The kids are on holidays and boredom has settled in. Before you start thinking of taking the kids out on an expensive day trip, there are lots of free or inexpensive activities that you can all enjoy over these summer holidays. How about adding some of these suggestions to your holiday itinerary?

Back to basics

These old favourites are proof that a good day out doesn't have to be complicated or expensive to be fun.

Have a picnic

The humble picnic can be a fantastic way to spend a day with family and friends – and there's really no limit to how many people you invite. With BYO food and drink the order of the day, you can bring whatever your budget allows. And the potential locations are almost endless: a local park or garden with some play equipment, a bush or river setting, or your nearest hillside lookout.

No charge at the beach

Last time we checked, beaches didn't have admission fees. As long as you can muster up some bathers, some beach towels, hats and plenty of sunscreen, you've got pretty much all you need for a day at the beach – and the kids will thank you for it! And you can self cater – just be sure to take an esky to protect your supplies from the heat.

Bushwalking – fit and free

For those of us living in or near the bush or the hills, there's bound to be a local picnic ground with some short walking trails within an easy drive, or even a train trip. As long as you pick a trail that's suitable to your own and your kids' walking capacity, and plan to have some rest stops along the way, the whole family can really get into a bushwalk. In many cases it's free, while in others, it might only cost you a gold-coin donation to the local park.

Kids holiday programs in your area

If you don't want to go very far afield for your day out, find out about holiday programs and activities for children in your local area. You might be surprised at how many fun activities are on offer so close to home – activities like movie screenings, plays, dress-up days and book days, craft workshops, indoor and outdoor games. And because they're specifically designed for children, many of them are free or charge only a minimal rate.

Thought starters

Get in touch with some of the community organisations and attractions in your area to find out what they're offering for children this holiday season. We've listed some examples of venues and the sorts of activities that you could expect to find in your area...

• libraries – activities may include kids' book readings, character dress-up days and DVD screenings
• museums – for activities like museum tours and discovery days
• galleries – for everything from kids' tours to painting activities and craft classes
• arts and entertainment centres – for plays, puppet shows and other theatrical events
• sport or leisure centres – for indoor and outdoor games and sporting activities
• botanic gardens – some gardens have specially designed children's gardens that let kids and their imaginations run wild
• community farms and gardens – get up close and personal with life on the farm or life in the veggie patch, and take part in feeding the animals or even a community planting day.

Find out more

To find out more about holiday programs and exactly what's on offer in your area:

• keep an eye on your local papers for details of activities and events that might be coming up
• get in touch with your local council to see what information they can give you