10 free summer holiday activities for kids

Cash-strapped families are being offered tips on free summer holiday activities to keep the kids entertained.
During school holidays and at weekends, finding things to do with the kids can soon become expensive and tiresomeDuring school holidays and at weekends, finding things to do with the kids can soon become expensive and tiresome
During school holidays and at weekends, finding things to do with the kids can soon become expensive and tiresome

The team at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have identified ten enjoyable, engaging and completely free activities for children of all ages.

From spending quality time outdoors, or staying inside on rainy days, all ten activities engage the whole family and combine imagination and entertainment for those ‘no spend’ days.

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During school holidays and at weekends, finding things to do with the kids can soon become expensive and tiresome.

These activities are perfect for keeping the whole family entertained at no cost.

John Stirzaker from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “It can become costly to keep the kids entertained especially through the summer holidays.

“A lot of people aren’t aware of some great activities you can put together for your kids at no cost - it just takes a little imagination.

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“As well as coming up with some creative tasks at home, there are also some days out that allow kids to go free.

“If you do some research on your local area, you’ll probably find that there are free events worth taking advantage of like crafting, and sports days.”

10 free activities to do with kids:

Go Geocaching

This is a brilliant way to explore new parts of your local area with the kids. Geocaching is essentially a modern-day treasure hunt: simply download the free app and follow the directions to the nearby location, to then find and log the hidden geocache.

Become ‘Mad Scientists’ in the kitchen

It is really easy to make fun science experiments with ingredients found in the kitchen. Mix cornflour and water to make slime, or drop food colouring onto baking soda, and use a straw to drip white vinegar to create a bubbly volcanic eruption.

Visit free local museums

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It takes just a quick look online to find many nearby museums with free entry which cater to families. Explore history, science, and culture during the bad weather, and take part in the free interactive events which many museums put on for kids.

Potato stamp art

A great way to use up any old potatoes, stamp art is a fun entertainment for the kids at home, completely for free. Just cut the potato in half (or anything else in the cupboard needing to be used up), cover with paint, and let the kids create their artwork. For older ones, let them carve out a shape in the potato for a patterned veggie stamp.

Free local events

Check the local council website for kid-friendly entertainment, such as crafting, library and sports days. Especially during the summer holidays, engaging with the local community in these events is a great way to do something different for free.

Obstacle course

Be inventive with things around the house! Use buckets, mops, tin cans and chairs to set out an obstacle course for the kids to let off some energy. A low prep, but highly entertaining activity inside or out with endless opportunities.

Home cinema

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Amplify those cosy film nights on the TV with fort making: use pillows and blankets to create a free evening-in with the kids. Grab popcorn and sweets from the cupboard for a no cost cinema experience at home.

Treasure hunt

An alternative to Geocaching, use pens and paper to create a free treasure hunt for the kids. A good way to get outside, hide a small reward and draw out a simple map of the surrounding area with a ‘X’ to mark the treasure. To involve the kids even more, get them to colour in the trees, rivers, and other landmarks, on the map, and wipe the map over with a used tea bag for an old-fashioned pirate treasure map feel.

Tie-dye old clothes

A great way to revamp unworn clothes, tie-dying is a free activity to entertain older kids. Tie elastic bands in small sections to the clothes, and submerge into a bucket with half water, half bleach. Let the clothes sit in the mixture for 10 minutes, remove the elastic bands and rinse thoroughly. Wash the clothes, and then the kids can show off their new colourful items, without having spent a penny.

Colours scavenger hunt

Simply shade colours onto some paper and get kids to find flowers, stones, and other outside materials, which match the colours. A fun and easy way for younger ones to learn their colours whilst spending time outside at absolutely no cost.