Free and cheap things to do with the kids over the 2024 summer holidays

Children are wild with excitement because the summer holidays are here. Weeks free of homework and maths lessons? Sign us up. But parents know it can be a challenge to keep them entertained without breaking the bank.

Megan Bennett, a parenting coach at Action for Children’s Parent Talk, says: “It feels like a long time and, as lovely and special as that time can be, sometimes thinking of ideas and making sure they’ve got things to do can lead to worrying about spending lots of money.

“Social media plays a big role because you compare yourselves to other families. As parents, you want to give your children the best summer, and that can be overwhelming.”

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In a cost of living crisis, it can seem an especially tricky task. Many families struggle to cope without free school meals, and childcare can be extortionate.

Lynn Perry, the chief executive of Barnardo’s, says: “The cost of living crisis has squeezed household budgets and tipped more families into poverty, with many people having to make heartbreaking choices about what to cut from their budgets to make ends meet.”

But there is support available, and the Big Issue’s Summer Survival Guide is back to help you navigate the holidays. And you don’t have to spend a lot to have a great time with your kids.

Bennett tells parents: “Children really love being with you. They are so excited to have a summer with their siblings and parents and friends.

“Sometimes parents put extra pressure on themselves, as if it needs to be a big showy time, but actually, a movie night on the sofa is just as exciting to them as going somewhere really expensive.”

It is also worth asking what your kids want to do. They might suggest something far simpler than expected – maybe it’s having a disco in the living room, baking together or a scavenger hunt.

Here are some more suggestions to try. Why not put all your ideas in a jar and pull them out each day you want to try something new? The suspense of that will start the day off with excitement.

Get sporty with your kids in time for the Olympics

The Paris Olympics will be the talk of the summer, and it’s a fantastic opportunity to get your kids in the sporting spirit. Keep an eye out for events in your local area.

Slough is hosting a sports carnival at Arbour Park Stadium, a free family day out where kids can try sports and watch the Paris Olympics on the big screen.

Forestry England is inviting families to try out Olympic-inspired challenges on their famous Gruffalo trails at 21 forests across England (for free). It promises to blend the wonder of the hunt for Gruffalo signs with the thrill of the Olympics.

Or there might be free sports taster sessions near you, like archery sessions in Crystal Palace or canoeing in Victoria Park, London.

Ask your local sports centre or check out Eventbrite or social media. You could also encourage your kids to create their own sports tournament in your back garden or at a local park.

Go to a museum for free

Plenty of museums across the country offer free entry. Why not walk among the dinosaurs at the National History Museum, learn about wonderful inventions at the Science Museum or spark your imagination at the Tate Modern?

There’s the wacky House of Marbles games factory in Devon, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh, or the Big Pit: National Coal Museum near Abergavenny. More museums with free entry can be found through MoneySavingExpert.

Museums often offer free and low-cost activities. For example, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums has workshops to create flexible moving fish, sessions for budding scientists and becoming a Roman God or Goddess.

Discounted days out for families over the summer holidays

Official London Theatre’s Kids Week will run again this year, from 24 July to 6 September. A child 17 and under can go free to any participating show when accompanied by an adult paying full price, and you can buy up to two extra children’s tickets at half price.

Through National Rail, you can get two-for-one tickets at some of the UK’s biggest attractions. These include Thorpe Park, Kew Gardens, Chessington World of Adventures, Alton Towers and Legoland.

If you receive universal credit and some other benefits, you can go to London Zoo for £3 per person or Edinburgh Zoo for £7 per person. And the London Transport Museum and Tower of London offer tickets to people on universal credit and other benefits for £1. 

Go on a virtual day out

If you’re working from home, it can prove tricky to keep your kids entertained. But did you know they can have a virtual day out from the comfort of your home? Tune into the Houston Zoo Webcams, or virtually visit aquariums in Baltimore and Monterey Bay. You can also take virtual tours or look at exhibits from museums around the world such as the Natural History Museum, The Metropolitan, The Smithsonian or The Louvre.

Go to a local farm

Many farms offer free entry. They tend to be run by charities so ask for a small, voluntary donation.

Head to a national park

Why not head to one of the UK’s beautiful national parks? Your kids could play hide and seek, climb trees and go wildlife spotting, and you could even have a picnic. Barnardo’s suggests you see what creepy crawlies, wildflowers, or trees you can spot on a nature walk with these identifying tools.

Join a summer reading challenge

The Summer Reading Challenge encourages children to keep reading during the summer holiday. Children set a reading goal and collect rewards. It makes reading fun and it’s free to take part. This year’s theme is Marvellous Makers and it’s all about creativity.You can either sign up at your local library or online. 

Head to a toy library

There are more than 1,000 toy libraries in the UK, where you can choose a toy to borrow. You’ll have to pay a small registration fee, but it’s cheaper than buying new. Also try car boot sales, Facebook Marketplace and charity shops for secondhand toys.

Get crafty

Children love making a mess and having fun with crafts. Bennett says: “Think about drawing, writing, painting, cooking, getting out in the garden, starting a collection of leaves and rocks and stones. 

“Some parents worry they need to go out and buy loads of craft resources, but it’s about using what you’ve already got at home. Kids love making dens. They love getting out in the garden. Water play.” 

You can find artsy activities on tate.org.uk/kids (which we discovered through Barnardo’s) – from making a magazine to carving soap!

There are simple recipes for making slime, playdough and salt dough, which barely cost anything and can easily be found online. You could also try junk modelling. There are more ideas for summer activities through Action for Children.

Try a home science experiment

A home science experiment may put the fear of god in you… but Barnardo’s suggests these activities and experiments from the Science Museum Group, which are easy to do with simple and clear instructions. Why not try making an egg bounce? Making giant bubbles? Or making liquid lava in a bottle?

Create nature trail 

You can create a nature trail for your child. It’s as simple as plotting out a walk in your local area. Of course, somewhere green is ideal. Then, see if your kids can identify flowers and leaves while you’re out. You could also pick up some free paint swatch cards from home stores and paint shops and see if your child can find colour matches in nature to each one. You can find local woodland walks in your area through Forestry England.

Go to a waterfall

There are a lot of waterfalls across the UK which you can visit and enjoy during the summer holidays. Your kids can experience some real beauty – and often for very little cash. Find a full list here, but make sure you check there’s no entry fee before you go. 

Have a games day

A games day is a great way to keep the kids entertained and busy this summer. Dig out your favourite family games and puzzles from the back of the cupboard and get into the competitive spirit! You can swap games with a neighbour or friend for ‘new’ games that don’t cost you anything. Get your kids to create their own mini olympics with all their favourite games.

Cook a cheap meal with your kids

Cooking with your kids can be great fun (once you get past the mess). We have tips for cooking for your family on a tight budget here which should help you find the cheapest recipes to please even the fussiest eaters in your family. We previously teamed up with Marcus Rashford and Tom Kerridge for our Summer Survival Guide and they gave us some of their favourite recipes for kids which won’t break the bank. Why not try this fun recipe for tortilla pizzas this summer? 

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