Virtual Entrepreneur

Being Taken For A Ride By Your Costly Kids?

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Daily Echo:
Schools out! And as children jump for joy at the thought of the long summer holidays ahead of them, mums and dads are counting the cost. Parents are set to spend a whopping £1,800 keeping their children entertained during the summer, according to latest statistics from Morgan Stanley. The average parent will spend £300 a week amusing their kids on the 6-week break.

Around £50 a week will go on tourist attractions, nearly £36 will be spent on trips to theme parks, while visits to the zoo will cost an average of £12. Cinema tickets will average £20, and meals out will set mum and dad back £72 a week. Even staying at home doesn’t come cheap with the average person expecting to splash out £33 on books, CDs and DVDs for their child. And when the little angels are not around they’ll still cost money. The childminding bill will tot up to £28 per week, and summer camps and activity centres will average £30.

The survey also revealed the spending patterns of parents in different parts of the country. People in Yorkshire and Humberside will spend the most keeping their children entertained at an average of just over £400 a week, while those in Wales will spend the least at just £174.57 a week. And the younger the parent, the more they are prepared to spend on their offspring.

While tourist attractions are fun to visit, keeping kids entertained needn’t cost the earth. We’re lucky enough to live in such a beautiful part of the country that there’s no end of possibilities for family picnics, bicycle rides or days by the coast which won’t cost a penny. And there are many places in the area which don’t charge admission fees (although you may have to pay car parking charges).

Here are some free ideas:
Bournemouth Kids Free Fun Festival The Pagoda, Lower Gardens Daily entertainment during school summer holidays with clowns, magicians, puppet shows and wandering minstrels. On Wednesday nights the Candle Illuminations in the Lower Gardens feature 15,000 candles in coloured glass jars and at 10pm on a Friday, a firework display from Bournemouth pier.

Weymouth beach Offering traditional seaside entertainment (such as Punch & Judy, swingboats, trampolining) until September.

The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum East Cliff, Bournemouth This Victorian cliff top museum has family oriented workshops in school holidays.

Christchurch Priory The Priory is the longest parish church in England, and guided tours available. Donations requested.

Hengistbury Head A Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific interest - visitors can take a land train to Mudeford Spit where there is a caf and sandy beach. Other good tips here.

And, for more ideas on what to do and where to go in Dorset and Hampshire with children up to the age of 16, pick up the 86-page guide Lets Go With The Children priced £3.99 from bookshops, supermarkets, tourist information centres, gift shops and leisure attractions.