The school holidays have only just started, and already the “what shall we do today” question is doing the rounds. With six weeks stretching ahead, finding family days out under £20 is going to matter more than once this summer — the good news is that this is actually one of the easiest seasons to do it well, if you know where to look.
Free and nearly-free family days out under £20 this summer
- The Summer Reading Challenge. This year’s Summer Reading Challenge, “Read to the Beat,” launched on 4 July and runs at libraries across the UK all summer — completely free, with badges and rewards for kids who take part. It’s genuinely one of the best free things going right now, and most libraries let you sign up in person, no advance booking needed.
- Splash parks and lidos. Outdoor pools and splash pads are exactly what summer’s for, and many council-run ones are considerably cheaper than a theme park day — some splash parks are free to use.
- National museums and galleries. Most major UK museums — including the British Museum and the Natural History Museum — have free general admission. Pack a picnic and you’ve got a full day out for the cost of the train or petrol.
- Picnics and scavenger hunts in the park. Genuinely free, endlessly repeatable, and kids of almost any age get properly into a scavenger hunt with a homemade list.
- The Blue Peter badge scheme. If your child has a Blue Peter badge, it’s worth checking the Blue Peter badge attractions map — over 200 UK museums, castles and attractions offer free entry to badge holders.
- Cinema deals. Meerkat Movies (2-for-1 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays) or exchanging Tesco Clubcard vouchers for cinema tickets can turn a family trip to the pictures into one of the cheapest days out going — useful for the inevitable rainy day too.
- Geocaching. Free, works anywhere, and turns an ordinary walk into a proper treasure hunt — all you need is a phone and the free app.
Making a full day out of it, still under £20
The trick to keeping family days out under £20 as a genuine day out, not just an hour, is combining a free anchor activity with something small alongside it — a splash park after the library challenge, a picnic instead of a café lunch, or splitting one paid attraction with a free walk either side. A flask and some sandwiches from home will save more than almost anything else on this list.
If you’re looking for more ways to fill the six weeks without spending a fortune, I’ve written before about this in Beat The Boredom: Fun Ideas For School Holidays and Holiday Ideas and Tips For Families On A Budget — both worth a look if this list has you wanting more.
The bit that actually matters
None of this is about doing days out on the cheap because you have to settle for less — some of our best summer memories have come from a free walk and a flask of tea, not the expensive days that needed months of saving up for. If you’re weighing up family days out under £20 this summer, you’re not compromising, you’re just being sensible with it — and honestly, the kids rarely notice the difference.
Photo by Kampus Production