How to entertain kids for less

Entertaining your kids can be a tricky business at the best of times, and it’s even more difficult during holidays. We’ve made things easier for you and put up a few great ways to keep your kids busy without you having to part with a lot of cash, whatever the weather and their age.

1. Get them in the kitchen

Try out simple recipes with your children. If you’re concerned about them getting things in and out of the oven, then why not try making chocolate crispy bars, which have to be chilled in the fridge.

If they really love it, then why not challenge them to come up with different sandwich fillings for their tea? They many not particularly enjoy the results, but you’re teaching them about taste, as well as having fun!

2. Go fly a kite

Brighten up a windy day by going outside and flying a kite. You can buy kites from most toy shops, or you could have a go at making your own.

3. Make paper planes

Use up all that scrap paper that was destined for the recycling and build a fleet of paper airplanes. Then you can launch them from an upstairs window, or in the back garden.

You could make different kinds and see which one flies the furthest.

4. Write a story

Use your imagination and write a story together. It doesn’t have to be original, the kids could write down their favourite fairy tale and just change the ending if they feel like it. Another great idea is to write chain stories with friends.

Each person writes a paragraph and then shows the final line only to the next writer. Once the final person has written their section, read the whole story out loud – it’s usually pretty funny!

5. Make a scavenger hunt

Come up with a list of odd and fun items for your kids to find. They can hunt around the house or your garden.

6. Get them gardening

Growing plants is great fun and it’s even more fun, if they can watch their work get bigger and flower in front of their eyes. There are lots of plants that even a young child can grow without too much trouble, from small trees to herbs and vegetables.

If you don’t have a garden, then a window box or small pots are the answer and it won’t matter what time of year you plant them. Try growing herbs like basil, parsley or cress – that way they can eat them once they’ve grown.

7. Become a model maker

What kid doesn’t love getting his hands dirty? Get some modelling clay, a plastic knife and mould away. You can even buy self-hardening clay if you want them to become permanent.

8. Take a walk

Whether you live in a city, town or the country, there will be places to go they’ve never been before. Think of somewhere with spectacular views, or a part of your local area that’s has lots of history attached to it – the local cemetery is often a great bet with kids.

If you’re not sure where to go, your local library can help you with some ideas.

9. Get them to make a map

You draw the squares on a large sheet of paper and see how easy they find it to draw the local neighbourhood. Get them to imagine they’re a bird in the sky looking down. Not as easy as it sounds.

10. Have a karaoke competition

If you have a games console, then something like SingStar is fantastic. Alternatively, karaoke CDs cost very little from music stores. Make sure you sing along to some of the songs as well. There’s nothing like embarrassing yourself to entertain your kids!