Bank Holiday Weekend on a Budget – Cheap Ways to Entertain the Kids

Bank Holiday Weekend on a Budget – Cheap Ways to Entertain the Kids

May is a good month when it comes to bank holidays! One at the start and one at the end. It’s lovely to have an extra day here and there to spend with the family and it’s especially nice when you can enjoy nice weather too which is more likely now that it’s nearly summer.

Many of us are on a budget and kids can already cost a fortune so I wanted to put together a list of things that are affordable, cheap or even free that you can do with the kids this coming bank holiday (or any other day spent with the children).

As there are more people out and about on bank holidays, I think it’s good to do things at home as bowling alleys, cinemas, etc. will be really busy on days like these. There’s pretty much a full day of activities here so keeping the kids entertained might be easier with these ideas:

• Get Baking

I’ve never met a child who doesn’t enjoy baking something yummy and then eating it! It’s a great way to spend an hour or two and there are lots of different things you could make. You can choose to go really indulgent or make something healthier like a cake with hidden vegetables or some homemade energy bars or balls. Anything that you can decorate adds extra fun and some more creativity to the task. If you’re not a confident baker, find some recipes for children or buy a baking kit from your local supermarket.

• Make Ice Creams

Summer and ice cream go hand in hand. Make your own lollies at home with lots of juicy fruit and let the kids help come up with recipes and designs. Make them in the morning so that they’re ready to be enjoyed in the afternoon as a lovely and refreshing treat this coming, hopefully sunny, bank holiday weekend.

• Garden Fun

If the weather allows, have some fun in the garden. If you have an inflatable kids’ pool or an old baby bath, get it out and fill it up ready for some water play. Other fun things to do outside the house include decorating the pavement with pavement chalk, playing garden games, rope skipping, hula hooping and my eldest daughter’s favourite — bubbles!

• Get Creative with Crafts

Kids love crafts and on a bank holiday, you might have a bit more time to get involved and to play with them, showing your talents! Play Doh is always fun and you can even make your own with these recipes. We’ve recently discovered Kinetic Sand too which my daughter loves and it’s less messy than dough so perfect if you like things tidy.

• Have a Family BBQ

Throw together a BBQ meal for tea if it’s sunny. Get the kids involved prepping the food and the garden and enjoy a nice meal together as a family. Add some cocktails for the adults too to make it even better!

• Movie Night

Finish the day with a new family movie, all squashed together on the sofa. If you’re still peckish, make some popcorn. It’s so easy and quick to buy or rent films nowadays so you don’t have to plan or choose in advance. Just choose something that everybody will enjoy and relax. Bank holidays are for catching up on some rest too!

Find more great tips on what to do here.

I’ve have been asked to join Provident on their ‘don’t break the bank holiday’ campaign to advise families across the UK on what do but on a budget.