With the cost of living on the rise, finding cheap or free ways to keep the little ones entertained when they’re off school has never been more important. After all, a day at a theme park or the zoo can easily set you back £100 - and that’s before you head to the gift shop! The good news is that there are many free and fun activities that your children will enjoy just as much, without you having to open your wallet and spend hard-earned cash.
Below, we’ve rounded up a few of our favourites to give you some fresh ideas…
Have a teddy bear’s picnic
If you’re already planning to make lunch at home when the kids are off school, why not turn it into a fun activity and ask them to bring their teddy bears along for a picnic in the garden or the park? You can make their favourite sandwiches and fruit fingers and read a book in the sun with their teddies. Tea Time Monkeys has put together some great ideas on how to inject some fun and personality into your picnic - as well as singing The Teddy Bear’s Picnic song, you can play games like hide and seek with their teddy bears, and even Blindfold Bear, where you put a blindfold on each child ask them to guess which teddy is theirs. Lots of fun!
Watch their favourite TV show
Although you don’t want your children to be sat in front of the television all day every day, the right free cartoons for kids (like Everything’s Rosie) can be as educational as it is fun. They can teach your little ones a whole host of life lessons and skills, from learning to say please and thank you to the importance of brushing your teeth, being polite, and working hard. You can take it one step further by watching the cartoons with your child and asking them some questions about the episode once it’s finished - in time, they’ll become well-rounded children.
Go on a donation drive
Do your little ones have far too many clothes and toys in their bedroom? One great way to help them declutter and understand the value of their possessions is to go on a donation drive - explain to them that not every child is as lucky and has access to nice clothes and toys, and ask them to spend some time thinking about a toy or t-shirt they’d be happy to give away to someone less fortunate. Not only does it help your children understand the importance of charity and help you give back, but it’s a great way to clear up their bedrooms!
Get green-fingered
Spending some time in the garden can be a great way to whittle away a few hours - even better if the sun is shining! But rather than leaving your children to their own devices, why not get them to help you with some gardening jobs? From weeding your flower beds to watering plants and sweeping away leaves, there are lots of fun ways that you can introduce gardening and the outdoors to your children. If you really want to get them interested in the natural world, give them a couple of pots and let them plant some seeds; sunflowers and wildflowers are easy to grow and will delight your little ones as they watch them come to life.
Arts and crafts with trash
Finally, why not take part in some fun arts and crafts activities with trash from around the home? Whether it’s empty toilet paper tubes or cereal boxes, there are lots of things that you would usually put in the bin that could be turned into something great. Upcycling is also good for the planet - rather than throwing something away, you can give it a second life and turn it into a toy or a useful storage item. For example, egg cartons can be turned into compartments for counting, colour sorting or matching games, whilst plastic water bottles can be used as sensory bins. Add in pom poms to create drop games or rice to create a shaker and you’ve got yourself a free musical instrument. The possibilities are endless.
Got any tips for entertaining your little ones for free? We’d love to hear about them! Share them with @RosienFriends and make sure you bookmark our blog for more advice soon.