• Quality time at a cost: The average cost of entertaining children over half term is £121 – almost £25 a day
• Anxious parents: 3 in 10 UK parents feel stressed just thinking about the cost of half term (29 per cent)
• No end in sight: Half of parents feel the cost of occupying kids during half term only increases as they get older (54 per cent)
• Housebound: Nearly half of parents stay at home with their children to save money (45 per cent)

As the first half term of 2014 arrives, parents hoping to keep their children occupied with some free, outdoor fun will find themselves forced to fund more weather-appropriate activities during the week-long break. According to new research* from VoucherCodes.co.uk, parents can expect to rack up a bill of almost £25 a day in a bid to keep their children entertained – an average of £121 per child.

One in nine parents (11 per cent) say half term is unaffordable according to the research, in fact just eight per cent of those surveyed claimed it’s ‘easy to afford’. Despite a slightly rosier UK economic forecast, three in 10 UK parents (29 per cent) state the stress of thinking about the expense of the holiday begins well before the start of the mid-term break. One in six (17 per cent) are also concerned about the cost of taking time off work. 

Due to the price tag associated with half term, nearly half of parents will stay at home with their kids this February in order to save money on childcare costs (45 per cent). More than half  (55 per cent) will choose to do ‘at home’ activities such as cooking, watching TV and playing games over taking their kids out in a bid to cut back on costs. 

Anita Naik, lifestyle editor of VoucherCodes.co.uk comments: “Every half term and school holiday, parents find it tough to think of ways to keep the kids entertained – and this is only exacerbated when worrying about sticking to a budget. However, help is at hand if parents are savvy enough to take advantage of all the deals and discounts at their fingertips. Offers for everything from cinema trips, meals out, theatre visits, attractions and excursions are all to hand on voucher code sites and could slash the price of half  term for parents while keeping the children happy. 

“It is worrying to see so many parents stress at the thought of half term’s bill and it is worth remembering the importance of spending quality time together rather than just paying hand over fist for activities to keep them occupied.” 

Notes to editors:
* Research conducted amongst 1,000 adults by One Poll between 24th and 27th December 2013