With the summer holidays looming, many parents up and down the country have their head in their hands, wondering what they can do with their little ones, to keep them occupied, starve off those ‘I’m bored’ tantrums, all without spending a fortune.

Keeping kids’ minds occupied generally costs money, because let’s face it, everything these days does, however there are some activities that don’t cost a penny generally, and are just as time consuming and mind-occupying as a day at an expensive theme park.

Here’s five ideas you might like to try this summer.

Baking

Kids love nothing more than getting their hands dirty in the kitchen and making a cake, biscuits or something equally as yummy. You will more than likely have baking equipment and ingredients already in your cupboards, as most people tend to have these things lurking at the back somewhere, collecting dust, so when the bored moments start to set in, get on the internet, find a recipe, and get baking together. This is a fun bonding experience, as well as providing you with a delicious outcome.

Bike rides

If you have a bike in the garage, now is the time to dust it off and head out, getting some fresh air along the way. Getting out of the house is a great idea, as we all know the beneficial effects of fresh air, which generally tires kids outs and promises a better night’s sleep! Exercise is also another plus for this idea.

Gardening

Do you have a garden that has lacked a bit of TLC and could do with a tidy up? Enlist the kids! Digging, getting dirty, planting flowers etc, this is all good fun, again gets plenty of fresh air and sunshine, and will probably take up a whole afternoon. Fun and free!

A day at the beach

If you are lucky enough to live near the beach, then head down for a day’s splashing and sandcastle building. If you pack up a picnic to take with you, it won’t cost anything for lunch, and the only thing it might cost you is the price of an ice cream, but when you compare it to the price of a theme park ticket, you’re laughing!

Get crafty

Painting, drawing, writing, sewing, knitting, these are all activities that cost nothing provided you have the materials in the house already, and all are fun activities to keep the children’s minds and hands occupied. You can get involved too and make it a real family experience.

As you can see, these ideas are really basic, but are big on fun and very low on cost, in fact they’re free! You don’t have to spend a fortune every single day of the children’s holidays in order to keep them busy and occupied, it just means a little thinking outside of the box.