How to Make February Half Term More Affordable and Fun

How To Make February Half Term More Affordable And Fun

Taking place for one week from Monday, February 13th, the February half term holiday comes at a tricky time for many households. Lots of people are still feeling the financial effects of an expensive Christmas, the ongoing cost of living crisis is squeezing wallets further still and, to top it all off, the weather is unreliable, making planning ahead difficult.

But by thinking outside the box and keeping an eye out for money saving offers and cheap days out, you can ensure your kids have a fun-filled half term without spending the earth. 

Here’s how. 

Movie magic

There’s a fair chance we’ll see some cold and/or wet days over February half term 2023 and if they do come to pass, there’s no better way to enjoy being indoors than with a film the whole family can enjoy.

But with adult cinema tickets often costing more than £10, the cost of a family trip to the multiplex can soon become too much to justify, especially if you have several children who all want their own snacks.

Luckily, many cinemas offer special kids’ screenings, with tickets sometimes costing as little as £2.50, even for adults. Better still, those that do offer these screenings typically do so throughout school holidays, meaning you’ll have plenty of dates and times to choose between if you have a participating cinema nearby. 

All of Cineworld, Vue and Odeon cinemas offer some form of reduced ticket scheme for kids/families, so have a hunt for the best option and bear in mind that some tickets are even cheaper if purchased online, with weekday screenings usually cheapest. Showings of older films can sometimes be cheaper than brand new releases too.

Tickets tend to sell quickly too so book ahead to avoid disappointment!

Movie magic II

If you don’t have easy access to a cinema, you can recreate the fun of a trip to the big screen at home for a fraction of the cost. 

Either curl up on the sofa, make a comfy sitting area on the floor using cushions, pillows and blankets or build an indoor den by draping sheets over a couple of chairs, then round up the family for some blockbuster action. 

If you have a Netflix, Disney+ or Sky account, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to picking a film to watch; if not, simply sign up for a free trial of Amazon Prime and you’re good to go (just remember to cancel your membership again before the trial runs out and you start incurring costs)!

Get cooking!

Two things kids love are getting messy and eating so why not combine the two and entertain your offspring by getting them to help make some half term meals? Not only is home cooking cheaper than eating out, it can also be lots of fun!

There are plenty of cheap and easy recipes available online but a couple of our favourites are pizzas and turkey burgers.

If you can’t face the prospect of letting your children loose in the kitchen with a bag of flour, try making pizzas using a wrap as a base instead. Kids can then decorate their own, making patterns or funny faces out of the usual toppings before popping them on a baking tray and cooking them in an oven set to 200 degrees/180 degrees fan for 8-10 minutes.

Turkey burgers are a great idea as they’re healthy – 99% fat-free turkey mince is easily available – and fun to make.

To make four turkey burgers, you’ll need:

• 500g turkey mince
• One red onion 
• One garlic clove
• One egg 
• Two gherkins
• Lettuce
• Vegetable oil
• Four burger buns

Simply get your little ones to mix the turkey mince, egg, onion, garlic, chopped gherkins and a little salt and pepper in a large bowl. Combine well with their hands, then shape into four flat burger patties. With lots of different textures, this is the part kids will enjoy most. 

The next step involves heating the oil in a frying pan and cooking the burgers for five minutes on either side, before serving on the buns, so it might be safest to do this part yourself while the children wash their hands and set the table!

They could even make it into a picnic or tea party by grabbing a picnic rug and eating on the floor or by making invitations, getting dressed up and bringing some favourite toys along as dinner guests!

Other ideas

If you want to save on expensive days out this half term why not try:

• Organising a treasure hunt. Just hide clues or riddles around your home and leave a reward like chocolate at the end.
• Having a cardboard box challenge. Get some cardboard boxes and tubes out of the recycling box and let your children’s imaginations run wild. Equip them with some safe scissors, sticky tape and felt-tip pens and see what they can come up with. Submarines, dens, animals – anything is possible!
• Visiting your local library. Whether you spend a few hours reading there, choose some books to take home or partake in any activities that are available, libraries have something for everyone and are free!
• Check out local galleries or museums. Many offer free (or reduced) entry for children and put on adventure trails over school holidays so why not head over and enjoy some culture for an afternoon?

Happy half term!

Whatever you do this half term, you can’t put a price on spending quality time with your little ones. 

But if you do need a hand bringing your plans to life, you could borrow as much as £1,000 with one of our affordable Family Loans. For more information, click here.