10 Things to Do With the Kids This Half-Term

• Home
• Blog
• 10 Things to Do With the Kids This Half-Term

Life insurance and staying active

As every parent knows - half-term is next week! So we’ve compiled a list of money-saving activities that can keep you and the children active and occupied throughout their time off school, as well as potentially improving your health.

And good health leads to cheaper life insurance!

Let’s look at an example of how maintaining your health and weight could reduce your life insurance premiums:

A combined Life Insurance and Critical Illness policy for a 14 stone, 5’ 9”, 30-year old woman could have a premium of around £26 per month.

Bump her weight up by as little as two stone to 16 stone, and the cost could jump 50% to £39!

Of course, this is only an example. Call our advisors today to get an exact quote – you are likely to be pleasantly surprised.

Now there’s all the more reason to stay active with your children this half-term and remain healthy as much as you can!

Here are our suggestions:

1. Download the free HOOP app… first thing’s first, this is a must-have app for parents! You can enter your child’s age and it will provide you with lots of free events and activities near you to keep you lively and busy. Easy!

2. A bit of fresh air never hurt anyone… this is an obvious one, but with it being winter – people tend to stay in. It’s been pretty chilly lately, what with the UK’s ‘February Freeze’ this month, but you can still wrap up, get some fresh air and stay active by taking a hike in the countryside or a walk along the beach. Just be sure to check the forecast and avoid going out in treacherous weather!

3. Get back to nature… while venturing outside, you and the little ones can become nature detectives! Steal some ideas from the Woodland Trust – they have ideas for outdoor activities on their website, as well as arts and crafts ideas for any season. You could also get involved in “the world’s largest treasure hunt” and have some fun with geocaching! Keeping active both indoors and outdoors can have a positive effect on your health.

4. Culture costs nothing and the value is priceless… an educational trip doesn’t have to be tedious and dry. You can keep active by visiting places like Big Pit in Wales where they have fun, hands-on exhibitions and events; or London’s Science Museum where they have cool interactive activities for all ages. As well as having a mind-blowing 4D cinema to check out, you can see the original moon landing vehicle or just spend time digging through the history of the toilet! Find a free museum or gallery near you here.

5. Visit Hollywood on a shoestring… going to the cinema these days is notorious for being overpriced. Breaking this trend, Vue Cinema offers ‘mini mornings’ for only £2.49 on a Saturday and Sunday, perfect for those with bigger families or smaller children who will probably not sit through a whole film anyway. Odeon provides something similar for children too - well worth a browse. Perhaps you’ll want to take them to see the comical Jumanji or the beautifully animated Coco.

6. Treasure hunts aren’t just for kids… shop around online for deals on activities and dining out. Take a look at money-saving sites like vouchercodes.co.uk that have restaurant offers (healthy ones, too) and other deals, as well as National Rail which has plenty of 2-for-1 offers on day trips and regional attractions when you travel by train. Well-known forums mumsnet.com and netmums.com are also good for seeing what other parents are doing over half-term and the deals they might have found to stay energised and occupied.

7. Get crafty… try some cheap and simple crafts to get stuck into with the kids at home and to refrain from being static. As usual, Pinterest have some great ideas and you could look into doing some fun home-made science experiments that will be sure to blow the minds of little ones - just make sure they don’t blow up the kitchen while they’re at it!

8. Calling all animal lovers… if the kids love animals (what kids don’t?!), then take them to a free farm or a workshop at your local Pets at Home store. They put different workshops on during the school holidays for free, so take your kids along and they can learn hands-on while meeting some super cute creatures! There are usually only a number of places available though, so make sure you go on their site and book yourselves in. Note: pregnant women are advised to avoid farms.

9. Life is a rollercoaster… there are so many theme parks and attractions to choose from. Sea Life, the Dungeons, Oakwood and loads more have offers online. For the animal and theme park lovers out there – why not combine the two by visiting a safari park?

10. Rain, rain, go away… if the weather is miserable and a complete let-down, try getting creative in the house (if you’re happy for things to get a little messy). We’ve already mentioned crafts, but what about making dens, putting up tents, treasure hunts, mini golf circuits and dabbling in a bit of baking? Dens are always a winner – kids will spend hours hiding out in them, while you can cosy-up and relax. Taking a bit of time-out to unwind also has a positive impact on your health. Perfect.

Have fun, but don’t overdo it!

This should be enough to keep you and your children active and entertained, but attempting to do it all could make for a pretty chaotic week!

Doing something fun and active everyday could, however, make sure your kids are worn-out and ready for bed early so that you can enjoy a peaceful evening all to yourself. Not only that, you’ve still remained busy, meaning you’ll get a good night’s sleep and are staying healthy.

Choosing a cheaper option will also ease the financial stresses that school holidays often bring – reduced stress and good sleeping patterns lead to a healthier lifestyle. Try keeping this up once half-term has finished too, and bear in mind how it can significantly reduce your premiums.

While we’re talking about life insurance and little ones, it is worthwhile to check whether you have the right policy in place to protect them should the worst happen. If you do end up having a spare 15 to 20 minutes away from the kids this February half-term – give us a call to review your plan or find out more about the services we can provide and the prices we can offer.

Happy half-term!