Free Things To Do In The Summer Holidays

Start the summer holidays off with a night under the stars.

With the evenings warming up, there’s no better time to enjoy the outdoors than in summer. Mix the kid’s routine up a bit and have a family backyard camping night! All you need is blankets and duvets, a tent or a big sheet (with a pole to keep it up) and lots of activities.

Set your tent up, lay the floor out with comfy blankets and pillows, and make sure to have the snacks stocked up and bring the kids out! There’s nothing like family fun than camping!

Play board games, make shadow puppets, create with nature or just simply lie on the ground and watch the sky above. It’s a calming and fun way to end a family day.

Simple, cheap and cheerful.

Whether you’re close to the rugged coastline of Cornwall or the sandy shores of Norfolk, the UK has an array of beautiful beaches.

Pack towels, beach toys, and a picnic, and set out for a day of beach fun. Enjoy a happy afternoon with the kids building sandcastles, playing frisbee, flying kites, and splashing in the waves! It’s a fab way to create some summer memories.

How about exploring rock pools? You could find all sorts of amazing creatures in there! Like tiny crabs! We have an amazing list of beaches that you should visit in the UK. Even ones where your furry friends can take a long!

And if those don’t tickle your fancy, then here are some more beaches you’d love to go to:

• Boscombe Pier Beach, Bournemouth
• Southsea West Beach, Portsmouth
• Porthmeor Cove, Cornwall
• Caister-On-Sea Beach, Norfolk
• Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth
• Gower Peninsula, Wales

With family beaches all over the UK, it’s an absolute must in the school summer holidays.

Everyone loves food, right? Especially sweet treats and snacks you wouldn’t normally have.

Well…how about packing a delightful picnic and heading to your local park or even travelling further afield?

Choose a sunny day and pack a basket with sandwiches, fruits, snacks, and refreshing drinks. Spread out a blanket on the grass, and enjoy a leisurely meal with your kids. Afterwards, let them burn off some energy by running around, playing on the swings and slides, or engaging in fun ball games at the park’s playground! There are plenty of activities for kids they can enjoy in an open space.

Spice up your picnic and choose one of these picnics from around the world!

Make a family game and create the perfect outdoorsy scavenger hunt the kids will absolutely love!

All you need to do is prepare a list of natural items for your kids to find during a nature scavenger hunt.

Depending on the location, you can include items like different types of leaves, feathers, animal tracks, specific flowers, or even insects! Bring along a magnifying glass and a small notebook to record their findings. At the end of the hunt, discuss their discoveries and the wonders of the natural world.

Bonus if the weather is sunny – just don’t forget the water, sunscreen and a hat!

Another kind of hunt is one that involves BIG  sculptures dotted around a city centre. For example, the We’re Going on a Bear Hunt trail will have you navigating through Birmingham while trying to find a cute bears!

You can unlock exciting rewards, discover new places and enjoy family fun on your city adventure!

The giraffe isn’t the only sculpture hunt this summer either. You’ll find the Robin Hood Adventure Trail, in Nottingham, the Stick Man Trail and the Gruffalo Trail across the UK and more! These outdoor art trails and special events are the perfect way to encourage your kids to get out and about, discover new spots in major cities and have fun doing so!

Plus, they’re all FREE!

Now, for those who have a National Trust pass, this is free for you! Those who haven’t, depending on the site, may have to pay.

The UK is full of beautiful and tranquil settings, landscapes and mazes that are full of family fun and exploration!

From Brockhampton, with enchanting woodlands and daisy structures, to Bodiam Castle, where you can climb atop a lookout!

Head out on nature trails, explore national parks and get stuck into a range of activities – especially during the summer! A lot of them also throw family events too, so you can always find something here.

This colourful maze has opened up in Brent Cross!

Make your way through the maze as you enjoy vibrant artwork and watch it evolve in real time as the artists continue to create unique pieces on specific days.

Bring a bit of art to your summer plans with a visit to The Maze!

Oh, and we did mention it’s free right?

Something you can do at home is organise a mini sports day in your garden! Channel your inner Olympian, gather the extended family around and make it a fun-filled family affair!

Set up different stations for classic games like sack races, egg and spoon races, three-legged races, and tug-of-war. Divide the kids into teams and award small prizes for participation. It’s a great way to encourage friendly competition and physical activity!

What’s the best way to end a summer day? With a family BBQ, of course! Have everyone bring a dish with them and you’ll have so much food to dig into!

The perfect summer holiday activity is to engage your kids in gardening! Where you can teach them all about plants and nature!

Help them plant some flowers, herbs or veggies and encourage them to look after them all summer long. They’re little projects that they can see grow from a tiny bulb into a flowering plant.

Watching their efforts bloom into beautiful flowers or tasty produce will be a rewarding experience!

Looking for an activity surrounded by animals? Head to an animal farm! We all love cute, cuddly animals, whether they bleat, moo or oink!

Roskilly’s Farm is a must this summer. Whether you’re visiting Cornwall for your family staycation or you already live there! It’s free admission, and it’s the perfect day out for kids!

There’s a mile of easy walking (so great for all ages!), and the free walking trail includes The Top and Bottom Ponds, Long Meadows, The Old Withy Woods, the Old Orchard and more! From family beaches, magnificent views of the Cornish coast and adorable animals. It’s pretty much an all-rounded trip!

You can also grab a cheeky Cornish ice cream after… (it’s well worth it!)

Get creative and messy with arts and crafts! Whether you had to a local community centre, library, or art gallery for free art and craft workshops. OR you decide to experience a crafty afternoon at home!

Whether you attend a creative workshop that caters to kids and brings all sorts of fun, or you stay at home!

Craft activities could include, fingerprint painting, watercolour painting with the flowers you find in the garden or water gun painting! Fill up a water fun with food colouring and water and spray on a white t-shirt! You can stay cool and make art at the same time! The kids will come up with lots of ideas if you give them to tools to be messy (let them play with art outside!)

Perhaps your kids like drawing, painting, or clay modelling? Whatever crafty activity you think your kids will love, it’ll be a great way for the, to explore their creativity and express themselves!

Keep cool this summer and head to a splash park! Water parks may be a little too expensive for families, especially when paying for everyone. Which is why splash pads are a great alternative!

You’re likely to find them at local parks, so they shouldn’t be too far from you either. It’s the ultimate playground with water spouts, jets and interactive water play activities – your kids will have a splash-tastic day out!

There’s no better way to cool off during the summer holidays!

Geocaching is like a real-life treasure hunt using GPS coordinates instead of a map!

All you need to do is download a geocaching app or check geocaching websites for locations near you and head out on a family adventure.

Armed with a smartphone or GPS device, your kids can follow clues to find hidden containers, or “geocaches,” that contain small toys or trinkets for trading. It’s super fun, exhilarating and full of exploration.

Many museums in the UK offer free admission to their interesting and seriously cool permanent collections…

Explore ancient Egypt at the Manchester Museum, discover ancient civilizations at the British Museum in London or learn about space exploration and scientific innovations at the Science Museum!

Some museums for kids even offer interactive elements and hands-on activities! These interactive exhibits allow kids to touch, play, and participate actively in the learning process, making it a fun and memorable experience.

Museums are also perfect for those inevitable rainy days during the summer holidays. When outdoor plans are dampened by the weather, museums provide a sheltered and exciting indoor activity for the whole family.

Let’s wrap it up with a simple but memorable free activity. Family game night!

Get into some comfy clothes, grab the board games, pencils, paper and colours and settle in for a day (or night of games!). Whether you play board games or on a game console (we’re thinking of Mario Kart here…always great for family competitions).

A game night isn’t complete without snacks though! Bring out a collection of different flavoured crisps, and your favourite sweet treats and make some drinks (mocktails for kids!).

It’s a quality night that will be set in stone with the summer sun. What could be better?