We all know how costly December can be. And if, between the panto trip, Grotto booking, Christmas food shopping, present buying, Christmas Eve box, Christmas Jumper Day, school collections or teacher presents, you've spent more than enough money but would still like to enjoy a festive activity with the kids, then look no further.

Here is a sackful of free (or very cheap!) things to enjoy with the kids across the county in the run up to Christmas...

Storytelling with Santa, Fremlin Walk, Maidstone

Running until Christmas Eve

Join Santa and his trusty elf Sparkle in the Winter Wonderland Cabin as they bring to life the magic of Christmas with your favourite festive stories.

This wonderful experience on select dates until December 24 is free to enjoy but places must be booked in advance, and spaces are allocated on a first come first served basis with emails sent to confirm bookings. To book your child's session click here.

Take a walk or a car ride to find some Christmas lights

Kids love the lights and displays at Christmas and plenty of homes and businesses make a huge effort in December. You can make an adventure of searching for the best displays in your town or village, or going to a particular house or close that is renowned for its amount of Christmas lights.

Mount Pleasant Close in Lyminge and Hawkenbury Road in Tunbridge Wells are both vying for the title of most decorated street. What do you think?

The Tenterden Illuminations, High Street, Tenterden

Running throughout December

Billed as 'the best Christmas lights display in Kent' the lights in Tenterden are switched on at 3.30pm every day and remain on until 11pm. To learn more, including where to park after 6pm when it is free, click here.

£1 rides at Rochester Christmas Market

Friday, December 13

This is the last weekend for the Rochester Christmas Market but on Friday evening the fairground rides are £1 and activities are half price. There will also be a guaranteed snowfall!

The market is open on Friday evening from noon until 8pm, which might make for a perfect after-school treat.

For a guide to all of Kent's Christmas markets please click here.

Christmas Tree Festival, St Justus Church, Rochester
Friday, December 13 until Sunday, December 15

The popular Christmas Tree Festival gets underway this Friday. Alongside some beautifully decorated trees to see within the church are a series of craft activities for families including the chance to make festive cake pops! For a complete guide to all events across the three days click here.

Kent Children's University Winter Challenge

Kent's Children's University has set up a series of winter challenges to keep children aged between five and 14 busy in the run up to Christmas.

A guide to the challenges, which include making a cardboard gingerbread house, design and make a Christmas card and make a decoration for a tree, can all be found here alongside more details on how to join the Kent Children's University.

Carnival of the Baubles, Ashford town centre

Saturday, December 14

The Carnival of the Baubles is a procession of giant, illuminated baubles decorated by children from primary schools across Ashford, and is the first such event to ever take place in the town. The event will get underway at Elwick Place and Ashford town centre from 5:30pm. The procession will make its way up Bank Street to the Lower High Street, where it will end in a dazzling party.

A night market with hot food and drink will then follow making it the ideal family evening. To learn more about the procession click here.

Visit a garden centre

Some of the best Christmas displays can be found in Kent's garden centres in the run up to Christmas. If you've got a couple of hours of time to spare with the kids why not head out and enjoy everything there is to look at from incredible lights to rafts of special displays of decorations.

Some have ice rinks and festive food stands, others aquariums and other small animals to see and Ruxley Manor in Bexley even has real reindeer making a short visit ahead of the festive season as well as large displays of singing and dancing penguins! And if there should be money in the budget at the end of the afternoon perhaps collectively choose a decoration as a family to take home and hang on the tree, and start a new Christmas tradition you can enjoy year after year.

Barham School Christmas craft fair, Valley Road, Barham

Saturday, December 14

There is free entry to the fantastic fair at Barham school on Saturday afternoon between 2pm and 5pm. Visit Father Christmas in his grotto, have fun in an inflatable snow globe, enjoy the festive atmosphere with live music or create a piece of Christmas magic in the Elves' Workshop.

A Journey Into Christmas, Gravesend town centre

Saturday, December 14

Real camels, donkeys and sheep will be amongst shoppers in Gravesend on Saturday as the town recreates the journey of the three wise men. The live Nativity event begins at 11am where families can see the animals by St George's Church before the parade sets off at noon. It will finish at the ceiling of lights in the high street with carols and a Nativity tableau.

From 1.30pm to 3pm there are photo opportunities with the camels and donkey rides by St George’s Church. Children (and adults!) can come dressed as shepherds, stars, angels, or wise men if they would like to.

Meet Rupert the Christmas Pony, Faversham

Sunday, December 15

Rupert the very tiny miniature Shetland pony loves Christmas and is returning to Faversham this weekend to help raise funds for the town's lights.

Dressed in his Christmas attire (complete with sleigh bells), Rupert will be meeting everyone for selfies and cuddles. He will arrive in the town at 10am on Sunday, before walking down to visit Faversham's Christmas tree and have a look around the market before returning to The Alexander Centre where you can visit him in his bespoke grotto. More details about Rupert are available here.

Christmas Tea Barn, Little Fant Farm, Maidstone

Sunday, December 15 and Sunday, December 22

Enjoy a hot chocolate in the Christmas Tea Barn at Little Fant Farm. The barn at the Farleigh Lane farm has been lit and decorated for Christmas and is the perfect spot in the Kent countryside to enjoy a winter warmer. It is open 11.30 until 3.30pm for the next two Sundays.

Christmas on the Farm, Rosewood Acres, Denstroude Lane, Canterbury

Saturday, December 14, Sunday, December 15, Saturday, December 21 and Sunday, December 22

Grab your wellies and head to Christmas on the Farm in Dunkirk. Alpacas, sheep, donkeys and chickens will be there to meet you along with hot food, hot chocolate, Christmas trees and a few craft stalls. There is also the opportunity to meet Santa in his grotto and collect a present for an additional fee. Postcode CT2 9LA will take you straight to the farm gate. More details here.

Christmas Town Trail, Faversham Town Centre

Running until Sunday, December 22

Download the map and embark on a festive trail throughout the town centre. If the kids can find all 22 missing letters and complete the name of the Christmas song they could be in with a chance of winning a £50 voucher. Entries must be posted in Santa's Garden at 12 Market Place on either Sunday, December 15 or 22. To get a copy of the trail map click here.

Festive baking

If the weather outside is frightful, throw on the Christmas tunes and have a fun afternoon in the kitchen! Kent-based cookery school Cookies Kitchen has shared a fantastically simple gingerbread recipe perfect for children to have a go at here. It's quick and simple and includes many household ingredients you'll probably already have in your cupboards.

Alternatively most supermarkets are currently selling ready-made gingerbread house kits for as little as £4, which the children can then simply spend the time decorating with icing, sweets and dried fruit.

For more Christmas related news and events for families please visit www.mykentfamily.co.uk