Dr Mobeus
The school holidays are looming and every parent knows what comes next: “I’m bored.” Six weeks is a long time to fill, and the cost of paid activities adds up fast. A single trip to a soft play centre can set you back £15-20 per child. A day at a theme park? Forget it – that is £200+ for a family of four. But here is the thing: some of the best summer activities for kids do not cost a penny. Here is our complete guide to free summer fun across the UK.
Free Museums and Galleries
Many of the UK’s best museums are completely free, and they are not just for rainy days. Most run special family activities during the summer holidays.
Top Free Museums for Kids
- Natural History Museum, London: Dinosaurs, earthquakes and a whale the size of a bus. Free entry, open daily.
- Science Museum, London: Interactive galleries where kids can actually touch stuff. The Wonderlab is paid but the rest is free.
- National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh: Science, nature and world cultures all under one roof. Brilliant for a full day out.
- Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester: Planes, trains and interactive experiments. The textiles gallery lets kids try weaving.
- Tate Modern, London: Even if your kids are not “into art,” the Turbine Hall installations are always mind-blowing.
- World Museum, Liverpool: Planetarium, aquarium and a bug house. All free.
Check our complete guide to free UK museums and galleries for a full list with opening times and family facilities.
Parks, Nature Reserves and Forests
Nature is the original free entertainment. Here are the best ways to make the most of it:
Organised Free Activities
- Forestry England: Many Forestry England sites offer free activity trails, den-building areas and orienteering courses. Search “Forestry England family activities” for your nearest site.
- RSPB reserves: Most RSPB nature reserves have free entry for children and run free family events during summer. Pond dipping, bug hunting and bird watching are all on the schedule.
- The Wildlife Trusts: Local Wildlife Trusts run free “30 Days Wild” activities throughout June. Perfect for younger kids who love finding creepy-crawlies.
- National Trust free weekends: The National Trust occasionally offers free entry weekends. Sign up to their newsletter to be notified. Their parklands (not houses) are often free to roam anyway.
Free Summer Events and Festivals
Summer is festival season and you do not need expensive tickets to join in.
- Park festivals: Most UK cities run free summer festivals in local parks. Think live music, food stalls, fairground rides and family activities. Check your council website for dates.
- Summer reading challenge: Every UK library runs the free Summer Reading Challenge. Kids read 6 books over the holidays and earn stickers and a certificate. It keeps them reading and gets you out of the house on a rainy day.
- Free cinema: Both Vue and Cineworld run cheap kids’ screenings on weekend mornings (£2-3 per ticket). Not free, but close. See our cheap cinema tickets guide for all the options.
- Council holiday activities: Many councils offer free sports sessions, craft workshops and activity days during school holidays. Search “[your council] holiday activities” to find what is on.
Free Things to Do at Home
Not every day can be a day out. Here are free activities that actually keep kids busy for more than five minutes:
For Younger Kids (Under 8)
- Den building: Blankets, cushions, chairs. Hours of fun for £0.
- Water play: A washing-up bowl, some plastic containers and a garden (or bath). Kids will pour, measure and splash for ages.
- Junk modelling: Save cardboard boxes, loo rolls, egg cartons. Give them Sellotape and felt tips. The results are chaotic but the focus is real.
- Baking with store-cupboard ingredients: Flapjacks, shortbread, rock cakes – all use basic ingredients you probably already have. Check our budget recipe collection for ideas.
For Older Kids (8+)
- Stop-motion animation: Free apps like Stop Motion Studio turn a phone into an animation studio. Use Lego, Play-Doh or drawings.
- Coding: Scratch (free) teaches kids to code by building games. Perfect for rainy afternoons.
- Geocaching: A free app that turns your local area into a treasure hunt. There are millions of caches hidden across the UK.
- Photography challenge: Give them a phone camera and a list of things to photograph (something red, something tiny, something old). They will be busy for an hour at least.
Free Days Out Across the UK
London
- Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace – free to watch
- South Bank street performers and the sandy urban beach in summer
- Hampstead Heath swimming ponds (free for kids)
- Crystal Palace Park dinosaurs and maze
North West
- Dunham Massey deer park (National Trust parkland is free)
- Tatton Park gardens entry is paid but the parkland walks are free
- Liverpool waterfront and the Mersey Ferry terminal area
Scotland
- Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh – a proper hill climb with city views
- Glasgow’s free museums: Kelvingrove, Riverside, People’s Palace
- Loch Lomond shores – walking trails and visitor centre are free
Wales
- Cardiff Bay barrage walk with play areas
- Brecon Beacons dark sky discovery sites (free stargazing)
- The Wales Coastal Path – 870 miles of free walking
The HAF Programme – Free Holiday Activities and Food
If your child receives free school meals, the government’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme provides free activities and meals during Easter, summer and Christmas holidays. This is not means-tested beyond the free school meals criteria. Activities include sports, arts, cooking and day trips. Search “HAF programme [your area]” to find your local scheme.
How to Make Free Days Out Feel Like a Treat
The secret to free days out with kids is all in the presentation. Here is what works:
- Pack a proper picnic: Not just sandwiches. Think sausage rolls, fruit skewers, flapjacks, a flask of hot chocolate. It feels like an event. See our £15 summer picnic guide.
- Make a plan together: Let the kids choose from 3 free options. Having a say makes them more invested.
- Bring a disposable camera: Wilko sells them for about £5. Kids love taking “real” photos and the anticipation of getting them developed is part of the fun.
- Treat jar: Put the money you would have spent on paid activities into a jar and let them see it grow. Use it for one special trip at the end of summer.
The Bottom Line
Six weeks of school holidays does not have to mean six weeks of spending. Between free museums, parks, council activities, library events and creative home projects, you can fill the entire summer without spending more than the odd bus fare. The average UK family spends £600+ on summer holiday activities. With these free alternatives, you could cut that to under £100 and still have a summer the kids will actually remember.
Need more budget-friendly ideas? Check out 50 free and low-cost summer ideas and browse the latest deals on freebies.co.uk.
