Purse strings and apron strings
Did you know that it costs families a whopping £150,753* on average to raise a child to their 18th birthday? And the cost rises to a staggering £183,335 if you’re a single parent.
That is a mind-boggling amount of money. We all know bringing up children is an expensive business, but those figures have really brought it home to me. Money seems to evaporate as soon as your precious bundle of joy is brought into the world: from being knee-deep in costly nappies and washing powder, to buying new shoes and clothes every few months (will they ever stop growing?), the spending just doesn’t stop. If that’s not enough, we are expected to provide our ravenous children with an endless supply of snacks, not to mention their demands for the latest toys and gadgets, the cost that comes with arranging birthday parties, as well as forking out money on school trips and hobbies. And please don’t mention Christmas. It’s relentless. So, I think it’s high time we gave our dwindling bank balances some much needed respite.
Thankfully, Orpington has a lot to offer in terms of family-friendly activities that are completely free of charge or cost very little to attend. However, in my experience, it is not always easy to find out about these things, particularly as many groups don’t have a presence on social media. So, I’m on a mission to share all the great stuff that’s going on in our town, as well as attractions worth visiting a bit further away. I want families to have fun whatever their financial situation. And that’s why I’ve created Penny Playdates. By saving some pennies, we can make our money go that little bit further and still have lots of fun along the way.
So, without further ado, here’s my top five things to do in Orpington on a budget…
1. Visit a Children and Family Centre
We have two children’s centres in Orpington (Blenheim and Cotmandene).
As well as holding free weekly sessions for babies and pre-schoolers (such as Learn and Play Creative, Music and Movement, and Tiny Talkers), did you know that they also cater for primary school-aged children up to the age of nine (sometimes older) with a range of activities such as ‘After School Play?’ These are drop-in sessions, so why not take the kids to let off some steam after a hard day of learning. There are also regular Saturday morning sessions included on the timetable such as the very popular Family Sports sessions which are facilitated by professional coaches. Children and Family Centres also remain open over the school holidays (with the exception of Christmas) and usually have a number of bookable activities available including educational workshops and kids’ cooking courses. Not only that but if you fancy learning something new, they offer courses for the grown-ups too, often with the added bonus of a free creche. I recently attended a fitness programme through the centre, which was an enjoyable way to exercise but without the expensive gym fees.
You can download a timetable here:
2. Go to the Library
Gone are the days when libraries were stuffy old places and librarians would hiss “shh” for daring to whisper. Now they have specially dedicated areas for children to enjoy and the ‘no talking’ rule has been relaxed. The comfy seating, bright and welcoming décor and easy to reach bookcases are perfect for fostering a love of books at an early age. The library is one of my top places to go on a wet and miserable day; there is nothing better than reading a good book together. The friendly library staff also run a weekly and monthly programme of fun activities for different age groups (including teenagers). These are free to attend although donations are very welcome. And, although the majority of these sessions are term-time only, there are ad hoc activities in the holidays to keep the kids amused (thank you, I hear you cheer!). As well as this, there are a whole host of free digital comics, graphic novels and eBooks that can be ‘borrowed’ from the library — perfect for the tech savvy child! Remember, it is completely free to join the library and very simple to do. One membership card allows you access to all the different libraries in the borough, too.
3. Drink tea at Playgroup
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If you have a baby, toddler or pre-schooler, I am sure you will agree that getting out the house and meeting other like-minded parents is a sanity saver. Usually held in a church or community hall and ran by volunteers, playgroups are great as they cost very little to attend (usually no more than a couple of pounds per family) and a few are free! Refreshments for grown-ups and kids are usually included in the admission price and juice and biscuits are the highlight of my daughter’s week! Come to think of it, the highlight of my week is actually getting to sit down to drink a hot cup of coffee (and indulge in a sneaky bickie). Most playgroups have craft activities and a great range of toys to play with, as well as songs and a story to finish off the session. They run term-time only, but some groups put on additional meet ups over the long summer holidays and older siblings are welcome to attend too.
4. Explore Nature
Orpington is just a short train ride away from vibrant London, yet it’s blessed with lots of a green space and the peace and tranquillity that comes with living close to the countryside. We are lucky enough to have some wonderful nature reserves and woodlands on our doorstep, such as High Elms, as well as a great selection of parks and playgrounds to choose from. So, whatever the weather (and, let’s face it, it can be pretty unpredictable), make sure you get outside with the children and enjoy it. It really is the simple pleasures, like tree climbing, den building and puddle jumping that make the best childhood memories. And as the saying goes: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing,” so make sure you take your welly boots!
5. Attend Community Events
Orpington has hosted some fantastic free events such as the Chinese New Year celebrations at Market Square, the Enchanted Children’s Festival in Priory Park, Wacky Wednesdays during the school holidays, and the hugely popular Light Up Orpington firework display to name but a few! There are also many fetes and fairs throughout the year organised by schools and charities hoping to raise money for worthy causes. Furthermore, stores such as Hobbycraft and Waterstones in the Nugent Centre organise occasional free children’s activities that usually take place in the holidays. Booking is often required due to limited spaces, so make sure you follow me @PennyPlaydates. I will provide you with the latest updates on what’s going on locally and inspiration on how to keep boredom at bay, craft ideas, budget recipes, money saving tips and more.
Come and join me in my pursuit of #ThriftyFamilyFun and maybe, just maybe, we will save enough money to treat ourselves for once. We deserve it. After all, there is no harder job than raising children. Fortunately, it’s also the best job in the world (well, most of the time anyway).
Thanks for reading,
Alex x
*Figures from a report written by Loughborough University’s Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP). Published in August 2018.
