Juggling work and kids during the school holidays? You’re not alone

The average summer break from school will involve 11 day trips, 344 miles of travel – and two cases of sunburn, a study has revealed, highlighting just how much time is spent juggling work and kids at this time of year.

A survey of 2,000 British families found the long summer holiday away from lessons will also see children spend 11 and a half hours at the swimming pool, nine hours at the cinema and 12 hours foisted off on friends.

Another 16 hours will be spent simply sitting in the car as parents ferry the family around from place to place.

It also emerged parents will hear each of their kids wail “I’m bored” an average of 33 times during the summer holidays – combating this by forking out for 19 ice creams a head.

The research was conducted by National Express Coach, who want to encourage the nation’s families to head out and explore the UK this summer.

Managing director, Chris Hardy, said: “Our research revealed that six in 10 parents worry their children will spend too long indoors during the summer holidays.

“And two thirds of parents see the summer break as an opportunity to take their kids to see parts of the UK they wouldn’t normally visit.

“The long summer school holiday is the best time of the year for families to take a trip together and discover somewhere new.

“Don’t let your kids sit bored indoors this summer. There’s a whole nation out there to see, and with the lovely weather and free time the school break brings, there’s no better time to get out and explore it.”

The average day out over the summer holidays will take families 52 miles away from home in search of fun things for the kids to do.

Parents voted the beach or seaside as their favourite place to take kids for a day out followed by the cinema, the local park or a nearby swimming pool.

Unsurprisingly, the car is the most popular mode of transport to ferry families around their summertime destinations.

Although more than 14 per cent said they dread long hours driving in the car with kids.

For a quarter, the cost of travelling to and from activities is a big worry, while three in 10 struggle to get enough time off work.

And three times as many people say they’d rather take multiple short trips over the summer break, than one big long-haul adventure.

Thirteen per cent of families will go on a train journey together, and almost one in 10 will hop on a coach as a family to visit a UK destination.

For nearly half of the population, a summer break will also involve a flight – with one in 10 hopping on a plane four times or more over a year.

MOST POPULAR SUMMER HOLIDAY FAMILY DAY TRIPS

1. The beach/seaside
2. The cinema
3. The park
4. The swimming pool
5. A walking trail
6. An amusement park
7. A water park
8. A bike ride in the countryside
9. A museum
10. A friend’s house