Edinburgh’s Conifox Adventure Park puts the fun into February this half-term with a bumper package of fantastic family activities.
From wizarding lessons to teddy workshops, discos, Frozen singalong cinema and a Nerf battlezone, there’s no excuse for boredom on this school break.
The entertainment at the Park, at Kirkliston on the outskirts of Edinburgh, starts on 1st February with Teddy Workshop, a chance for little ones to create their own furry Teddy-Tastic friend after a play in the Activity Centre. Suitable for babies to 12-year-olds, there are three sessions each day on various dates.
Friday nights are the perfect time for family discos when the Activity Centre will open in the evening for an exclusive session where all ages will be invited to strut their stuff on the dancefloor. DJs Mark Martin and Claire Kinnaird will entertain guests with fun, games and prizes, together with a bumper 2-hour play session.
The Nerf Battlezone is set for warring teams to fight it out from 4th – 26th February, with four hour-long sessions each day on various dates. Suitable for children ages 5 upwards with an accompanying adult and entry to the outdoor Adventure Park included in the ticket price.
At the start of the half-term break, Professor Artemis’ Conifox Wizard School opens for the new intake. On 11th and 12th February our students and their adults can learn how to brew potions, cast spells, make slime and create delicious wizarding treats in an event inspired by the world of Harry Potter and delivered by Fun Scientists. Four, hour-long lessons will be held each day.
The end of the month sees the Frozen Singalong Cinema event, delivered by Wish Upon a Star Entertainment – a chance to sing along with all your favourite songs, hear stories and play games with the Snow Sisters and Kistoff. Suitable for babies to 12-year-olds, there are three sessions each day on 25th and 26th February.
James Gammell, Managing Director of Conifox Adventure Park, says: “After all the excitement of the festive season, February can seem a bit dull but we’ve decided to inject the feelgood factor throughout the month with a whole range of fun activities for all the family.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming kids of all ages for some fabulous entertainment over the half-term break and beyond.”
With food prices rising amid the cost-of-living crisis, parents are being provided helpful ways to feed their children during the summer holidays.
The penny-pinching experts at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have looked at affordable ways to plan family meals throughout the summer break.
As supermarkets and fast-food chains increase their prices at the highest rates in over a decade, many parents are worried about the cost of feeding the kids during the holidays.
To support parents in the UK, restaurants and garden centres are offering discounted meals for kids to eat out, but there’s also simple methods to save money when cooking for the family at home.
Mitch Barnes, online consumer expert from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “We wanted to give parents a helping hand this summer, as many will feel the pinch of rising food costs in their weekly expenses.
“There are numerous schemes available this summer with a wide range of pubs and supermarket restaurants offering special discounts for kids to eat out.
“But we also wanted to provide simple ways for parents to save money on making meals at home for their children during the holidays.”
Here are NetVoucherCodes.co.uk’s budget-friendly ways to feed your kid on a budget this summer:
Picky bits for dinner
A classic British summer favourite which many households are familiar with this summer. To make the most of the leftover meals, leave them in the fridge overnight and get creative about which bits can be used for dinner. This tip will save you from making a last-minute trip to the supermarket.
Batch cooking
Many parents use this effective way to make batches of school lunches in the week. Use this tip throughout summer by freezing your food and allocating which days the kids can tuck into a delicious meal without going out to buy more ingredients.
Shop around for summer deals
If the local supermarkets are near one another, don’t be afraid to venture out to each store to work out which has the best offers. Most shops will be near the end of summer discounts, which means the chances of finding even better deals are at an all-time high.
Discounted pub meals
Local pubs are providing a variety of discounts for kids to eat cheaper this summer, from half price fish and chips to chicken nuggets for a dime. Head down and find out which are available.
A trip to the garden centre
Taking the family to the garden centre is the perfect summer day out, with fresh flowers, gardening tools and this summer – discounted meals. Lots of centres are taking on the helping kids this summer initiative, so look up your local garden centre to see what offers are available.
Cheap meals at supermarket restaurants
Throughout the summer holidays, many supermarket chains are offering further discounts on kid’s meals to help with the rising food costs. Have a look at which ones are offering free meals, with many promoting a £1 dine out option.
‘Once a week’ rule
Set some time aside for a family meal out by using the ‘once a week’ rule where you either dine out weekly or you get a takeaway of your choice as a family treat. This way you can plan around your food shops so less food will be wasted, which will also help to prevent overspending allocating food budgets.
Social media budget recipes
Everyone has a favourite social media recipe which has become a weekly make. But if you’re unsure of any meals which can be added to your cookbook, explore social media apps for simple recipes which will cost less than a fiver to make.
Family pizza making
Instead of the Saturday night takeaway, it can be a proper family get together making your own homemade pizzas. While the children are off school it’s a perfect initiative to use this to spend quality time with them, without having to splash a fortune on takeout.
Yellow stickers before scheme ends
The best before scheme is phasing out, so it’s important to make the most of a late minute dash to the shops for reduced labelled food. Have a look in the evenings and on a Sunday afternoon to have the best chance of securing food on a budget.
Family meal plan
It’s best to be organised when planning meals to save the extra pennies. To make this more creative, mark each day with a different colour pen and decorate with stickers when it’s time for a special dish or a day when you’re dining out.
Try veggie days
Meats typically cost the most on weekly meals. If you decide to swap the meat for veggie choices it can save around a third on select meals during the week. Have a look at meals which don’t involve meat or try out some delicious veggie options for half the price.
For budget-friendly ways to feed the kids during the summer holidays, head over to NetVoucherCodes.co.uk.
School’s out for summer and parents will be making important decisions about childcare over the next few weeks.
There isn’t a legal minimum age for a child to stay home or go out alone and parents often call the NSPCC Helpline to ask for advice on the appropriate age.
There’s no set rule for all because every child is different, but between work appointments and other family commitments, it’s inevitable that parents will have to consider whether to leave their child home alone at some point.
It can be difficult to know what’s best and with this in mind here’s some guidance about when it’s safe for your child to be home alone.
Infants and young children aged 0-3 years old should never be left alone – even for 15 minutes while you pop down the road. This also applies to leaving them in your car while you run into the shops.
While every child is different, we wouldn’t recommend leaving a child under 12 years old home alone, particularly for long periods of time.
It’s important to talk to your child about anything they may be worried about. Regularly checking how they feel can pinpoint any concerns and help you decide if they are ready to be left alone.
A child who doesn’t feel comfortable about staying alone should never be left home alone. Even if they are older, they may not be ready to look after themselves or know what to do in an emergency.
We have checklists to help keep children safe, visit:
Childline is also here for them. They can speak to a trained counsellor for FREE, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on 0800 1111 or via 1-2-1 chat on www.childline.org.uk
The annual summer holidays can be a tiring and expensive time for parents. With the kids at home looking for constant entertainment and no school to keep them busy or provide meals, often parents end up splurging on activities, food and outings – making the ‘six weeks’ the most expensive times of the year.
To help parents save money this summer and still maximise their quality time with their children, CashLady.com has partnered with ‘Instagram Mum’, Emma Stretton, who shares her expert advice on how to have fun with the kids this summer break, without breaking the bank.
“I’m super lucky in that the summer holidays are actually pretty easy for me. My husband is a teacher so I don’t have to worry about where the kids are going to go for six long weeks. It does mean though, that all three of them are at home and need entertaining every day. These are some of the tried and tested things we do to save money over the school summer holidays.”
Emma Stretton is a mum-of-two and savvy saver living in Manchester. She has a keen eye for fashion and interiors and knows how to keep her two children entertained during the summer holidays. Emma commented:
Picnics
“Picnics are literally my favourite thing in the world. Pitching up at a nice park or beauty spot and just enjoying a few sandwiches easily passes a couple of hours with the kids.”
“The boys will take their bikes, scooters or a football and entertain themselves for a bit.
Our picnic blanket is a piece of gingham fabric I bought from the bargain bin at a fabric store too, which is a cheap and easy option for those looking to save a few pennies.”
Snacks
“If the cost of feeding two kids wasn’t bad enough already, my food bill has shot up in the last few months. Without free school meals each day, it goes up even more in summer. I tend to buy snacks at budget supermarkets like Aldi or Lidl and have found a few cheap ways to make fun stuff. My kids’ all-time favourite snack is peanut butter and jam in a rolled-up wrap. They would live off them and it costs peanuts!”
“We also make homemade sausage rolls using veggie sausage meat and tortilla wraps. Flatten the ‘sausage’ meat all over the wrap, roll it, cut it into pieces and bake for about 20 minutes. It’s loads cheaper than Greggs. Pesto pasta is another super cheap meal, and pitta pizzas are also a big win in our house.”
Parks
“Obvious? Yes! But my kids love a park, especially a new one they haven’t been to before. The summer holidays are an excellent time to explore new parks or places they can run around in. Even a trip through the woods is an adventure for them.”
“Sometimes I’ll draw a nature or ’treasure’ map that they can follow on our walk as well. Just Google local parks and make use of them all summer long – they’re free!”
Free museums
“There are quite a few free museums near us (in Manchester); like the Portland Basin or the Imperial War Museum. We also get free entry to the Football Museum in Manchester if you can prove you live in the right postcode. Again, just get on Google and look for free things to do near you. Daysoutwiththekids.co.uk is a great website with loads of fun things to do across the UK.”
Shopping
“I know the food shop isn’t the height of excitement but it does kill time and is a good activity for when it rains. I normally do it online but in the summer holidays, my husband takes a list to the shops and gets the boys to read it and shout when they spot what we need.”
“Some shops have those hand-held scanners you carry around with you. The kids love scanning the items and fighting over who gets to hold the scanner next. Making an everyday expense into an activity for the kids kills two birds with one stone.”
Restaurant deals
“Lots of places will do ‘kids eat free’ offers over the holidays. Usually, it’s when you buy an adult meal. Have a look for places near you that are running similar offers.”
“We also use Manchester Confidential a lot where you can buy vouchers for local restaurants at half their value. So, we recently bought £50 worth of vouchers for £25 and had a nice meal together. Banyan is a big chain that often does it”
Loyalty Schemes
“My bank account is linked to my Sainsbury’s Nectar card so I earn points every time I spend. I can then use these to get discounts or vouchers for big days out like Alton Towers. I would also always look for 2 for 1 deals on things like cereal before I ever booked a big attraction.”
“We get £5 cinema tickets from our bank account which are great for rainy days and we’re signed up to Subway rewards and Mcdonald’s rewards so we get free food every now and then. Never spend before checking whether you can get a discount or better deal first.”
Buddy up
“If there are days when my husband can’t be with the kids, we try to ask friends or family rather than pay for holiday clubs. One of my friends does a summer swap every year where she has her friend’s kids one day and then her friend does it another day. So they can both go to work without forking out a fortune on childcare.”
“We also still pay £10 a month into childcare vouchers so that come the summer holidays, we’ve accrued enough to put the boys in for a couple of days. Most school holiday clubs will take them so it’s worth checking if you have any left that you didn’t use up when your kids were in pre-school.”
Commenting on the tips, CashLady.com’s Personal Finance Expert, Dan Whittaker, said:“The summer holidays are easily one of the best and brightest times of year to spend quality time with your children. However, it’s also one of the most expensive, with the costs of entertainment, meals and childcare increasing enormously.
“Emma’s tips demonstrate tried and tested ways to save money over the summer break, whilst still having fun and adventures with her kids. The advice goes to show that you don’t have to spend a fortune to have the most fun in the sun.”
Hundreds of young people and their families in the Capital have taken part in a huge programme of summer activities delivered by over 100 City of Edinburgh Council and partner organisations.
The ‘get into Summer’ initiative was part of a nationwide scheme funded by the Scottish Government to support children and young people’s wellbeing during the summer after a year of disrupted school, out of school activities and periods of isolation from friends due to the pandemic.
The activities built on the regular summer programmes put on by the Council and partners and were delivered in communities across the city. They helped children and young people to get healthy, creative and most importantly, re-connect with each other.
A key focus of the programme included activities targeted at families from low income households who may otherwise have struggled to access such experiences during the holidays. It ensured that these groups and those living in poverty were able to access, at no cost, a full programme of summer activities, in many cases with travel and food costs also covered.
The overall programme had a focus on opportunities for youth and children’s work, very young children and their families, with opportunities for sport, outdoor, art and cultural activities.
The Get into Summer project included:
Picnic in a Park trips saw over 200 children and their families take part
Over 300 food and activity parcels being delivered to families every week of the school holidays
Hundreds of activity sessions from over 150 different providers throughout the school holidays
There’s been really positive feedback from families such as:
One mum talking about her food box delivery said: “Huge thanks for our box, it was fantastic as always, we made good use of the sharing plate for all our veg as we had d.i.y rainbow wraps for dinner. Super yummy and encouraged the boys to try things they would not normally eat.”
Another mum said after her trip to a country park with her three children: “A huge thank you for the fantastic day, we loved Jupiter Artland and are already planning our next visit.”
Some of the partner organisations putting on events and providing support include: 6VT Edinburgh City Youth Café, Disability Services, Intercultural Youth Scotland, Edinburgh Young Carers, Lochend Football Academy, National Galleries of Scotland, Play2Learn Sports Coaching and Shakti Women’s Aid.
Councillor Ian Perry, Convener for Education, Children and Families at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Huge praise to all the different teams at the Council and our partners for providing such a fantastic programme of activities over the summer for our young people and their families.
“The pandemic has caused such a disruption to their wellbeing and our ‘Get into Summer’ programme brought as many of them together as possible to play and socialise over the holidays.
“There really was something for everyone with activities ranging from sports coaching to trip, to drama workshops, to local parks with many additional activities on top of what we usually offer during the holidays. This really has been a summer of fun for these families and I hope we’ll be able to do it all again next year!”
Councillor Alison Dickie, Vice Convener for Education, Children and Families Vice Convener at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “It’s really positive to see what a huge difference this programme of activities has made to the daily lives of children and their families during the summer.
“We listened to their voices about the impact of lockdown on their mental health and wellbeing and this was an important first step to help them re-connect with their friends and interests over the holidays.
“Many families on low income struggle during the summer holidays so this targeted offer was a positive step forward and helped boost opportunities for those who have faced the greatest challenges in the past 17 months. This programme had children’s rights and needs at its heart and thanks must go to everyone who pulled all this together.”
Some great Back to School advice from Parent Club Scotland
It’s a big week ahead for most kids with the return to school and childcare settings.
If your wee one is going back or starting school for the first time you might be wondering …”how on earth are we all going to be up and ready in the mornings?!”
Mornings can be stressful at the best of times and even more so if you have been out of your normal routine during the summer.
Here are some simple, practical reminders of how we can free up a bit of time in the mornings by planning ahead the night before. (We all know these things are helpful already but handy to have them front of mind again if needed!)
For more advice and support on getting the kids prepared for a new routine again:
Veggie options are available but please make sure you tell us if you need one as it can get quite busy and we want everyone to enjoy their lunch 
