Hit up nature and go camping!
Camping or glamping is a great low cost way to stay-cation and there’s some pretty amazing places you can visit around the UK. Glamping may take a bit more planning, but if you want an impromptu weekend away, you can get your tent first thing in the morning, load up the car, then choose either a campsite or push the boat out and wild camp.
Research has shown that time outdoors can improve everything from your blood pressure to giving your immune system an extra boost. When you spend a few days outside in nature, you get some serious health benefits from the extra oxygen and low levels of pollutants.
If you’re going to wild camp, please remember to not leave anything behind at all, pitch safely, and only stay one night. You can read the full rules here.
Get creative with some arts and crafts
Why not spend the night doing arts and crafts? It’s a great way to entertain both adults and kids alike! You can do everything from creating your own soap to painting. A really fun task to get everyone involved is to give each person a blank canvas to draw on, then after 5 minutes, pass the canvas on to the next person. Swap drawings as many times as you like, then see the crazy results.
View a full guide of fun ideas here.
Get your trunks on and go swimming
Swimming is a great way to have fun on your own or as a family. Swimming is a great all-round exercise, it helps keep you more active and stay healthy no matter your age or ability. Keeping the kids entertained is super easy too. You can play loads of different ball games, swim underwater, and even play water tag.
Wild swimming is a great way to connect with nature and have fun in a very cheap (it’s basically free) way. There is something slightly exciting and a little bit scary about wild swimming. Entering the open water, the way nature intended, is invigorating and also a great way to explore the countryside.
If you do choose wild swimming, please read the following guide on the health and safety of wild water.
Get into gardening
Gardening is a great way to fill some spare time and it can be hugely rewarding too! Kids and adults can both get involved in sprucing up a garden and growing something new.
You can even get into growing your own produce. Tomatoes are really easy to grow through summer time, just ensure they get enough sun and stay watered. If you’re looking for something to grow through the year, Potatoes can easily be grown year round.
Summer is also a great time to start growing pumpkins ready for Halloween, so get planting!
Have a home movie night
Having a home movie night is a fun and cost effective way of keeping the kids entertained this summer. We’ve created a list of cool ideas to make your cosy film night even more like the movies.
- Print off admission tickets:
Give your kids a ticket to your family movie night before they head out the door, it’ll give them something to look forward to all day, as they come in, they can exchange it for a comfy seat on the couch and a handful of snacks. - Have movie themed snacks:
If you want to get really creative, create some amazing movie themed snacks. For example, if you’re watching Cars together, try ‘Flo’s V8 burger and chips’ or for Finding Nemo, try tasty goldfish crackers or fishy fruity flakes. - Get dressed up:
Get really in the spirit of your home movie night by getting everyone dressed up. The best example of this is everyone dressing up as a wizard or witch ready for a Harry Potter marathon.
Visit your local park
There are loads of reasons to visit your local park, the best one being it’s free! All you need is a bit of suncream (if the sun is finally out in the UK…) some snacks, and a blanket to sit on and you’re good to go.
Taking kids to the park is a great day as they can run, climb, and play ball games all day. You can even make a little scrapbook for your children. Every time you visit a new park, let them draw, take photos, and add in any other keepsakes you find on your travels.
If you’re looking for a low waste picnic ideas, you can follow our guide here.
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