Articles
We aim to give food for thought as well as inspiring your creativity and
providing practical ideas you can’t wait to implement in your own settings!
Summer Fun Without Breaking the Bank
The summer holidays are a wonderful time for children to relax and have fun, but for parents and carers, they can often feel like a long stretch to keep the kids entertained - especially with the cost-of-living crisis making many activities more expensive. However, there are plenty of free and cheap options available that can provide endless entertainment and memorable experiences for your family.
We’ve picked our top 5 favourite activities to help you get started. These ideas will ensure your children have a fantastic summer without putting a strain on your budget.
- 1. Summer Reading Challenge
The Summer Reading Challenge is led by The Reading Agency, in partnership with libraries across the UK, to encourage children to keep reading throughout the summer holidays. This year’s theme is ‘Story Garden – Adventures in Nature and the Great Outdoors’. It aims to inspire children and help them to explore the link between storytelling and nature.
The Summer Reading Challenge starts on Saturday 21st June in Scotland and online, and on Saturday 5th July in England and Wales.
It’s a great way for children to discover new books, earn rewards and participate in free activities at their local library.
Join the challenge:
You can sign up for the challenge at your local library or online.
Visit Summer Reading Challenge to find out more.
- 2. Kids Eat Free or for £1
Many supermarket and in-store cafés offer deals where kids can eat for free or for just £1 with a paying adult. For example, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Tesco, and Asda all have special offers during the school holidays.
Morrisons: Get one free kids’ meal when you purchase any adult meal over £5.00. This is available for children under 16.
Sainsbury’s: Purchase one adult hot main meal from £5.20 and get a children’s hot main meal or lunch bag for £1. All kids’ meals come with a drink and a piece of fruit.
Tesco: Kids can enjoy a free meal with any adult purchase across Tesco Cafés and Coffee Shops. This includes the kids’ hot meal deal or kids’ Pick ‘n’ Mix deal. This offer is available throughout the summer holidays (Monday-Friday only).
Asda: Asda’s popular ‘Kids Eat for £1’ meal deals are run all year round in over 200 Asda Cafés. This offer is available all day every day and you don’t even need to purchase an adult meal! They also offer FREE Ella’s baby food pouches for children under 18 months with any purchase.
These deals are a fantastic way to enjoy a meal out without the hefty price tag. Additionally, other restaurants are running similar deals, so check your local eateries to see who’s participating.
3. Discounted Cinema Tickets
Look out for discounted cinema tickets, particularly for morning or early afternoon showings. Many cinemas run special deals during the school holidays where you can watch films at a fraction of the usual cost. It’s a perfect way to enjoy a family day out and catch the latest movies.
Here is a flavour of what’s on offer at some of the major cinema chains:
Odeon: At selected Odeon Cinemas, adults pay children’s prices all day, every day throughout the summer holidays. With ‘Odeon Kids’ screenings, you can get tickets for just £2.75.
Cineworld: At Cineworld, you can watch selected family films for just £1 per ticket, including Moana 2, Paddington in Peru and A Minecraft Movie. This offer is running every week during the summer holidays from 25th July to 28th August 2025.
Vue: Vue are offering both adult and child tickets from just £2.49 as part of their ‘Mighty Mornings’ where you can enjoy family films every weekend from 10am and every day during the school holidays.
4. Museums and Art Galleries
Museums and art galleries often have free entry, and many offer special children’s activities during the summer holidays. From interactive exhibits to creative workshops, these cultural hotspots provide educational and fun experiences for kids of all ages.
Here’s a few things on offer at different museums but be sure to check your local museum’s website for details on summer events near you:
Manchester Museum: Manchester Museum have several free family-friendly events taking place throughout the summer holidays. This includes Find the Kittens, an AR adventure trail which takes you on a quest to find sleeping kittens around the museum. You can also discover The Cat that slept for a Thousand Years, a 10-metre-long inflatable cat sleeping somewhere in the museum. Find out more here: What's On - Manchester Museum
Natural History Museum, London: Take a self-guided tour to explore some of the Museum’s incredible sights or take part in some of the free family activities taking place both indoors and outdoors. Free activities are available on a first come, first serve basis. Visit the website to find out more: Family Festival | Natural History Museum
Locomotion, Shildon: Admission to the Museum is free and there’s plenty of free additional activities on offer as part of their summer holiday programme. With a new theme each week, there’s something to keep everyone entertained. Find out more here: Summer family activities | Locomotion
5. Forestry Fun
Explore the great outdoors with Forestry England. Their fun family-friendly trails include Gruffalo in the Forest, Gruffalo Orienteering, Forest Walkies with Wallace and Gromit and the Stick Man trail. Visit their website to find your nearest trail: Family fun | Forestry England
