Free or cheap things to do in Kent with kids this summer

Making sure the kids get off the sofa and ditch the screens for six weeks of summer can be hard-hitting on the wallet – not to mention exhausting for the parents!

However, the school holidays don’t have to cost a fortune. We’ve got some great ideas, from sun-soaked beach days to free family festivals, that definitely give you bang for your buck. Here’s our guide to keeping costs low for the next few weeks…

A DAY AT THE BEACH

A family trip to the beach is almost a rite of passage when it comes to the summer holidays. All you really need to bring with you is a packed lunch, a bucket and spade and a bottle of suncream and you’re set for the day.

Margate is one of Kent’s best-loved beach destinations, and with its long, sandy stretch, that’s no surprise. Not only is there plenty of space to set up your towels and windbreaker, but the colourful funfair, Dreamland, is just across the road and the trendy art gallery, Turner Contemporary, is a stone’s throw away – and they’re both free to enter.

You could also spend the day at Whitstable, where quirky, independent shops and authentic harbour huts are on every corner. There are lots of great spots where you can go fishing and crabbing, and you can catch fantastic views of the sunset with a walk along the promenade between Whitstable and Tankerton.

If you fancy making a full day of it, head down to Folkestone where you can sunbathe during the day and then, later, pack up your beach bag and take a short stroll to the Harbour Arm, a tourist hotspot with a big screen showing free films and sports events and, on weekends, there’s live music and entertainment.

Finally, for those who want guaranteed clean shores and top water quality, make sure you visit one of Kent’s eight Blue Flag beaches.

A WALK IN THE PARK

We all know that children can spend hours and hours at the local park, much to their parents' frustration, but perhaps it’s worth checking out a new green space this summer.

Mote Park, in the heart of the county town, is a 450-acre Green Flag park with a large playground and skate ramp, a 30-acre lake and walking trails, and a miniature railway, so there’s plenty to keep the kids busy.

Capstone Country Park in Gillingham is a great spot for family walks, especially with the panoramic views of the countryside that can be captured from the top of the park. When the little legs get tired, you can head back down and spend some time chilling out near the lake or at the onsite cafe.

If you want to let the kids loose for a while, take them to the Lower Leas Coastal Park in Folkestone, where you’ll find the largest outdoor play area in the county. There’s a pirate-themed playground with a shipwreck and rocking boats, and a main play area with tube slides, net tunnels and towers, with a further five smaller parks surrounding it.

We’ve got a list of some of Kent’s best country parks with children’s playgrounds that will get the whole family up and out of the house.

VISIT A MUSEUM

While some people might roll their eyes at the thought of spending the day at a museum, Kent is bursting with brilliant exhibitions and fascinating artefacts, and most of them are completely free to enter.

Maidstone Museum, for example, has one of the largest collections in the country, as well as a new exhibition all about the Titanic shipwreck until September.

The Kent Mining Museum, in Deal, features underground exhibitions on the site of a former coalfield, while the Battle of Britain Memorial in Capel-le-Ferne has replica aircraft and hands-on experiences in tribute to those who flew in the Battle of Britain.

The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge, in Canterbury, is full of creative collections, including the new Lives in Motion exhibition, documenting more than 50 stories of migration spanning almost 1,000 years.

If you’re looking for a day out with a twist, we’ve got five unusual museums off the beaten track that you can visit in the summer.

FREE FAMILY FESTIVALS

While a bunch of Kent’s free festivals have already been and gone, there are still a handful left for families to enjoy in the school holidays.

Faversham’s Hop Festival is a packed beer festival that takes over the medieval town on Saturday, August 30 and Sunday, August 31. There’s no entry fee and loads for visitors of all ages to do, from Morris dancers to fairground rides and live music.

The Deal Food and Drink Festival is back at Deal Castle from Wednesday, August 27 to Sunday, August 31. Visitors can tuck into a great range of tasty street food, local produce, cold pints and refreshing mocktails over the free five-day festival, and there’s also children’s comedy, a funfair, live music and a beach bar marquee.

The bOing! Festival, a series of free family performances including children’s theatre, multi-sensory experiences, aerial shows, dancers, workshops and film screenings, is back at the University of Kent in Canterbury for the bank holiday weekend on Saturday, August 23 and Sunday, August 24.

OFFERS AND DEALS

This summer, one of Kent’s biggest wildlife parks is giving families a chance to visit for less. Howletts Wild Animal Park in Bekesbourne, near Canterbury, is offering £10 entry for kids until Sunday, September 2. It’s part of the Wild Summer event, which sees each week themed to a different species with craft activities, keeper talks and feeds, and animal encounters.

Until Sunday, August 31, the Kent and East Sussex Railway in Tenterden is bringing back its Kids Go Free offer. Passengers under the age of 16 can hop on board an authentic steam train with a paying adult and travel through the Kent countryside.