The cost of keeping the kids happy

Keeping the kids occupied can be an expensive business in this digital day and age, especially compared to more traditional childhood pursuits like, er, playing out. But have you ever stopped to consider the true cost?

A new poll by market research specialists Harris Interactive has saved you the bother. The company carried out an online survey of parents with children aged between six and 16 and asked how much was spent each year on such things as mobile phones, in-home entertainment and assorted digital knick-knacks.

The research findings either will or, with a weary shrug, won’t shock you. It seems that UK parents spend a whopping £1,956 million on digital entertainment each year - that equates to £247 per child. Unsurprisingly video games account for the lion’s share of that total too, with the beleaguered mums and dads forking out £98 per child/per annum on average. Mobile phones (inc. texts, games, ringtones) were the next biggest expense at £88 a year.

£98, then. That doesn’t sound like very much considering the typical cost of a game. So how are you spending it? Just the blockbusters or does play n’ trade provide the biggest bang for your buck?