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School holidays can be an exciting yet challenging time for single parents, especially when trying to find fun, affordable activities to keep the kids entertained. Luckily, there are plenty of budget-friendly options to explore.
In this two-part blog series, Part 1 focuses on staying local with budget-friendly activities that keep the kids entertained close to home. Part 2 will dive into getting out on an adventure, exploring the joys of road trips and budget-conscious travel ideas. Here are some ideas to help you create lasting memories without breaking the bank.
Part 1: Staying Local
1. Bake-at-Home Days
Turn your kitchen into a fun workshop with bake-at-home days. For younger kids, simple recipes like cookies, cupcakes, or brownies are perfect. Older kids might enjoy inviting their friends over to experiment with minimal-cook recipes or even get adventurous by making homemade bath bombs! A quick online search will give you easy-to-follow recipes.
2. Movie Days at Home
Transform your living room into a cozy cinema! With some popcorn and comfy blankets, or make it a bit more fancy and add a fun grazing board to the occasion with the kids selection of their favorite sweet and savory food items. Then let the kids take turns picking their favorite movies. It's an easy, low-cost way to enjoy quality time together without needing to spend on tickets.
3. Beach Trips
A day at the beach is always a winner. Pack a picnic, sunscreen, and enjoy some time by the water with sandcastles, swimming, and sunshine, not to mention the fun of exploring local rock pools and collecting unique shells —all at no cost!
4. Bushwalks and Waterfall Adventures
Explore local bushwalks or hike to nearby waterfalls. It’s a great way to get outdoors, enjoy nature, and help the kids burn off some energy. Most national parks are free or have a small entry fee, making this a budget-friendly day out.
5. Art and Craft Days
Head to your local discount store and grab a bunch of paints, textas, crayons, beads, and anything else arty and crafty they can play with. Set up an art and craft day at home and let the kids’ creativity run wild. This is a great way to engage their imagination and create homemade keepsakes.
6. Museums and Art Galleries
Many museums and art galleries offer free or low-cost entry, especially for kids. It’s an educational day out that can also be a fun adventure. And most offer free school holiday activities, Check your local venues for any special holiday exhibitions or events.
7. Fruit Picking
Find a local farm where you can go fruit picking. The options are endless, oranges, blueberries, strawberries, and whatever else in season. It’s a fun activity that the kids will love, plus you get to bring home fresh fruit for healthy snacks or even baking later! These activities usually charge a small cost per bucket of fruit and it's totally worth it when you taste the fresh fruit flavours that you just don't get with supermarket fruit and between you and me the farm fresh fruit last's so much longer then the store bought fruit.
8. Photo Day: Creating Family Memories
We often forget to print out photos in the digital age, so why not have a photo day? Create family memorabilia by organizing old photos from special occasions and past family holidays into photo albums or updating the frames around the house. make it that little bit more fun for the kids and let them make their own albums with their favorite memories or create a special one with photos of their friends.
9. Invite Friends Over or Visit Friends
Sometimes the best memories come from simply spending time with friends. Invite your kids’ friends over or arrange a visit. It’s a low-cost way to keep the kids social and entertained.
10. Local Shopping Centre Activities
Many local shopping centers offer free or low-cost activities during the school holidays, like craft workshops or kids’ shows. Keep an eye on their websites or social media for updates on what’s happening near you.
11. Use Loyalty Programs and Discounts
Take advantage of loyalty programs for family activities. Many cinemas have loyalty memberships such as Event cinemas Cinebuzz that offer discounts on tickets. And offer even bigger discounts on Cheap Tuesday.
This is the perfect time to splurge on a gold class movie ticket if you haven't yet done so and the ticket prices are close to half the regular prices. And yes, the discounted prices are also valid during school holidays. There are always a few good family-friendly movie deals in the gold class lounge so you can sit back and relax with the kids and why not splurge even more and order the food there and let them serve it to you at your seat.
But you do need to be a loyalty member to get the best deals. And here's another tip, they also work off a point system so the more movies you see the more points you get, and the more points you get the more free sessions you get. WIN WIN!
And don't forget to also check for deals on other kid-friendly activities such bowling or arcade fun
12. Coupon Deals
Keep up to date with local coupon deals, whether it’s for restaurant offers, outdoor activities, waterparks, gaming venues, sporting venues, adventure parks or even holiday discounts. Websites like Groupon are great places to score a deal and make the holidays more affordable.
13. Flower Picking
Just like fruit picking, flower picking can be a beautiful and relaxing activity for both parents and kids. Visit a flower farm, let the kids choose their own bunches, and bring home stunning bouquets that can brighten up your home. Flower picking is a great budget-friendly option and normally only costs a small fee per bunch or stem
14. Farm Visits with Interactive Activities
Many local farms offer interactive experiences for families. Take the kids to a farm visit where they can participate in activities like milking cows, collecting chicken eggs, and enjoying pony rides. These hands-on experiences are not only fun but also educational, giving kids a glimpse into farm life. Farm visits are often a cheaper alternative to zoos, offering just as much fun at a fraction of the cost.
As single parents, we know how challenging it can be to plan fun and affordable activities for the school holidays. In this first part, I covered plenty of budget-friendly options, from movie days at home and art and craft sessions to outdoor adventures like fruit picking and bushwalks. These activities are designed to keep your kids entertained without breaking the bank, while also giving you time to connect as a family.
Stay tuned for part two, where I’ll dive into the exciting world of single parent adventures, offering tips on how to plan a memorable, cost-effective journey with your little ones!
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