Having Some Frugal Fun In Hertfordshire This January

In the Bee Centre at Stockwood Discover Centre

They say that April is the cruellest month but that's a lie because it's definitely January. Cold, grey, gloomy, miserable January. And if the weather and the wet streets aren't bad enough January adds an additional sprinkling of misery because not only are the children generally going mad stuck inside but you also find that you spent all your money on Christmas. Great.

But worry not because I've been researching some ways that you can have fun for free (or at a low cost) in these dull old months so read on to find out some ways to keep yourselves and the kids amused this month without going mad!

Visit A Museum

Museums are always great for a rainy day and luckily there are still some that are free. We recently went to Stockwood Discovery Centre in Luton and were pleasantly surprised. There was an interesting inside area with lots of old fashioned transport some of which the children could go on and there were some nice sculpture gardens and a bee museum too. There was a cafe and a pretty good play area but as we were on a budget we took some tea in our trusty thermos!

Another great free museum in Hertfordshire is the Natural History Museum in Tring. This is a fascinating collection of wild and exotic animals (all stuffed!) and the children have spent many a happy hour looking at these gruesome beasts!

Face to face with a tiger at Tring - NHM

Start Bird Watching

 It's always nice to help our feathered friends in the winter and I was excited to see that the RSPB are offering a free Big Garden Birdwatch pack to help you enjoy your garden. We're also going to try making some homemade bird-feeders which are cheap and simple to make and should attract more wildlife to your garden.

Go For A Walk

We're really lucky in Hertfordshire to have so many fantastic parks to go to. It's great for the body and the soul to spend time outside and if you needed any further incentive then children who have spent the day running around in the fresh air are far more likely to sleep at night - yea!

When we're being frugal we usually take the thermos and some sandwiches to keep us going but most of these places have nice cafes too for when you're feeling flush! So here are some of our favourite parks and place to walk:

Stanborough Lakes
Aldenham County Park (although there is a £4.50 charge for the car park)
Panshanger Park
Verulamium Park
Trent Park

Discover Some History

Why not go back in time with the children to find out more about the past. The stunning St Albans Cathedral has explorer packs for just £1 that are available for children or there is a family pack that you can take with you on your journey around the Abbey which is free with a £5 refundable deposit.

Welwyn Roman Baths is also an interesting historical site which explores what life was like in Roman times. Children under 16 are free and adults have a £3.50 entry charge.  

Hopefully this gives you some ideas of places to go and things to do if you are on a budget this month!