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Judging by the social media posts I have seen over the last few weeks, people are struggling to find breaks away that won’t break the bank, or, like me, haven’t quite booked far enough ahead for even a standard day out! That said there are plenty of things you can do this summer to have fun that doesn’t have to cost the earth. If, like us, you’re paying over the odds for a UK holiday this year (thanks Covid….) then you’re going to need some fallback cheaper days!
Try a Town or City Trail
There are so many town and city trails available. Locally for me, there is the Stockport Frog Trail, which we completed this weekend (noticed the frog green trousers I opted for from FemmeLuxe). We loved doing the trail today and it was a great way to explore our town again. We don’t do it often enough and there have been a fair few changes since we last did and we spotted a few bars and cafes we are keen to try out later in the year.
There’s also a trail in Sheffield over the summer and, at the end of August, there is a Lego trail in Blackburn. So it’s worth looking at what’s going on locally and doing these sorts of trails is a great way to explore, it keeps the children engaged, it’s great exercise – we did just under 4.5 miles today, and it also helps to boost the local economy. Win-win I think!
Get the children to create a restaurant for the night
Now, this one requires a little more planning but why not get the children to be the chef for the night! Get them to plan their menu, shop and cook for the food! You can all dress up in your glad rags – black dresses, suits or add a bit of colour with a red dress, and make an evening of it!
The children will enjoy the extra responsibility, and they will, hopefully(!), appreciate you more seeing how hard it is to cook a family meal and keep everyone happy!
Younger children who perhaps can’t help as much with the cooking could be in charge of table decorations or placemats – it’s a great way to get the family involved together.
Create a Disco Night
Clear the room, make some decorations and hold a disco night! Our children LOVE listening to the music we listened to as children and we love to dance and sing so put on your disco outfits or if you’re brave enough let the children choose for you (Em was all for choosing a white dress for me as she thought that meant I might get my wedding dress out!) turn up the music and dance. Guaranteed fun and you’ll all soon be laughing and you’ll be amazed at the songs the children enjoy – Queen and We Didn’t Start the Fire by Billy Joe are firm favourites here.
Pack a Picnic and Head off the Beaten Track
Children LOVE to explore the great outdoors and often, it’s the simplest days out that they remember the most. If it’s a warmer day why not pack a picnic, through on the denim shorts and head to the river bank. We have a couple of stretches of river near us that are slow and perfect for paddling in. Grab a picnic blanket, pack a picnic and enjoy the time watching the river go by. One stretch of river we like to visit has lots of old bits of pottery wash up where the river slows and deposits its load. The last time we visited they spent ages gathering up different parts and then later examining under the microscope.
Design your own clothes
Get some plain shirts or shorts and have a go at being a designer for the day. Fabric pens are easy to come by and can be a great way for children to create an item unique and individual to them. You could also try tie-dye. I have a black jump suit that we are going to practice some embroidery and applique on to make it a little more personal and unique to me; it’s such a blank canvas that I think we can create something much more fun!
The summer holidays doesn’t have to be six weeks of expense, there are a lot of fun things you can do as a family, at a relatively modest cost.
