Things to do and places to go with DC before they grow up.

[Greenbutterlfy566]

What types of thing would you like or have done with your children before they grow up? I mean all types of different things.

What would you do if you had all the time and money (in theory)

I don’t want to regret that I didn’t do ‘this or that’ before they are grown up and it’s too late.

It is expensive but we went to Lapland and saw Santa and the boys still talk about it many years later.

We did the day trip but if money wasn't an issue, we would do the 3 day trip.

One of my best days ever too.

Aww we were thinking of going there. Glad you enjoyed

Lapland (not been due to dc asthma) but without a doubt it must be so different and magical.

Theme parks, good ones. The Efteling in the Netherlands is where we have spent some of most precious family times. It's the most charming, gorgeous place and easy to be with small children.

Disney Paris was good fun. There is a buzz to it.

Sea side if you don't live near one, lashings and lashings and lashings of good old sea, sand, rock pooling etc.

Go to the the islands or highlands in Scotland. We had a wonderful holiday in a cottage in Poolewe where we went to the beach every day and the only other things there were sheep. Dc spent all day digging the sand or looking in rockpools. It was lovely and so relaxing and perfect for a time before “ screens “ became so important.
When they were older we went skiing in whistler which they preferred to our holiday in Disneyland..

Climb a mountain
Swim in the sea in winter
Make sure they can swim well
Visit the Houses of Parliament
Crabbing
Collecting eggs and milking goats/cows
Visit a Mosque/cathedral/synagogue and gurudwara
Holocaust exhibition at Imperial war museum and Beth Shalom. Auschwitz if you can.
Track a river from source to sea.
BBQ fresh mackerel they caught earlier
See live theatre including Shakespeare and a musical.
Go to Wimbledon, Goodwood or Cheltenham and Cowes week.
Ride a horse.
Travel independently in big city like London and abroad.
Learn to cook well.
Learn first aid.
Learn basic sewing and household maintenance.
See the sunrise.
Make snow Angels.
Swim in a river and waterfall.

Some great places in the UK to take kids and give rhyme a real sense of their own history and culture. Mine have loved:

Stonehenge
Giants Causeway
Tower of London
Edinburgh Fringe
Sherwood Forest
Whitby Abbey
Scottish Highlands
Climbing a mountain in the Lakes
Yorkshire Dales

Costa Rica
Ski
Camping

What a great thread.

Swimming in the sea.
Watching dolphins.
Reindeer spotting.
Walks at night with torches.
Paddling in rivers.

There are quite a few 50 things to do lists which are good.
Some great ideas here.
The national trust don,t seem to do it so much now but their list of 50 things to do before 113/4 is good.

Camping
Disneyland
Build dens in the woods

Disney world, Florida

Things my boys still talk about...
Walking hadrians wall and offas dyke
Venice
Bath
Ireland
Driving across Australia
Mountain biking in the woods
Canoeing
London
Walking down rivers
Night walks by torch light
Castles (especially ones with caves)
Waterfalls they can walk behind
Pony centre
Building sand castles on the beach and seeing how long they can withstand the tide

Some great idea thanks everyone. I feel as though time is running out so
Basically want a bucket list lol

Some of the things I’ve done with dcs and they still talk about is:
Holiday to Butlins, every time the advert came on ds would ask when we were going again.
Harry Potter studio tour
North Wales fantastic holiday so much to see and do.
Climb a tree, we regularly visit one NT property and they climb the same tree each time.
Den building.
Pooh sticks.
They love Barter Books in Alnwick.
2p machines at the arcades.

canal boat - we hired one for a day (I took minded dc as well as my own) they had picnic & supervised piloted (volunteer group drove it) helped open the lock gates picked blackberries (next day they made model of the canal boat ;))
Visited the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood (co-incidentally it was the teddy bear anniversary)
Dh took them to Childrens Concert of musical Instruments.
Seeing Shakespeare in the Open Air "Midsummer Nights Dream"
Going for a ride on the Thames to Greenwich & going past the City
Going into St Pauls & eating at the market opposite
Having a family Game of Cricket & picnic at the seaside
Seeing Hadrian's Wall & the Holy Isles (where you have to be careful not to walk on the puffins - they nest on the ground (wear a hat!)
Walikng in a Wild Wood at Bluebell time
so many things
just listening & watching things around you & listening & laughing with your children
Reading books to them
Christmas Morning

London
Paris
Watch a musical
Long distance train travel
Beach holidays
Campervan across Europe
UK seaside break
Camping in a tent with a fire, under the stars
Climb a mountain
Sledging
Zoo
Bike ride along a canal
Travel by boat
Snorkelling
Grow vegetables

Thanks so much everyone I really appreciate it. I’m making lists, some really good things mentioned and some don’t cost a lot

Visiting places mentioned in books and legends.
Also, activities that require you to work together as a team - e.g. escape rooms, or combat laser.
Taking on a family challenge together is also a great experience, e.g. a week of surf school, or hiking a particular trail or hill mountain.

Create family traditions, shared experience and in jokes , solve problems together, have adventures, love learning - I am not sure specific locations or experiences matter , more the attitude to life and sense of belonging.

Working as a team sounds good

What a lovely thread

I think also think about your own passions: take them to see your favourite band / lecturer / author / country music festival / Bishop or whatever

Shamelessly placemarking..... great idea for a thread!

Mine want to see the northern lights. We’re going to Iceland at Easter.....

They’ve also loved
Whitby (lots)
The Eiffel Tower, but preferred the Pompidou centre
The Lake District
The Giants Causeway
The Titanic Experience (nearly a year later, it still gets mentioned at lest once a week)
The Geological Museum in S Ken left more of an impact than Nat History
Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen

Nice to see so many suggestions that don't involve flying.
Camping on a 'rustic' site, few facilities or people, just closeness to nature.
Walk a section of the coastal path, magic!
Pack a pan, some wood and a pack of sausages, hike out and make a little fire on a deserted beach or woodland to cook them (must carry water to put fire out safely).
Put up hammocks in the woods and lounge.
Learn foraging, pick stuff to take home to eat.
Take part in a community building initiative, such as a morning of local litter picking or tree planting.
Learn a skill like basket weaving or candle making together.
Long bike rides with a picnic and blanket to a special beauty spot, or to a country pub for lunch.

Playing laserquest in the woods
Lapland - such a brilliant day
Comrie for Hogmanay - they have pipers, dancing in the streets and flaming torches (flambeaux)
Meeting their favourite Youtuber- I've never seen them so excited!
Harry Potter world - such a long day but they never flagged
Picnics - anywhere! In the house; in the garden; on the beach