Parents admit to forking out almost £400 on days out to entertain their kids over the holidays

PARENTS spend an average of £400 per child on action-packed days out during the summer holidays – just trying to keep them entertained. A poll of 1,000 mums and dads of children aged four to eight found 68 per cent feel pressure to take their kids to see amazing sights during their six weeks off school. Parents spend an average of £400 per child on action-packed days out during the summer holidays Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk Around three quarters of parents have regreted splashing out on pricey sightseeing Credit: SWNS But the money spent often goes to waste, as 75 per cent have regretted splashing out on a pricey sightseeing tour or day of museums as their kids weren’t actually interested in what they saw. In total, this has resulted in the average parent spending £232 on trips out that their children were indifferent about. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The emotions this inspired in parents ranged from disappointment (39 per cent), to motivation to try something different (35 per cent) or even relief they won’t have to do that particular activity or outing again (18 per cent). Rather, 76 per cent said their kids have experienced as much wonder on a free walk in the woods as on an expensive trip or activity. Around one in five children under 10 have a sight condition that could affect their vision. Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk Specsavers are encouraging families to go ‘Tightseeing’ – taking kids to see free mundane sights they find just as magical Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk This fascination children have for things their parents wouldn’t look twice at may be why 69 per cent agreed if their child stopped pointing out everyday wonders, they would question if they were having issues with their eyesight. For 20 per cent, this would also be reason enough for them to book them in for an eye test, which is important as data from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists 2021 report states around one in five children under 10 have a sight condition that could affect their vision. But when kids have good sight, parents can be tight – which is why Specsavers, which commissioned the research, also teamed up with TV adventurer, 11-year-old Aneeshwar Kunchala, to encourage families to go ‘Tightseeing’ – taking kids to see free mundane sights they find just as magical. They have also curated a crowdsourced map on Tightseeing.com from parents of the top free sights around the UK, where they won’t need to exit through an expensive gift shop, featuring a “Quite Tall Pointy Rock” in Bristol, “A Very Mossy Wall” in Yorkshire, and “Five Big Ole Logs” in North London. Most read in The Sun Aneeshwar Kunchala said: “Nature, it’s my favourite mundane sight. “If it’s a tree that looks like a stick man or a stump that looks like a drum set – as I like to call it, a stump-set – or anything in between, children can find wonder in everyday things.” This is supported by 33 per cent of parents who confirmed there is no correlation between the amount they spend and how much their child enjoys the activity. Despite this, 81 per cent of parents are expecting to sacrifice on treats for themselves in their quest to keep their kids entertained, with top things they’ll miss out on including eating out (32 per cent), new clothes or accessories (31 per cent), and short breaks or weekend trips (22 per cent). As 73 per cent foresee this being more expensive this year compared to last and 60 per cent expecting to feel financially stretched as a result. Parents surveyed via OnePoll also predicted days out would trump holidays, food and drink, summer camps, and childcare costs to be the number one most expensive aspect of the holidays this year. But they could be saving their money as, rather than expensive days out, children are most likely to be interested in anything involving nature (35 per cent), animals (32 per cent), or water (25 per cent). Parents also outlined specific everyday ‘wonders’ their child finds joy in while appearing completely mundane to them. Notable examples included the Greenwich foot tunnel under the river Thames, a local post box treated as a tiny adventure spot, and anywhere they can collect leaves and sticks as if they are treasures. Others described their children being entranced by hardware stores, garden centres, water fountains, automated car washes, or tiny streams near footpaths. Jill Campbell, optometrist at Specsavers, said: “We know parents are feeling financially stretched so we want to remind them that children’s eye tests and glasses are free. “You’ll be doing the best thing for their vision and eye health by helping them better spot everyday wonders around them, while also saving hundreds of pounds on often expensive sightseeing days out. “It’s not always easy to spot vision problems in children – a lack of interest in the everyday things they usually find fascinating can be a good clue. “That’s why we recommend an eye test for children every two years, even if nothing seems wrong.” Comment now