Budget family fun for half term

Have fun and save money at the same time. Getting outdoors with the family this May half term is good for everyone’s health and wellbeing and won’t do your wallet any harm either.

Some of the best family bloggers we’ve found share their tips for awesome outdoor family adventures.

Create a cool den

Kids love making dens. It won’t cost a penny to let them empty the airing cupboard of sheets, and they’ll be making memories to last a lifetime. Happy Go Mummy’s Charlotte remembers grabbing all the cushions and pillows to make a sitting room hideout:

‘We’d leave just a single seat cushion on the sofa so mum wouldn’t be sat on springs.’

If the weather’s good, take a tip from Josephine Barlow, blogger at jbmumofone who makes a den for her kids by hanging an old bed sheet over the washing line:

‘Secure it with clothes pegs and large stones or plant pots. Stick an old picnic blanket on the ground to create a ground sheet.’

Little ones will enjoy decorating their den with brightly coloured bunting or paper chains. And for the ultimate treat – make them a picnic, or even better, hold a den sleep-over.

Set up a scavenger hunt

Blogger Donna recommends scavenger hunts as a great way to teach your kids about nature: ‘Kids get to really explore the natural changes a new season brings.’

Adventurer Bear Grylls agrees: ‘Every child has the right to adventure. Nature is the world’s best adventure playground and it’s open to all.’

If you’re in need of inspiration, The Woodland Trust website features a super Spring scavenger hunt, which challenges your children to find soft feathers, a nibbled leaf, blossom and sticky leaf buds.

Set up a circuit

Children’s fitness expert Caroline Newman aka The Dance Lady, says there’s nothing like an exercise challenge to get your kids moving.

‘Obstacle courses are great for kids of all ages to play together, and can include a variety of activities like sprinting, a bike ride, skipping, a hula hoop, and a Frisbee throw.’

Create a training boot camp for older children and teens. Caroline recommends alternating cardio, strength training, flexibility and balance exercises. Press ups, sit ups, jumping jacks and running on spot are also ideal for this challenge.

Hunt for treasure

Use the house and garden to set a treasure hunt. Cass, who blogs at The Diary of a Frugal Family suggests picture clues for under fives with more cryptic rhyming puzzles for older children.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, Christine of A family day out suggests giving orienteering a try at a beginner event where, ‘you’ll find plenty of club volunteers to help you choose a course and decode the map.’

The Meek family had a blast when they tried it: ‘We’d had a few hours fun running, laughing, enjoying and appreciating the outdoors and each other’s company – we got to see deer, squirrels, geese and even had a close encounter with a heron.’

Fancy a high tech alternative? Geocaching uses satnav technology to guide you around a predetermined course. Clara of My Two Mums says it’s: ‘Like one big treasure hunt across the whole world, with people hiding and hunting the treasure in every city, town or village.’

Cook over a campfire

Create lasting memories by cooking over a roaring campfire. Visit the Wild Child Outdoor website for a cracking guide to to get you started.

Sausages on sticks are a crowd pleaser, but Gav Grayston of Get out with the kids reckons you can’t beat his campfire potato wedges which he says are ‘a cross between potato wedges and roast potatoes…and all the better for it.’

Gav’s complete collection of campfire recipes includes pocket pizzas, tacos in a bag, and cheesy nachos.

Get on your bike and ride

Spring is great time to get outside on two wheels. If your family is new to cycling, check out the Sustrans website site which is crammed with cycle trails that explore the National Cycle Network. Choose from a wide range of rides including routes that avoid the traffic.

Always allow plenty of breaks when cycling with kids. How about packing a picnic in our new bicycle panniers? Include a few of your kids’ favourite snacks and you’re guaranteed to keep them pedalling.

Thinking about your child’s first bike? Keen cyclists Karen and Chris of Cycle Sprog offer a wealth of advice to help you buy with confidence.

Enjoy a family film

Round off a busy half-term of outdoor family fun with a movie night. Jen Walshaw who blogs at Mum in the Madhouse, suggests ways to add to the fun: ‘We have individual buckets of popcorn and tickets, we set a time for the showing, and sometimes the kids even make a poster for our movie event.’

Not sure what to watch? ‘Honest Mum’ Vicki is a filmmaker from a family of cinephiles. Her Top 10 best kids’ films of all time, includes classics like Bambi, Bugsy Malone and Home Alone.

We’d love to know what you’re planning for May half term. Share your ideas on our Facebook page.