Free ways to keep the children busy
The summer holidays are fast approaching, so it's time to start coming up with ideas of how best to keep the children occupied during those long six weeks.
It can be hard to come up with new and fresh ideas, especially if you can't step over the front door because of the unpredictable weather.
But, it's also to come up with something to do if you don't have any spare money to spend on taking the children out.
New research from vouchercodes.co.uk has found that almost a third of British families have had to abandon enjoyable meals out in a bit to ease their financial worries.
The survey of 3000 people, found that 41 per cent are cutting down on the number of holidays that they go on - another way to diminsh the children's moods.
Duncan Jennings, co-founder of Vochercodes.co.uk, says: "It's well documented that having children is expensive and that as a parent, you're expected to make sacrifices for your kids. However, it's a shame that even in a recession parents feel they have to give up more important family activities and days out in order to save money.
"It seems that trips to the local restaurant, cinema or theme park are now being saved as treats on special occasions."
Great free ways to keep the children occupied include:
Get them gardening - Not only will it save you a job, but you get to see the delight in their faces when something they've planted starts to grow.
Go on a bike ride - This encourages exercise and is free, plus you can go for hours on a bike and let them see nature up close.
Organise a play - Help them to practise a play that they can perform when relatives come round, or Dad gets home from work. This should keep them busy for hours.
Do a Mary Poppins - Make like Mary and make the cleaning a game, it'll help save you a couple of hours too. Buy them a feather duster - it's bound to keep them happy whilst cleaning.
Femalefirst Taryn Davies