Parents spend £4,600 a year keeping their child entertained

The typical parent shells out nearly £4,600 per year for each child’s entertainment. A survey of 2,000 parents with children aged 17 and under revealed that they spend generously on trips to theme parks, museum visits, and sports clubs. Holiday camps, cinema outings, as well as toys and games also contribute to the substantial yearly total, with families enjoying about four outings a month.

On average, those with children of talking age – generally aged three or above – will hear their kids utter those dreaded words “I’m bored” 128 times annually. However, four in ten still find it challenging to keep their children entertained, and a staggering 62% feel compelled to overspend to do so. As a result, almost all respondents (96%) rely on special offers and coupons to keep costs down.

The research was commissioned by electric car manufacturer Leapmotor, which is offering four-year discount passes via Kids Pass, an app that saves families an average of £400 annually on days out, with the purchase of its C10 family SUV.

When it comes to planning activities, nearly half of parents share the planning responsibilities with their children, while 39% mostly let their kids decide. Only 10% of parents make decisions without any input from their children.

The most popular activities for children included a visit to the cinema, going for a swim or going to a theme park. Other activities also included attending birthday parties and going to sports clubs. Interestingly, 80% of parents show a preference for activities that have an educational value for their little ones.

The research highlights that a significant proportion of parents frequently rely on their cars to transport their kids to various activities aimed at keeping them entertained. In fact, parents who use their cars for this purpose cover an impressive 727 miles annually.

Damien Dally, managing director, Leapmotor UK, added: “We understand parents are under constant pressure to find ways to keep their kids entertained.

“And our mission is about helping our customers get the best value possible be that from their car or their everyday adventures. We all have fond memories of those family days out traveling in the car.”