Ultimate Scots guide to everything you can do for FREE in the school summer holidays… from tennis lessons to cinema

Scottish Sun

19-07-2025

Huge McDonald's, Harry Potter and cinema freebies await to ensure you and your family have the best summer ever - for nothing!
HAPPY HOLS Ultimate Scots guide to everything you can do for FREE in the school summer holidays… from tennis lessons to cinema
THE summer holidays are here but keeping the kids entertained can be a challenge - and expensive.
A new study found parents spend as much as £1,000 a week on their children during the six-week break but there is a wealth of free family activities across the country that promise a brilliant summer without breaking the bank.
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There are loads of fun things to do whatever the weather
Credit: GETTY
From sport classes to screenings and festivals, there are hundreds of free opportunities across Scotland to try. Here's our pick of the best...
1. Free lunch:
Lots of restaurants and cafes offer kids eat for free deals over the summer holidays. For example, Subway joying one free kids' meal with the purchase of any Footlong Sub at participating restaurants while youngsters can enjoy a freebie meal with every adult main.
2. Get two tickets to The Dungeons
As a Sun Club member you can get two free tickets to The Dungeons.
Take your pick from London, York or Edinburgh Dungeons. We have thousands of free tickets, plus 47,000 from just £12.50. Head to the 'Offers Hub' and click 'The Dungeons' page to book from 11am on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.
3. Tennis lessons for beginners
Get the kids healthy and into a new sport with free tennis sessions. Barclays is sponsoring free group tennis sessions that can be booked on the Lawn Tennis Association website while you'll find more free sessions at Tennis For Free.
4. Art and sculpture trails
Track down some wooden wildlife at the Loch Ard Family Sculpture Trail in the heart of The Trossachs. The 16-mile route takes in stunning spots, such as Loch Chon and Kelty Water, and is ideal for cyclists and walkers. The sculptures represent the animals and birds which inhabit the forests around the area.
Primark is selling the perfect beach bag for your summer holiday - it's lightweight, waterproof and shoppers can't get enough of the sparkles
5. Outdoor cinema pop-ups
Go to the cinema for free with pop-up screenings of popular movies. Queens Park Arena, in Glasgow, has a programme of free film classics showing throughout July, from Mary Poppins to Gladiator. Advance booking is essential.
6. Fun in the forest
There are some stunning forests in Scotland with trails for walking, running and cycling - check out Forestry and Land Scotland for routes. You can make a trip more challenging by orienteering. Find out about courses near you and where to find maps at goorienteering.org.uk
'10/10' FREE DAY OUT
A SAVVY mum has revealed the "10 out of 10
Lisa, from Scotland, regularly shares parenting tips, travel suggestions and a glimpse into her family life on TikTok (@twinniesandtwo).
Now that the school holidays are in full swing for summer, the mum-of-four has been on the hunt for cheap activities and days out to enjoy with her brood.
And she recommends a "wholesome family day" at the National Museum of Rural Life in East Kilbride, just 20 minutes away from Glasgow.
In a recent video documenting the "10/10 day out", Lisa said: "From the kids' explorer section with colouring-in and dress-up fun, to meeting the pigs, horses, cows and chickens at the farmhouse – it was a perfect day out for our family of six."
The mum used her National Trust of Scotland membership card to gain free entry to the museum itself.
But don't worry if you don't have one, the play park and animal enclosures are still completely free outdoors.
And the visitor attraction is open from 10am until 5pm, allowing for a full day out with the family.
Lisa said: "We headed round and we just had a wee explore of the inside bit [at the museum] and there's a wee kids bit now which I don't remember being there the last time at all and I think there's been quite a few things added.
"Obviously there's the museum part where you can see the tractors and everything to do with agriculture and mine are all the age where they like looking but they're not gonna stop and read anything.
"I do try but they're just not really that interested. There's a cafe [and] a little explorers room which the kids absolutely loved and there's wee dress up stuff."
7. Library reading challenges and games
Get the children reading with the free challenge run by the Reading Agency and available at most UK libraries. Librarians will issue your children with a collector folder, and they can earn stickers and rewards for reading books, while they may also run other free activities.
8. Local museum craft days
Many of Scotland's museums don't cost anything to enter and run free or extremely cheap craft days for children in the summer holidays, many of which you can book in advance online.
As well as the big free museums, check out smaller local galleries and follow them on Instagram to see what they're offering, for example Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life in Coatbridge has free drop-in activities over the summer, including nature walks, brass rubbings and arts and crafts.
9. Geocaching
Make a walk more exciting with the free geocaching app, which encourages you to find small 'caches' containing plastic toys and other tokens and leave some for others.
Just download the app from geocaching.com and find caches near you.
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It's great to get out in nature
Credit: GETTY
10. Festivals and open days
Expensive festivals can take a huge bite out of your budget, but there are free local events in many areas of the country.Check out the Eventbrite website for free options near you. Setting the filters for free family events will let you see what's going on in your area and allow you to apply for free tickets.
11. In-store workshops
Many companies offer free workshops for kids to tempt you in during the holidays. Try your local Pets at Home for free pet owner classes with a certificate or sign up for Apple Camp on the tech company's website for free movie-making classes.
Other companies to check for free kids' workshops include Hobbycraft, the Lego Store and Hamleys.
12. Farm visits
Many city farms are free to visit year-round while others hold bookable open days where children can feed and pet animals and learn about their care. Check your local websites for details or treehub.co.uk for free farms near you or try animal sanctuaries such as Tribe Animal Sanctuary Scotland.
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Farm parks are a great day out
13. Get girls moving
Nuffield Health offers free girls fitness classes run by expert instructors. You can book at nuffieldhealth.com/movetogether if you have a Nuffield gym near you.
14. Get up high
Visiting London? Taking a trip up the Shard or on the London Eye will cost you dear but there are several viewing platforms that allow you to see the city for nothing at all. Horizon 22 is the highest viewing platform you can visit for free, and you can book in advance at Horizon 22 or get walk up tickets on the day. Other options include the Sky Garden and the Lookout at 8 Bishopsgate, all of which are bookable in advance.
15. Play football with McDonald's
McDonald's is offering free football coaching for 5 to 11-year-olds this summer. Look online to find a session near you and to sign up. Meanwhile, Kellogg's is offering 30,000 free places at Kellogg's Football Camps. To secure a place, parents need to buy a promotional box of Kellogg's cereal and use the on-pack QR code to sign up at kelloggsfc.com
16. Join a walking tour
Visiting a new city? Check out free walking tours to make the most of it with older children. A lot of cities offer these tours with an expert guide in exchange for a donation. For example, check out this free Harry Potter tour in Edinburgh. Make sure you book in advance and – in this case – make sure your children bring a wand, or something similar to 'swish and flick'.
17. Visit a splash park
If the weather warms up, a trip to a free splashpark could be just the ticket. There are some brilliant water-based fun sites across Scotland including at the Helix Park, in Fife, and at Nairn beachfront.