10 low-cost things to do with the kids in the summer holidays

The summer holidays are long, so it’s easy to feel as though you’re running out of ideas of things to keep the kids entertained! It can also be expensive to take the family out, so we’re here to help with our list of 10 low-cost things to do with the kids this summer.


National Trust Properties

Waddesdon Manor was built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild between 1874 and 1885 to display his collection of arts and to entertain his fashionable friends at the weekends. Opened to the public in 1959, Waddesdon Manor is now managed by the Rothschild Foundation, a family charitable trust, on behalf of the National Trust, which took over ownership in 1957. It’s home to the Rothschild Collections of paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts and also hosts fun and exciting family events such as its Outdoor Adventure Challenge.

Farm Parks

Whatever the season and weather, you’ll find stacks of Animal Fun, Amazing Outdoor Adventure and Giant Indoor Play here at Odds Farm Park! From cute and cuddly animals to outdoor and indoor play areas, plus lots of special events, whatever the weather, there’s plenty of fun and excitement to be had by all the family here.

Go Ape

Go Ape  offers exhilarating outdoor activities that you and your kids will love. With locations up and down the country, there’s a level to suit everyone, from small children with a great sense of adventure to adults with a great sense of fun!

Fruit Picking

The summer season means fields up and down the country will be bursting with yummy fresh fruits. Pick your farms are popular with families wanting something unique and fun to do, and there’s nothing better than tucking into delicious fruit you’ve picked yourself. Pick your fruit, vegetables and flowers from 45 acres of stunning Oxfordshire fields at Rectory Farm.

Go Fishing

The Golden Pond Fishery  , situated in the beautiful Test Valley amid rolling countryside, is rich in wildlife. The one-acre lake has 16 well-spaced swims, including a swim suitable for wheelchairs.

Lavender Fields

Is there anything more delightful than frolicking through rows and rows of lavender? Well, you can do just that at Hitchen Lavender. This wonderful flower farm with over 30 acres of beautiful lavender fields to wander through, and you can even pick your own to take home to brighten up your house and fill it with the gorgeous scent.

Have a kick about at a kids’ football camp

One for the young football whizzes in the house, from £10 a day, your child can learn new footie skills, make new friends and have enormous fun. With dozens of camps dotted throughout the UK, there’s an opportunity for everyone to get involved. Visit Power League for more details on how to book.

Visit a tropical butterfly house

If a tropical holiday isn’t entirely on your list of things you have planned this summer, then discover the next best thing at Tropical Butterfly House With exotic birds and butterflies flying free over your head, you’ll feel like you’re in paradise.

Step behind the small screen

Does your little one have a favourite TV show? Are you a family of telly addicts? If so, you can step behind the scenes and see your favourite show filmed in front of your very eyes, for free! Visit an actual television studio and see an array of stars in the flesh with performances for all ages, including CBBC’s Sam and Mark’s Big Friday Wind Up, The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent. Check out the Applause Store website for more info.

Visit a museum

From the weird and wacky to the fascinating and educational. A trip to a museum is guaranteed fun for everyone, and there are so many around the UK to choose from. The Science Museum in London contains informative exhibits on the science behind some of the world’s best inventions and engineering feats from space to the environment. Fuel the kids’ imagination in Wonderlab, which makes learning scientific wonders fun. The museum is situated in South Kensington, which is also home to the V&A and the Natural History Museum, which also has plenty of family workshops and exhibits to visit.