Parents may need to dig out trousers with extra-deep pockets for the Easter break as the number crunchers warn this year’s extended holiday – four holidays over two four-day weekends in a row – could set parents back an eye-watering £3.5 billion in childcare and entertainment costs alone.

Research for Bournemouth-based insurance, retirement and investment group LV= found that one in 10 parents is concerned about how they will afford the additional costs of this year’s bank holidays.

The back-to-back bank holidays at the end of the month will result, they reckon, in a cost of £267 per child, on average.

Are they kidding? What are these kids doing that costs so much? A helicopter trip to Toys R Us for a five-minute trolley dash, followed by tea and crumpets at the Royal Bath?

Down here, thousands of families will be heading for Hampshire and Dorset’s top attractions. Children will love them, but not many families can afford to visit those sorts of venues every day.

As a mum, I know how much things cost and how the costs can soon rack up, leading me to wonder whether some people are forgetting the true old adage that the best things in life are free.

So, if you don’t want to break the bank this coming bank holiday but still want to have fun, here’s a tip from me, get back to basics and mix some paid-for treats with plenty of activities that cost nothing.

Here are some great ideas for free things you can do that should keep all the family happy:

1. Hit the beach. We have glorious stretches of golden sand on our doorstep and as long as you’re willing to park a little way away and walk, it’s all free. Little ones will happily spend hours digging holes, dodging waves and making sandcastles and older the ones work on looking cool while listening to music. Take loads of suncream, water and snacks and Mother Nature will take care of the rest. Visit our website dorsetbeaches.co.uk for your full guide.

2. Revive the picnic. All you need is a nice spot, a rug and some food. Eating out al fresco is always a fun thing to do and it’s not really about the food, so unless you’re going for a gourmet vibe, all you need is a crusty loaf, salad bits, cheese and ham, a bit of cake and a tub of grapes. Oh, and lashings of ginger beer, of course. Add a ball, a Frisbee or a skipping rope and you’ve got the post-meal entertainment covered.

3. Go crabbing. Mudeford and Poole Quay are some of the hot spots for crustacean catching. Part of the fun is debating the bait – scraps of bacon, fish heads, dried sprats – and then competing with the family next to you to see how many crabs you can get in your bucket. One rule only – be sure to put them back.

4. Grab some culture. Many museums are free and ask only for a donation, such as the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum in Bournemouth with its collection of curios, art and exhibitions. There’s a children’s area with books and colouring pencils and outside a garden and grotto to explore; or the RNLI Headquarters and Museum at Poole Quay where you can see one of Poole’s historic lifeboats, the Thomas Kirk Wright. The old boathouse at Fisherman’s Dock at the end the Quay offers a close-up view of the lifeboat and its history.

5. Walk the dog. Or somebody else’s if you don’t have one. Make it an event though, and go exploring in the New Forest, or your nearest scenic spot.

6. Visit the family. Get off the phone and PC and spend some quality time with your loved ones. It’s fun to catch up, and if you go visiting out of the area, you get a change of scenery into the bargain.

7. A walk in the park. You’re never too old to jump on a roundabout or glide down a slide. So don’t just stand there watching, join the kids, they will love it and you’ll soon remember exactly why you loved the swing park when you were little.