We all know that days out can get expensive pretty quick – especially when they have one of those godforsaken gift shops (AKA the bane of every parent’s existence).
So we thought'd we'd share our fav things to do in thr October half-term.
P.S These options are wallet-friendly and still super fun, promise.
Forests (or any area with a decent scatter of trees) are immediately autumnal – something about the leaves and the pine smell is straight out of a movie. And the good news is that most forests are free to enter (but please do check before you trespass), so they’re a super easy option for a day out.
Want to make it more fun for the kids? Add an element of friendly competition (we can't promise it will stay friendly though). Make a list of challenges they need to complete on the way round - things to find, stuff to collect, that kinda thing.
Try challenging the young’uns (and hey, why not yourself?) to create a Halloween costume exclusively from things you already have in the house. This is a real thinker of a task; anything you can find from the kitchen to the bathroom can be used to design the very best costume. The more imaginative the better - toilet roll mummys, we're looking at you.
Make it even more Halloween-y by watching Hocus Pocus or The Nightmare Before Christmas once everyone is kitted out in their new costume. Of course, you’ve got to have a winner, but we think having a loser’s forfeit is much more fun – it’s up to you on how cruel to be...
Just in case you didn’t know, a tonne of museums are actually free to visit – and if not free, they’re rarely too expensive. It’s also good to know that during half-term a lot of museums have on special events for the kiddos (and they’re usually interactive – so you won’t be hearing any complaints along the lines of 'I’m borreeeedddd’).
Why not make a day of it? Head to all the museums (or other educational attractions) local to you, discover what they have to offer, then, at the end of the day, ask everyone to cast a vote for their favourite.
We know what you’re thinking, ‘you think I have the time to set up a full scavenger hunt?’ No, no – this is simply the perfect opportunity to use what you’ve got. Include challenges like finding a scary masks in the supermarket, spotting pumpkins hidden in the garden and hunting for Halloween-y bits and bobs around the house – you can stay with the young’uns while they’re searching and give them hints.
Read our guide on organising a scavenger hunt by following this link.
These are just a few of our fave bargain things to do during half-term, but there’s plenty other bits and bobs to keep you busy.
At Days Out, you can book the UK’s best attractions (y’know the proper FOMO inducing ones?) -- we know where’s perfect for you. Find your next adventure.
