Cents and Sensibility

Summer Fun for Less

Schools are breaking up or may have just done so. So childcare may be very much on your mind.

Families paying for childcare over the six-week summer holiday now face a bill of £1,076 per child on average – a rise of 4% on last year, according to research by the Coram Family and Childcare charity.

Wales has the highest weekly price at £210, followed by England at £178 and Scotland at £168.

Q: So lots of retailers offering cheap kids meals for the summer - where can I find some of those deals?

A: Let's start with the easy stuff. Lots of the supermarkets run free or very cheap meals for kids.

ASDA give out free Ella's baby food pouches with any purchase in their Cafe. It also offers those under 16 a meal for £1

Tesco offer a free kids' meal with any adult purchase (even 65p fruit!) although you need to be a ClubCard member to get it

Yo Sushi offer kids to eat free when dining with a full-paying adult (minimum £10 spend).

offering a 'kiddo bento box' free.

Dobbie's Garden Centre offer a kids £1 meal with any adult meal and you can then roam the rows of plants with the kids, to run off some of their energy.

IKEA run some craft classes and offer IKEA Family members (a free to join scheme) at least 50% off restaurant meals from 11am weekdays. Adult meals from £1.25, kids’ meals from just 45p! (Offer runs until 29th August).

CHECK THE OFFER STILL APPLIES BEFORE BUYING ANYTHING

There's lots more offers and you can see a fuller list MUMSNET and BUDGETINGMUM

Q: About 3.4 million children across England alone claimed free school meals - what happens to them during the holidays when schools are closed?

A: If you live in England or Scotland, getting free school meals during term time means you generally qualify for extra help during the school holidays, which can include free meals.

The Holiday And Food programme, known as HAF, is designed to give children aged 4+ access to enriching activities, and at least one free meal a day. The actual content of the programme will vary council by council but you should be able to choose from a range of activities.

As a minimum, each local authority must provide the equivalent of six weeks of support per year to all eligible children, but many councils offer more. This is split over each of the long school holidays. So, if you apply, you'll be able to get AT LEAST:

• Four days help over Easter.

• Four weeks help over summer (or three, if your child's holiday is shorter than six weeks).

• Four days help over Christmas.

However the government's guidance is not at all easy to follow on how to apply apart from saying doing that through the local council. Ask your school or call the council - I'd say the earlier the better but try anyway.

In Scotland, it works slightly differently and you can get help towards food costs over the holidays. Households normally eligible for free school meals during term time should automatically start receiving payments over the holidays.

Q: Is it just food that HAF helps with?

No - it's better than that, they also run a series of activities. But it varies from council to council. To find out your local dfetails I would Google/Bing/etc the words HAF and the name of your local council. But if anyone from councils or government are reading this - please make a central website where everyone can go to - as you don't make it easy.

Q: What about other free and cheap things to do with your children over the summer?

• London Zoo is offering £3 universal credit tickets to help people who may find cost a barrier to visiting

• Edinburgh Zoo is also offering Universal Credit tickets for just £7 per person

• You can get tickets for £1 to the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre if you’re claiming Universal Credit. The tickets have to be bought in advance and you can get up to 6 tickets per household.

• There are 50 venues to do free Park Yoga, each Sunday morning. It's not aimed at children but they are welcome when with an adult. The organisers say "Park Yoga is for all the family and lots of our yogi’s bring their children aged from babies through to teenagers, however so you’re aware, the yoga practice is not children’s yoga. Children under the age of 18 should be accompanied by a parent/carer, and we ask that parents/carers are near the children at all times. Neither Park Yoga or the yoga instructor are responsible for children at a Park Yoga sessions at any time, as they remain the parent/carer/guardian’s responsibility."

• The Summer Reading Challenge is being run by lots of libraries around the country. It encourages children to keep reading during the summer holidays, ensuring they are ready for a great start to the new term in the autumn. Children set a reading goal and collect rewards for reading anything they enjoy. Children can sign up at their local library or online, and it’s FREE to take part. This year’s Challenge, Story Garden – Adventures in Nature and the Great Outdoors, will inspire children to tap into a world of imagination through reading, exploring the magical connection between storytelling and nature.

• The Woodland Trust are keen to encourage younger people to engage with their local trees. I have to say I present the WoodlandWalks Podcast - so I am particularly keen on this. Just go to the Woodland Trust - Find A Wood website - to find a free woodland near you. They also have an activity ideas section here

  

  And of course you should also listen to the podcast just to calm yourself amidst the noise and bustel of the summer holiday activities. I rather like this episode with Kate Humblewhich is also available on all podcast platforms

MONEY MATTERS WITH ADAM SHAW ON TIMES RADIO EVERY MONDAY AT 3:45PM

Listen to Money Matters on Times Radio with Adam Shaw, Fi Glover and Jane Garvey at 3:45pm on Mondays.

For more commentary follow me on Twitter/X and BlueSkySocial @adamshawbiz

Please remember everything on this site is journalist commentary and is not financial advice or guidance in anyway.

If you want to contact me - send an email via here