With Easter holidays on the horizon, new research¹ from American Express has found that the average UK family will spend £3,045 entertaining children during the school holidays in 2024.

The total comprises sports activities, clubs, toys, books, magazines, games consoles, tech devices, meals out, days out, TV subscriptions and films. The figure is per child so families with multiple children could end up spending more.

School holidays are a time for many children to relax from school, make new memories, discover new interests and spend quality time with family. With that in mind, 43% of parents say they expect to spend more entertaining kids during the school holidays, compared with term time (with only 7% spending less).

Digital dreamers

Tech leads the charge when it comes to keeping kids entertained. In 2024, British parents plan to spend an average of £401 on tech devices like phones, laptops and tablets to keep children busy out of term time. Clubs come in second, with parents expecting to spend £366 this year which includes the likes of sports clubs, drama, dance, music and more.

Parents said that entertaining kids outside the home is the biggest factor behind school holiday spend (59%). With that in mind, over half (59%) of UK parents will be spending money on the likes of cinema tickets and days out.

38% of parents are motivated to spend on entertainment as a way of having bonding time with children. Eating out is the most popular bonding activity, with just under half (47%) of parents saying they will take their children out for food to spend quality time with them. Other popular bonding activities include watching films and television (39%), cooking together (36%), and various outdoor activities like hiking and camping (35%).

Dave Edwards, Vice President, American Express: “Keeping kids entertained over the school holidays might not always be easy but our data shows it is a focus of many parents’ spending, whether it’s a meal out with the family, a sports club, or a games console. We know our Cardmembers, many of whom are parents, value entertainment and experiences, and our Cards offer that – from access to Amex^® Experiences, to cashback and tailored offers.”