i want to make a memory today - suggestion??

An inside idea:
We raided our recycling bin recently and sellotaped the stuff together to make a post box and a rocket. We taped crepe paper on top.

You can also post letters to yourself. Or to a friendly mner who would send you a nice postcard back :)

Ok so today me and my 3 DS' are going to make a den in the garden, then we are going to make a picnic and eat it in the den!

I agree re: Classics, some great ideas :)

I want to get this thread added to Classics - there's too.many amazing ideas and inspiration for it to disappear in 30 days before I have had a chance to do half.of it

Two of mine had snail races up the walls.

My eldest dd (now a teenager) used to love finding snail shells and then trying to stick them on the back of slugs - she spent hours in the garden.

We used to make up a mini beast garden using a container - we even recreated our own garden.

My youngest dd4 is in the middle of setting up a toy shop and pharmacy (?????) in her bedroom ...

I love the possibility of a police station visit! We also love picnics in bedrooms!!!

Subbing to read when ive been and wiped DS1's bum, for i dont want that to be the memory for today

Lol Jee!

My mother always could see us, of course. We weren't that good at spying!

Though once my dotty uncle took my own kids into the woods and really did lose them. They weren't hiding or being naughty. He just wandered off. When he came home without them and I asked him where they were he said airily 'Oh they'll find their way home'. I was furious with him and raced out to find them. They were fine, and hadn't realised they were lost. But that's beside the point.

Cheap and easy idea is to paint your bodies with food. Can buy baby puree or make yourself, for colorful, messy and delicious fun!

Go for a walk in the woods, and watch your four children disappear among the trees. Smile indulgently as they gallop through the undergrowth. Then realise a few minutes later you can't see any of them. Shout very loudly. Start crashing through the woodlands. Shout again. Panic. Run down the paths asking everyone if they've seen four children. Discover the children back at the car.

A very memorable afternoon out.

Thanks op for starting this thread :). I have been inspired and ds and I are off into town to by some yummy food for an indoor picnic. Going to dig out the picnic rug and spread out in the lounge with lots of nibbly bits later :)

Thanks Americas. I'm going to call our local ambulance and police stations too (nothing I assure you to do with uniforms ) to see if we can visit those too. The fire fighters at our local fire station said that they loved it when children visit and that they see it as an important part of their job

I love this thread and hope I can remember some of these ideas when ds is old enough to enjoy and remember them (currently 6 months). In the meantime might try some out with dp in the spirit of spontaneity. As a child I have fond memories of building dens with my sister - in our bedrooms with sheets, pegs and a couple ofclothes horses. Also a memorable walk in the woods where we were asked to find the most interesting thing we could - a boy we were with found a milk crate and win by a mile over our leaves and stones.

Fire station idea is brilliant! This kind of stuff does and should make up the fabric of life. But I suppose the spontaneity bit is mainly for us - I'd you plan ahead and keep it a secret such surprises still seem spontaneous for DC.

This has inspired me though. I have a very very very rare morning alone with DS tomorrow (DD is in daycare and he's on spring break), I was planning on one of those paint-a-mug type things then remembered we have a small plane airport nearby and seeing as we're picking friends up later from the much bigger airport, I've decided we'll just do a plane day. Told him earlier our plans (and that we had a tiny bit of shopping to do first) and he suggested we also have a picnic - so I'm going to just let him choose whatever he wants for his picnic so the whole picnic thing is his (I can get some proper food in him at dinner time!)

I think I might be more excited than him!!

walks

And when we went for wlaks, we used to trail the adults and 'spy' on them, the idea being that they should never be able to see or hear us. This was a game invented by my mother, I think, so that she could get some time to chat to her friends. I remember it as being really exciting!

Maryz, you remind me of our mud fight. Unfortunately it was not with permission and it was in the sitting room.

We also painted the garage walls with a huge mural. That was with permission, and great fun. Then we painted ourselves, all over, head to foot.

If you are in Edinburgh go to the museum. My grandchildren take off their shoes and skate about in bare feet on the cool floors. There are sensory-type rooms and activity rooms, lots of play areas and huge stuffed animals to see.

When we went on Saturday it was teaming with families. It is so huge that any serious adult museum-goers can go to the quieter areas while the kids play with the hands-on stuff. It's amazing. The only criticisms I have are that they took away the lovely fish pond, and there are only two tiny lifts.

It really is inspired, imo. A warm, clean, spacious indoor area with plenty to do, a couple of cafes - and it's free. You might even learn something about dinosaurs. Perfect for treasure hunts too - but my little ones don't need to be organised into anything at the moment. They just like walking round.

Btw, when my son was 8 I used to drop him off at Manchester Museum and he would stay there all morning. Alone (it never ocurred to me that someone could have taken him)! He found a door to knock on and a man would come out and give him a snake skin. There was also a museum club on Saturdays.

I would not do that now.

Lovely ideas.

Feel like taking the dc to a beach now, we are in NW London though so not really nearby. Where are good beaches in Essex?

Oh yes, happy memories of making a teepee/wigwam in Brownies and camping in it under the stars in Summer. Also catching crayfish when I lived near Shalford in Surrey (I mention that because they are only found in certain rivers) with bacon tied to sticks! Going to the bakers with mum where she invariably chose me the apple turnover when I wanted the big iced bun (note - get the big iced bun and sod the fruit content) and sitting and people watching by the window with them.

Oh this is a marvellous thread. I am inspired. I asked my boys what we should do tomorrow and they replied they wanted to go to the woods (fab one 5 mins away....we are very lucky)

I am going to suggest collecting sticks n leaves n stuff and den making.

And then as an antidote to all that muddy boy-fun I may just teach them to knit. Or sew. Or play the guitar.

(Here's another...some of my favourite childhood memories are watching Fred n Ginger movies and mum putting on musical albums & we would sing our hearts out. Jesus Christ Superstar is still a big fave.

Also my dad decided that my little play farm was a bit piddly so we made a massive extension from chipboard, papier mâché and poster paint. I bloody loved that farm....was still on top of my wardrobe when I was 18)

Just a few more ideas....

Awesome link comeonbishbosh! I love it!
DD is not 2 yet but the mini iced gems tea party sounds good for the cold weather atm. Poor chicken fell over running and grazed her nose today so looking a bit battered :(

I saw someone with his kids doing some sort of treasure trail.........i think you can download them from interweb