It’s no secret that keeping the kids entertained during the half-term is no easy thing and the pressure of doing fun and exciting activities can sometimes mean that you end up spending some serious £££’s.
So it’s useful to have a few cheap half-term activities up your sleeve to keep the costs down.
That’s why we’ve pulled together this post. Just to take a little bit of the pressure off and make lives easier and cheaper this half-term.
When the Knight Bus crashes through the darkness and screeches to a halt in front of him, it's the start of another far from ordinary year at Hogwarts for Harry Potter. Sirius Black, escaped mass-murderer and follower of Lord Voldemort, is on the run - and they say he is coming after Harry. In his first ever Divination class, Professor Trelawney sees an omen of death in Harry's tea leaves . But perhaps most terrifying of all are the Dementors patrolling the school grounds, with their soul-sucking kiss. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781408855676 • Author: J.K. Rowling • Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books • Format: Paperback • Pages: 480 • Dimensions: 19.7 x 13 x 3.1cm
Life was better in the old days. Or was it? That's the question Greg Heffley is asking as his town voluntarily unplugs and goes electronics-free. But modern life has its conveniences, and Greg isn't cut out for an old-fashioned world. With tension building inside and outside the Heffley home, will Greg find a way to survive? Or is going 'old school' just too hard for a kid like Greg? Product Information:• ISBN: 9780141377094• Age: 9 to 12 Years• Author: Jeff Kinney• Publisher: Penguin• Format: Paperback• Pages: 240• Dimensions: 20 x 13 x 1.5cm
One hundred speedy, delicious and slimming-friendly recipes from Pinch of Nom, perfect for air fryers or slow cookers! This gorgeous, full-colour cookbook contains one hundred super-fast, super-easy recipes designed to fit around busy everyday life. From satisfying breakfasts and tasty fakeaways to big one-dish roasts and indulgent puds, this book features all the incredibly delicious and hearty food you've come to expect from bestselling authors, Kate and Kay Allinson – but with an Express twist. Whether you're looking for family-friendly recipes that take twenty minutes to cook or want to let your oven, slow cooker or air fryer do all the work - there are options here for every style and routine. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529062281 • Author: Kay & Kate Allinson • Publisher: Bluebird • Format: Hardback • Pages: 256 • Dimensions: 19.05 x 2.54 x 25.4 cm
Spending an afternoon learning and doing a new craft isn’t only fun and good for their development, it’s a lot cheaper than taking them somewhere, like the cinema or bowling.
There are lots of crafts where you can use old items from around the house and a few craft staples to make something wonderful.
If you’re looking for some crafts that won’t break the bank, we’ve got a list of crafts you can do for under £5 and summer holiday crafts that are perfect for kids.
Colouring books are a parent's best friend. Find the right one, and they can keep the kids entertained for hours and hours. They’re also pretty cheap to buy and help promote fine motor skills. All of this makes it a perfect afternoon activity during half-term for when you need a bit of downtime.
If you’re stuck for some new colouring books, we’ve got a fantastic range of kids colouring books to choose from.
There’s nothing better than crisp air, the smell of fresh grass and exploring nature. While we all appreciate the nature around us, today’s digital age has many kids spending more time looking at computer screens over half-term rather than being outdoors.
So this half-term, find a local nature trail to explore with the family. The kids will love learning more about their natural surroundings and being outdoors. There are plenty of child-friendly routes throughout the UK, which cost absolutely nothing.
For a cheap and easy, but slightly messy half-term activity, try turning your kids into little chefs by cooking at home.
Cooking is an excellent way to continue their learning and development while away from school. It will help them apply their maths skills by measuring and weighing ingredients and testing their ability to read and follow instructions.
The only downside to it is the amount of time that you have to spend cleaning up the kitchen after. So if you’re looking for a slightly easier life, then maybe choose another activity.
For cooking inspiration, check out our collection of family cooking books and recipes.
It’s never too early to help your kids develop a love of reading. And half-term is the perfect time to explore some of their favourite books.
As a parent, you can do things like afternoon story times where you work your way through their favourite book series. Or if they are a little older, you can carve out a little time where they can sit down and spend a little quiet time turning a page.
If you’re looking for some classics to work through, then check our list of the best children’s books to read.
Sometimes it might not feel like it (especially for those that take Monopoly way too seriously) but spending an afternoon as a family playing a board game can bring you all closer together.
It’s not too often in modern life that we put the screens down and just spend time together. But when we play a board game, that’s exactly what we do. Everything gets packed away, and you’re huddled around the game just having some good old fashion fun.
There’s also the added benefit of it usually being cheap because most families have a load of old board games tucked away just gathering dust.
If you don’t have old ones lying around, then we’ve got a great selection of reasonably priced board games online.
If you want something cheap that will take up a load of your kid's time trying to complete it - then a Jigsaw Puzzle is your best friend.
They’ll have your kids hunched over, wracking their brains, trying to figure out where the next piece goes.
And if it’s a complex and big enough puzzle, it’s the type of activity that they can come back to over the course of the half-term, so it’s not a case that it’s one and done. They’re also perfect for filling those awkward periods between bigger activities you’ve planned.
There’s nothing better on a sunny day (or at least a dry day) than grabbing the football or tennis racket and heading to the park for an afternoon of sport, sunshine and friendly, family competition. For a few extra pounds, set up a picnic and make the most of the day outside.
If the British weather decides to take a turn, you can also visit your local leisure centre and get involved in their sporting activities inside, which also costs very little.
We hope you and the kids have a fantastic (and affordable) half-term that’s full of fun and laughter with lots of memories created.
As you can see from our list of activities, you don’t need to spend lots of money to have fun, it’s all about using your imagination and making the most of what you’ve already got.
Keep children entertained all summer long with our holiday craft ideas. Perfect for parents looking to add a splash of creativity to their summer fun activities.
Getting children excited about reading can be a hard task, so why not introduce them to the world of Jamie Smart's popular children’s comic series Bunny Vs Monkey through some fun activity sheets? Colouring is great for unwinding and keeping kids busy, whilst helping to improve hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, focus, and patience. Sounds like a win-win!
While getting outside and playing under sunny skies is arguably one of life’s greatest joys, sometimes staying in is inevitable. Whether it's due to an unexpected downpour or a scorching heatwave.
