Everyday Blog

The call of the great outdoors arrives with those long, summer days. Before long, the memory of those elongated winter days will seem a distant memory. We really do look forward to the summer holidays and with every reason! But the big economic downturn is still with us and family budgets are stretched. Now, it is a challenge to simply find the money to pay the mortgage or rent and to feed all the family, let alone to come up with funds to help pay for special trips during the summer.

It is traditionally very difficult to strike a balance when planning your budget and meeting family expectations and this is where professional coaching could help to put you on the right track. Everybody’s circumstances are, of course, different, so you should consult with your online coaching advisor to come up with the best plan for your situation. In the meantime, we have used our professional coaching expertise to scour the Web, to find 10 great days out for you to consider this summer, an eclectic collection, each for under a tenner.

Kids love models and grown-up kids do as well, so why not try Bekonskot Model Village in rural Buckinghamshire, where you can marvel at this “eccentric” recreation of a model Village, complete with mandatory model railway. www.bekonscot.com is your place to find out the details.

If you are a fan of Harry Potter, check out the location that inspired Hogwarts at Alnwick Castle. Children can interact and delve into the world of medieval knights and dragons. www.alnwickcastle.com/

Go way back in time by visiting Hadrian’s Wall, a place where you can view numerous artefacts from the Roman era and see some of the best preserved castles and forts. Numerous locations for a visit can be found for less than a tenner by visiting www.hadrians-wall.org/

Who would’ve thought that pleasant, rural Norfolk would have been the location for monstrous dinosaurs? Kids are guaranteed to love Dinosaur Adventure Park, where they can find out about the days when monsters roamed the earth. www.dinosauradventure.co.uk

If you believe in Harry Potter, you have to believe in the legend of wizards and it is said that the caves at picturesque Alderley Edge were once a mystical hangout. There is something for all the family here though as well, at this national trust designated site. www.alderleyedge.org.

There was a time when the Welsh relied on coal as one of their primary economic drivers. Those days are long gone, but at the Big Pit National Mining Museum, children can get excited about descending down an old mine shaft, dressing up as a miner and sampling the way of life. www.museumwales.ac.uk

Music is truly a universal language and we can all get great pleasure from going to one of the free events for families staged by BBC Proms Plus. Take this opportunity to educate the kids about “real” music! BBC Proms Plus http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2010/whatson/plus.shtml

Through the ages, trains have held a fascination for children and although the modern versions of today are hardly as evocative as those railway locomotives, with all their steam and action, you will be delighted to see the look on your kids’ faces when they come across 100 or more traditional examples at the National Railway Museum. www.NRM.org.uk

Walk down memory lane and bring the memories flooding back for you as well as giving the kids a glimpse of the past. Admission is free at the Museum of Childhood. Find this East London location at the www.museumofchildhood.org.uk

Finding something to do in London at no cost is quite a tall order, so why not try going to the Tower of London, where you can even enjoy a treasure hunt on the beach! www.hrp.org.uk.

If some of these trips inspire you, consider making your life as a working mum more fun every day, not just during the summer holidays, by checking out online coaching options.

Amanda Alexander, Director of Coaching Mums, helps pressure-cooked, stressed working mums who long for more hours in the day. Through her coaching programmes and online life coaching courses, Amanda shows mums how to create fulfilling and successful lives. For your simple 5 step guide to balance as a working mum, download our free eBook today!