities naturally involve physical exercise, which is beneficial for both physical and mental health.

“Whether it’s a hike, a day at the beach, swimming, bike rides, or a run, these activities release endorphins and provide a sense of achievement. For children, involving them in causes they care about, like a charity run, can be particularly motivating and fulfilling,” said Sandow.

Local community events

Parents are always encouraged to keep an eye out for local community events that are child-friendly.

This could be at your local library, community or shopping centre. For instance, Bricklive’s Grand Safari is taking place at Grand Arcade in Cambridge, which runs from 10 to 27 August.

Or even Old Spitalfields Market in London, where you will find that there’s something for everyone in the family to enjoy this summer.

DIY crafts and projects

If you are trying to entertain your children at home, why not find old magazines, scraps of paper and old materials and get them to create something out of nothing.

You could even print things off from the internet or pick up a few magazines and newspapers that can be cut right into.

Rope in family help

Don’t forget to ask for help during the summer holidays.

Sometimes friends and family will be more than happy to take your children off your hands for a day or two, but you will never know if you don’t reach out to them.

This could also take the shape of a play date with families you trust.