School holidays could cost parents £200 more as childcare and family activities hit wallets

PARENTS fear the school holidays will cost them almost £200 extra this year as childcare and family activity prices soar.

Almost six out of ten families are rethinking their holiday plans as they struggle with childcare bills while juggling work and kids.

Some 64% worry how they’ll balance the increased costs of their child being home from school in the weeks ahead, according to a new poll of 1,000 parents.

And 71 per cent are steeling themselves to buy more snacks than usual due to day trips and activities to keep children fed on the go.

Bakery firm Warburtons and supermarket chain Morrisons commissioned the research to launch “Ask for Ellen” – a scheme offering free toasted crumpets for everyone in Morrisons Cafes this summer.

The study found 58% of parents are reconsidering summer holiday plans due to rising costs worth an additional £200 over the course of the six-week school break.

Parents expect to visit the supermarket at least once more than usual each week to ensure snack cupboards are full for children during the break.

Grandparents are also set for a busy summer, with 44% of people polled looking to them to relieve the pressure.

It also emerged 38% find entertaining their children the trickiest thing about the summer holidays, while 37% fret about balancing work and family time.

And 26% expect to hear kids claiming they’re bored “often” over the coming six-week break.

The “Ask for Ellen” scheme is named after the bakery brand’s founder Ellen Warburton.

It will be available all day in any of the supermarket firm’s 398 UK cafes from next Monday to August 13, while stocks last.

Adults and children can “Ask for Ellen” to receive a portion of two crumpets, with butter and jam for free – no questions asked.

Chris Strong, from Bradford-based Morrisons, said: “Supporting customers during the school holidays is incredibly important to us as we know that many families worry about catering for additional meals that are usually covered during the school term time.”

Warburtons chairman Jonathan Warburton said: “While the summer holidays offer a chance for families to enjoy time together, we know that the reality can be very different for many families.

“As the cost of living crisis continues to put pressure on household budgets we wanted to offer a little to support to families through the holidays.

“Being able to help families across the country is as important to us today as it was to Ellen Warburtons back in 1876.”

Earlier this week Morrisons began stocking items from its budget Savers range across its 500 convenience stores including toilet rolls, washing up liquid, sausages and skimmed milk.

Meanwhile, Bolton-based Warburtons signed up another Hollywood A-lister to appear in their TV ads, following Robert De Niro and George Clooney – Pulp Fiction star Samuel L Jackson.

Separately, families have also been offered cheaper access to theme parks and attractions this summer via UK restaurant Hungry Horse.

And a charity has offered tips on coping with rising holiday childcare costs.

Yet holiday-makers heading abroad have been told they face chaos at airports and in the skies, with airline EasyJet cancelling 1,700 flights between July and September — affecting up to 180,000 customers.

There have also been warnings Spanish holidays are proving especially expensive this year, with both costs and demand rising.

More than half of Brits are said to be planning to shun overseas trips and instead take “staycations” this year to save money.