Use free internet resources to keep them busy
There are plenty of websites which are suitable for your children to muse over - CBeebies, Disney, There are also some fabulous sites which allow you to download and print free activites, such as iChild which are perfect for keeping your kids busy and are both fun and educational!

Put your apron on
And get your little ones cooking! Courses such as Cookie Crumbles in London and Apples Cookery in Oxfordshire offer cooking courses specially tailored to budding Jamies and Nigellas. If there's not a venue in your area, try Sticky Mitts, a correspondence course which will enable you to teach them in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Become a National Trust member
OK, ok it puts you on a par with your Grandparents, but The National Trust host nature trails, ghost hunts and other kid-friendly activities throughout the country. If you don't want to become a fully fledged member, it's worth signing up one of the kids at least as it means that you get FREE PARKING in every National Trust owned centre. See the National Trust website for details of family membership and special days out. Right now if you join and pay by Direct Debit you get 3 months free PLUS a pair of binoculars!

English Heritage also has a dedicated kids' zone and special visits to famous landmarks such as Stonehenge, Dover Castle and Hadrian's Wall. See the English Heritage website for more information.

Send them to camp
Companies such as Kids Klub and PGL run camps with activities like horse-riding and football, clay pigeon shooting and jewellery making, and even snowboarding! They have day and residential courses for 6 to 17-year-olds, so there's no need for your teenager to remain grumpy either! Check out Summer Fun 4 Kids for lists of all approved courses.

Share the burden
Organise a rota with other working parents so that you take the childcare in turn. It's a cheap way of knowing your kids are being well looked after by someone you trust and means you don't have to take all your holiday time during the kids' break if you don't want to.

Get into the great outdoors
There’s no counting on the British weather but fresh air is a great way of ensuring kids fall fast asleep at bedtime! Help them to make a picnic. Star-shaped sandwiches, pretty fairy cakes and brownies will all get little mouths watering, or crank up the barbie for homemade burgers, sausages and kebabs. Let them create wigwams or dens from blankets, tree branches and bamboo poles or pitch a tent and let them have an al fresco sleepover. It will keep them busy for hours - and out from under your feet…

Lose them in a good book
Libraries are treasure troves of information and entertainment and they’re free! As well as thousands of books and audio tapes to borrow, there are also storytelling sessions and other special events. Check your local library for details.

Go to the movies
Most major cinema chains have a kids' club with low-price tickets and specially selected films. DVDs are also a good choice for a rainy afternoon treat. Many now have added extras which include quizzes and documentaries. Pop some corn in the microwave, dim the lights and away you go…

Send them abroad
Now’s the time to call in some favours! If you have family or good friends living abroad who don’t mind some mini company, then send the kids over for some early language and cultural appreciation lessons. They’ll thank you for it later. Or if you’re city-dwellers, let your kids spend some time in the country and appreciate the open spaces.

Ditch work and join them!
Finally, if you can, take some time off from work and get away from it all. A change of scenery is as good for them as it is for you and it needn’t be expensive. Camping en famille in France is a bargain and there are some great value last-minute packages and all-inclusive deals to be had if you want to truly put your feet up.

Happy holidays!