Keeping the kids fed and entertained during the summer holidays can be expensive. A day out somewhere can make a big dent in your pocket; There’s the cost of traveling to the event or attraction, the price of entrance, eating at a restaurant while you’re out, it all adds up. Even staying at home with the kids during the summer holidays can be more expensive; school kids who were having lunch at school last week, now need lunches at home, this can make things extra costly for families during the school summer holidays. That’s why we’ve put together some things you can do that will help you keep the costs down this summer.
Summer holiday savings: food, fun and days out
Simple ideas to help families save money on food, activities and days out in Portsmouth this summer.
Save money on eating out; have a picnic!
Picnics don’t have to be fancy and you don’t have to buy expensive, ready-made picnic food, home-made is best! You don’t even need a special picnic basket or hamper, a cardboard box or a shopping bag will do! All you need is a bit of nice weather, family and/or friends, a big blanket, and you’re ready to picnic!
The kids can bring a football, cricket set or a frisbee to keep them amused while you read a book, or chat to your friends and family members, perfect!
Get discounts with a Portsmouth leisure card
The Portsmouth leisure card is available to residents who receive a means-tested benefit within the PO1 to PO6 areas (and some properties in PO7 that pay Council Tax to Portsmouth City Council).
The Leisure Card gives you discounts on a range of culture and leisure services in the city, including sports centres, swimming pools, golf, museums, city arts and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Join your local food pantry or larder and save money on your weekly food shop
Why not join your local food pantry or larder and take advantage of great savings on your weekly food shop. They’re really friendly places and for a small membership fee, members can choose a selection of fresh, chilled, frozen and store cupboard food to include in your picnics and packed lunches – this can help you cope with the extra cost of feeding the family during school holidays.
Visit the Great British Summer Savings site and save on family days out
The government is cutting VAT on family days out so the things you like doing as a family could end up being cheaper – Choose from cinema and theatre tickets to attractions and children’s meals out. That means less to pay during the school holidays (25 June to 1 September 2026). Go to Visit Portsmouth to see Great British Summer Savings
FREE bus travel during August for 5s to 15s
All of the operators of local bus services in Portsmouth will be offering free bus travel for kids aged 5-15 during August. So, with under 5s already traveling for free on Portsmouth buses, it means all travel on Stagecoach, First Solent and Pompey Link within the Portsmouth boundary will be totally free for kids aged 15 and under, from 1 to 31 August 2026.
Hunt for treasure in our Stomp for Stamps challenge
This summer, children can dive into an exciting adventure with the Pompey Monsters!
Stomp for Stamps, our FREE annual children’s treasure hunt, helps children be active, develop essential skills and have fun while discovering the natural world.
It’s easy to take part. Simply pick up a map book, pencils and paper from any Portsmouth library from 24 July. Walk, wheel and cycle the Pompey Monster routes, collecting rubbings to swap for stickers. Exchange for a unique Portsmouth 100 baseball cap!
Plus, children will have a roarsome time tracking down colourful lions for the chance to win an exclusive Pride of Portsmouth lions trail toy.
Find out where kids can eat FREE this summer
Lots of cafés and restaurants offer discounts on kid’s menus and some places even FREE meals.
Breakfast club at Morrison’s cafes – Morrison’s and Kellogg’s have teamed up to feed families: Breakfast Clubs help kids and grown-ups enjoy a free Kellogg’s breakfast during the summer holidays at all Morrisons Cafés nationwide. The scheme aims to ease money worries during school holidays. Kids and adults visiting their local Morrisons Café throughout the summer holidays can enjoy a free ‘Kellogg’s Breakfast’, which includes a bowl of cereal (Corn Flakes or Rice Krispies) and a portion of fruit.
Also, kid’s eat FREE at Bella Italia, Banana Tree, Frankie and Benny’s and Las Iguanas from 20 July to 1 September – terms and condition apply.
Find out more about these offers and loads more by visiting the Summer Savings directory, just enter your post code and see great offers at restaurants, cinemas, theatres and more, near you Find your family’s summer offer — Summer Savings
Make a splash at our splash pools
Free fun in the sun! Take a blanket and a picnic and let the kids have a splash about.
Take the Pride of Portsmouth lions art trail
The Pride of Portsmouth lion art trail is a colourful, city wide public art trail featuring artist designed lion sculptures displayed across Portsmouth.
The trail is part of the Portsmouth100 centenary celebrations, marking 100 years of Pompey being a city. Each lion is uniquely designed by artists and inspired by Portsmouth people, places, coastline and culture.
Download the Pride of Portsmouth app and take the kids on a Pompey safari! https://prideofportsmouth.co.uk/
Explore our adventure playgrounds
Explore one of Portsmouth City Council’s six free, exciting adventure playgrounds and discover a world of opportunity for children.
No two are the same, so if your child enjoys a stimulating environment with loads of play, an adventure playground is for them. They can whizz along zip lines, cool off in splash pools, get messy in sandpits, show their artistic talents with arts and crafts, build dens, climb trees, dress-up and much more.
Whether it’s gardening, construction, discovering wildlife, making friends or simply getting messy with water and sand, there’s something for everyone at one of Portsmouth’s adventure playgrounds.
Find low cost and free events and activities, all in one place
Every month we put together a simple list of low cost and free stuff happening in the Portsmouth area, that families can enjoy without breaking the bank. Be sure to check it out and bookmark it so you can find it again easily.
HAF Fun Pompey
The HAF Fun Pompey programme provides healthy meals, fun and rewarding activities during the spring, summer, and winter school holidays (not including half terms).
The programme supports families with lower incomes. Spaces are free for 5 to 16-year-olds receiving benefits related free school meals.
Bookings for the HAF fun Pompey summer program are open now and include funded places if you’re getting benefits related free school meals and pay as you go spaces too. Find out more about HAF fun Pompey on the PYC website.
Find free and low-cost activities suitable for SEND
For parents and carers of young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), it can be challenging to find free and low-cost things to do during the school summer holidays. To help families plan for the summer ahead, Portsmouth Local Offer has worked with community groups and partners to find family days out and activities suitable for young people SEND. Check out the Portsmouth Local Offer website