Over this time, I have found that the boys are equally happy with a trip to a local park with left over crusts for the ducks and a $2 pack of crackers as they are with a $100 trip to the zoo. The importance seems to be variety - so we've scouted out about 15 nearby parks, dubbed them all with names (the forest park, the duck park, the rock park, the adventure park, the dinosaur park, the hide and seek park, etc) and then sometimes mix it up with the pool, the bike park, etc.

And we've got them really good quality weatherproof coats and hats and gumboots, so even if it's wet, we can still get out and have a play.

They need activity above everything else. That's what works for us