An Afternoon At The Beach

Summer is finally here and the school holidays are fast approaching. If you are like me then you're probably putting your thinking cap firmly on and trying to come up with ideas of what to do with the little ones that won't cost an arm and a leg. It's no secret that money is tighter nowadays than ever and most 'family days out' just aren't very affordable so I thought I'd start a new theme of posts about finding things to do with the kids that cost as little as possible but will still be lots of fun.
First up, going to the beach...
We are very lucky to live where we do because not only are we quite close to the coast but we also have numerous lakes nearby and they all tend to have beaches. Last weekend we grabbed the trusty picnic bag (handier than a basket and not as bulky) and hopped in the car for 20 minutes to a large area of lakes where there is a place to walk the dogs, a picnic area and some family friendly beaches.
It was warm but cloudy and the sun didn't make too much of an appearance. We didn't mind though as long as it stayed dry. After walking the dogs for a while, we headed to the picnic area where we enjoyed some yummy homemade sandwiches and cake (that I had baked the night before) which we washed down with some lemonade from home.
Once they had had their fill of the food, the girls couldn't resist going onto the beach and frolicking about in the water and digging trenches in the sand. They had loads of fun!

All you really need is some basic picnic food and something to carry it in. As you take the food with you then you don't end up spending loads of money by eating at a restaurant near the beach. In addition to the food, a bucket and spade will keep the kids happy on the beach so it really is an inexpensive day out.

What low-cost things do you do with the kids when the weather is nice?
See you next time!