Summer savers and offers to help you enjoy the holidays
18 July 2023
Work, money and benefits
Free or low cost activities for families this summer
)
School summer holidays are upon us and this means many families will be looking for activities to enjoy together. It’s also an expensive time right now, with the cost of living and energy costs higher than ever before.
With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of activities that you can enjoy with your family, without breaking the bank, as well as some other ways to save this summer.
Kids eat for less this summer holiday
Search any of the below to find out more, and search for places near you.
- Asda cafés are offering £1 meals all day, every day, for children. They’ll also provide free Ella’s baby food pouches for children under 18 months old, with any purchase. This offer runs until the end of September.
- Tesco cafés are offering free food for children when an adult spends 60p. Make sure to bring your Clubcard with you. This offer is available from 24 July.
- Sainsburys cafés are offering one hot meal or lunch bag for £1 if the adult buys a meal costing over £5.20. This offer is available after 11:30am every day.
- Morrisons cafés is offering free kid’s meals all day, every day, with a required adult meal spend of £4.49.
- Bill’s restaurant is offering free meals for up to two children, all day Monday to Friday, with a purchase of one main dish from the breakfast, lunch or dinner menu. Offer available from 24 July to 1 September.
- Sizzling pubs are offering £1 kids meals with the purchase of one main adult meal. This offer is available Monday to Friday between 3pm and 7pm.
- Pausa cafes, Dunelm, are offering free food for children with a spend of £4. This includes one mini main, two snacks and a drink.
- Dobbies Garden Centre cafés are offering free kids meals if an adult purchases a meal.
- Bella Italia is offering three course meals and a drink for kids aged 2-11 years old for just £1 with every adult main course. Available from 4pm to 6pm, Monday to Thursday, and some locations are also offering this on Saturdays and Sundays.
- Beefeater is offering free unlimited all you can eat breakfast for up to two children, under the age of 16, when an adult purchases one breakfast.
- Ikea is offering a kid’s pasta and tomato sauce meal with a soft drink for 95p or any other meal for £1.50, no need to spend anything for this deal. Available daily after 11am.
Free or low cost activities for the kids this summer
Explore below, making sure to note the opening times, and whether you need to book ahead.
-
Hampshire
Hampshire
- Try out Geocaching
- Spend £30 at Aldi and get free Olympic sports sessions for kids, you can do this as many times as you like.
- Enjoy free tennis sessions for children. Search for open days and free events that take place all year round.
- Spend a day at a local beach. You can enjoy some sun and sea, or even go crabbing, don’t forget the sunscreen!
- Tour around your local fire station and learn about fire safety. Some fire stations may offer a free tour around with your kids. Call your local fire station to see if they will offer you a visit.
- Farnborough Air Sciences Trust museum has free entry. Check out their collection of aircraft, machinery, and much more.
- Portsmouth Natural History museum is also free entry and you don’t need to book. The Butterfly house is open from May to September
- The Great Butterfly Hunt runs from 14 July to 6 August.
- Attend a free pet workshop run by Pets At Home, book your slot in advance at your local store.
- National play day is celebrated this year on 2 August. See what free events they have near you.
-
West Sussex
- Try out Geocaching
- Spend £30 at Aldi and get free Olympic sports sessions for kids, you can do this as many times as you like.
- Enjoy free tennis sessions for children. Search for open days and free events that take place all year round.
- Spend a day at a local beach. You can enjoy some sun and sea, or even go crabbing, don’t forget the sun screen!
- Tour around your local fire station and learn about fire safety. Some fire stations may offer a free tour around with your kids. Call your local fire station to see if they will offer you a visit.
- Go hunting for shark’s teeth at Bracklesham Bay.
- Visit Allen Gallery in Alton, a museum that hosts an amazing selection of historic ceramics from the year 1250 to the present day.
- Pallant House Gallery. This is free for under 18s, or anyone in receipt of Jobseekers allowance, DLA, ESA and PIP. It’s also free for carers and discounted for those with Blue light cards.
- The Great Butterfly Hunt runs from 14 July to 6 August.
- Attend a free pet workshop run by Pets At Home, book you slot in advance at your local store.
- National play day is celebrated this year on 2 August. See what free events they have near you.
-
East Sussex
- Try out Geocaching
- Spend £30 at Aldi and get free Olympic sports sessions for kids, you can do this as many times as you like.
- Enjoy free tennis sessions for children. Search for open days and free events that take place all year round.
- Spend a day at a local beach. You can enjoy some sun and sea, or even go crabbing, don’t forget the sunscreen!
- Tour around your local fire station and learn about fire safety. Some fire stations may offer a free tour around with your kids. Call your local fire station to see if they will offer you a visit.
- Visit the Booth Museum of Natural History in Brighton for free.
- The Great Butterfly Hunt runs from 14 July to 6 August.
- Attend a free pet workshop run by Pets At Home, book your slot in advance at your local store.
- National play day is celebrated this year on 2 August. See what free events they have near you.
-
Kent
- Try out Geocaching
- Spend £30 at Aldi and get free Olympic sports sessions for kids, you can do this as many times as you like.
- Enjoy free tennis sessions for children. Search for open days and free events that take place all year round.
- Spend a day at a local beach. You can enjoy some sun and sea, or even go crabbing, don’t forget the sunscreen!
- Tour around your local fire station and learn about fire safety. Some fire stations may offer a free tour around with your kids. Call your local fire station to see if they will offer you a visit.
- The Great Butterfly Hunt runs from 14 July to 6 August.
- Attend a free pet workshop run by Pets At Home, book you slot in advance at your local store.
- National play day is celebrated this year on 2 August. See what free events they have near you.
-
Cambridgeshire
- Try out Geocaching
- Spend £30 at Aldi and get free Olympic sports sessions for kids, you can do this as many times as you like.
- Enjoy free tennis sessions for children. Search for open days and free events that take place all year round.
- Spend a day at a local beach. You can enjoy some sun and sea, or even go crabbing, don’t forget the sun screen!
- Tour around your local fire station and learn about fire safety. Some fire stations may offer a free tour around with your kids. Call your local fire station to see if they will offer you a visit.
- The Great Butterfly Hunt runs from 14 July to 6 August.
- Attend a free pet workshop run by Pets At Home, book you slot in advance at your local store.
- National play day is celebrated this year on 2 August. See what free events they have near you.
-
London
- Try out Geocaching
- Spend £30 at Aldi and get free Olympic sports sessions for kids, can be done as many times as you like.
- Tour around your local fire station and learn about fire safety. Some fire stations may offer a free tour around with your kids. Call your local fire station to see if they will offer you a visit.
- Enjoy free tennis sessions for children. Search for open days and free events that take place all year round.
- Head up to the Sky Garden, on the 43rd floor of the Walkie Talkie building. Free entry but must be reserved online.
- Visit Natural History Museum for free, make sure to reserve online.
- Or try the RAF Museum instead. You’ll also need to book ahead.
- There are other free museums too if you want to look around.
- The Great Butterfly Hunt runs from 14 July to 6 August.
- Attend a free pet workshop run by Pets At Home, book you slot in advance at your local store.
- National play day is celebrated this year on 2 August. See what free events they have near you.
- The Young V&A has recently reopened in Bethnal Green and offer free entry to its exhibits, including a number of hands-on experiences for children.
- Notting Hill Carnival 2023 is due to start 27 August. This is free to attend. Take a packed lunch and enjoy the street performances.
- Read about more free activities in London like flower markets, or the changing of the guard.
-
Buckinghamshire
- Try out Geocaching
- Spend £30 at Aldi and get free Olympic sports sessions for kids, you can do this as many times as you like.
- Enjoy free tennis sessions for children. Search for open days and free events that take place all year round.
- Tour around your local fire station and learn about fire safety. Some fire stations may offer a free tour around with your kids. Call your local fire station to see if they will offer you a visit.
- The Great Butterfly Hunt runs from 14 July to 6 August.
- Attend a free pet workshop run by Pets At Home, book you slot in advance at your local store.
- National play day is celebrated this year on 2 August. See what free events they have near you.
-
Surrey
- Try out Geocaching
- Spend £30 at Aldi and get free Olympic sports sessions for kids, you can do this as many times as you like.
- Enjoy free tennis sessions for children. Search for open days and free events that take place all year round.
- Tour around your local fire station and learn about fire safety. Some fire stations may offer a free tour around with your kids. Call your local fire station to see if they will offer you a visit.
- The Great Butterfly Hunt runs from 14 July to 6 August.
- Attend a free pet workshop run by Pets At Home, book you slot in advance at your local store.
- National play day is celebrated this year on 2 August. See what free events they have near you.
-
Northamptonshire
- Try out Geocaching
- Spend £30 at Aldi and get free Olympic sports sessions for kids, you can do this as many times as you like.
- Enjoy free tennis sessions for children. Search for open days and free events that take place all year round.
- Tour around your local fire station and learn about fire safety. Some fire stations may offer a free tour around with your kids. Call your local fire station to see if they will offer you a visit.
- The Great Butterfly Hunt runs from 14 July to 6 August.
- Attend a free pet workshop run by Pets At Home, book you slot in advance at your local store.
- National play day is celebrated this year on 2 August. See what free events they have near you.
Matt Ostler, Head of Income services, said:
“We understand that the summer holidays can put added pressure on your finances, which is why we wanted to put together this guide. We’re here to help if you need support or have any concerns relating to rent payments or your finances. We hope that you enjoy these summer holidays.”
MyAccount
There are many free tools at your disposal to help with managing money, including MyAccount. This safe and secure online portal helps you monitor your balance, and make payments. We’re also adding more features to MyAccount that will help manage your home, so sign up today and enjoy all the benefits.