If you have young children they rely on you to know where to go and what to do. If you are stuck for ideas about where to go with the kids we have lots ideas just for you. At b4 school online magazine we have searchable databases about what's on, places to go, clubs & classes and party providers. We don't want to waste all the knowledge we have gained collecting information for these databases so we are going to share them with you.

There are a number of places I go regularly with my kids that do no cost a penny. The summer is never a problem as they are happy to take a ball down the park and play. For a change there are a host of signposted walks around the area. We are lucky to live in an area of outstanding natural beauty with well kept areas, signposted walks and information centres. Check with your local council to se what is in your area and what times the visitor centres open. Some may also have nature or animal reserves which have clubs, talks or organised tours. If you live in a city do you have a city farm? Usually entry is free and the kids always enjoy seeing the animals.

In the summer holidays check with your local council to see what event are organised for children. This summer our council regularly had bouncy castles in their parks for children at no charge. It was not well advertised but if we checked in advance and found out about it and made sure we attended.

When the weather is not so fine we make good use of our local library. There are regular reading times and in the summer holidays plenty of activities to keep the kids occupied. On rainy days the local museums are a good place to keep warm and dry. There are usually areas or exhibits for children. Our local museum has a dinosaur display and a colouring area that my kids never get tired of going to. Most council museum entry is free. Art galleries are also a wonderful place for children and encourage creativity. If the weather is not too bad a simple bit of train spotting at the local train station is perfect for all those train fans.

Combine these ideas and explore a bit further for a big day out. Research is the most important factor. Our website provides listing of places to go to help organise a day out in the south west. If you are not in this area your local tourist information centre or council should be able to help you.

With cheap coach fares to London you can have a really cheap day trip to London. There are coach tickets from '1 with Mega Rider and National Express. You do need to check their website and book early, Mega Riders can only be booked 45 days in advance. The only other costs are tube tickets and your meals. We make a trip up and visit the National History Museum and Science Museum and have a picnic mid day. The museums are so big we can't get around them both in a day which means there is still something exciting and new next time we visit. With Hyde Park, St. James Park and Buckingham Palace to see there are several trips to organise without paying for any attractions.

If you have exhausted all the free options here are a few other ideas. Check to see if soft play centres have toddler mornings. These are great value and normally provide drinks or activities. Some restaurant chains with soft play areas such as Brewsters have very good toddler mornings.

Local cinemas often have discounted films for children. Cineworld have a Movie for Junior showing on a Saturday morning which is only '1 each including adults. They are normally older films but the kids just love the experience. It is also a way of getting very young children used to the cinema experience without wasting your money when they find going to the loo much more fun.

Stately homes are another place that we often don't think about. To children they are like castles and they find them fascinating. Farm attractions suit all ages and are a good place to go with a mixed age group.

For clubs and classes check your local community centres and health visitors for advice. There is so much to offer young children from football coaching to baby sign classes. There are more national organiser around now such as Tumble Tots and Tiny Talk. It is finding out about these classes that are the hardest thing we found and why we wanted to produce our website. The most effective way is word of mouth. So ask around and see what your friends recommend. At b4 school we encourage our readers to send in information about local classes by offering entry into our '100 giveaway.

We hope you are not short for ideas now. If you want any further help on where to go with children up to eight years old why not visit our website www.b4school.co.uk