A staggering £9.5billion is spent by UK parents entertaining their kids during the six-week school summer holidays with half of Manchester parents put off by the cost of travelling abroad, new research has revealed
The study by Buyagift.co.uk has shown that a majority of parents spend £1,232 keeping their children entertained until they go back to school.
The average family will spend £472 on childcare, £388 on day trips in the UK and £372 on food and drink in the six-week period.
Dan Mountain, Buyagift.com CEO, said: “The summer holidays are an exciting time for children, but it’s no surprise that they can instil an element of dread in parents as kids demand to be kept entertained throughout the course of the six weeks.”
Expensive, stressful family holidays are being shunned by parents, with 34% deciding not to go on holiday at all this year.
Mr Mountain added: “As well as being more cost-effective, activities and day trips provide more value and variety than the annual summer holiday and can be worked around parents’ work schedules for minimal disruption.
“The majority of parents opt for day trips to the coast or theme parks as it is more enjoyable than going abroad or staying at home cooped up with the kids.”
Almost half acknowledge they prefer day trips because they are cheaper, while 28% feel that day trips offer a greater variety of activities.
Picture courtesy of Katsuhito Nojiri via Flickr, with thanks
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