The Best Free Activities for Foster Children of Different Ages

As the summer holidays approach, many foster carers may wonder how to fill that time for their foster children. Additionally, there may be concerns about the cost of each activity. We have compiled a list of fun activities that foster carers can do with their children. All of these activities are free, will fill up a few hours of your day and will help foster carers spend quality time with their foster children.

Visit a Blue Flag Beach

The summer is a great time to visit the beaches, with the UK having an incredible coastline for families to enjoy. A Blue Flag beach has received the iconic Blue Flag, a volunteer award given to exceptional beaches, tourism boats and marinas. To be awarded a Blue Flag, a beach must meet and maintain specific safety, educational, accessibility, and environmental criteria.

You can access a Blue Flag beach for free any day of the year, and the whole foster family will appreciate the safety and water cleanliness. You can check the Blue Flag website to find beaches near you. If you cannot find one, you can use different beach quality checkers to find a great one in your area.

A visit to a Blue Flag beach is excellent for the entire family but is especially appealing to children between the ages of three and six.

Host a Family Bake Off

Children tend to be more open to activities with a potential reward at the end. Younger children are also more open to activities they can participate in. Baking is a great activity because there are numerous recipes for you to try with your foster children that do not necessarily require high-level skills.

Get Them into Gardening

Gardening is an excellent way for foster children to spend more time outdoors and is also a great way to get them away from screens. The summer, especially August, is a great time to introduce them to gardening as that is when many flowers bloom, and there are a lot of wildlife and insects to see and learn about.

Gardening can be free, but you may need some supplies. Even when you do, the cost is relatively low and can fully be catered for by a fostering allowance. You can talk to foster care agencies like FosterPlus to better understand how much allowance to expect and what it does and does not cover.

Free Theatre Shows and Cultural Events

You can find several theatre shows and cultural events for foster children who are interested in either or both. Some venues and theatres offer free child passes in the summer to get more children interested in the arts and cultural events.

For example, London Theatre has many spots for children aged 17 and under who are accompanied by their foster carers paying full price. They also group their shows so that carers can easily see which are suitable for younger children and which are reserved for older ones.

There are numerous activities you can do with foster children. Foster carers have to realise their interests and find activities that align. These activities are typically free, so you do not have to worry about budgeting. However, you might need to budget for things like transportation and snacks if you are venturing far from home.