Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

What do 12 year olds do in the summer holidays?

45 replies

Frenziedfishes · 29/06/2021 21:44

Dd has never been one for joining clubs or particularly sporty and doesn’t want to go to any holiday clubs.

Neither is she particularly interested in family days out unless it involves shopping Sad

Last summer meeting you with a friend for a walk was a bit of a novelty but the shine has definitely gone off that now.

We’ve got a few days camping booked but that’s it really and I really don’t want her to spend most of the time staring at her phone or YouTube

OP posts:
cupsofcoffee · 29/06/2021 21:57

I was home alone all summer at that age.

I went shopping or into town with friends.
We hung out at each other's houses.
Cinema/bowling/skating type activities.
Took the train to the nearest "big town".
Hung out in McDonald's or at the park.
Bike rides/picnics.
Days out with my parents and a friend, and then their parents would let me tag along on a day out to reciprocate.
The odd trio the zoo or a theme park.

cupsofcoffee · 29/06/2021 21:58

Oh, and I also spent a fair bit of time watching TV and playing Sims Grin

Original poster
Frenziedfishes · 29/06/2021 22:32

That sounds great fun!
I might encourage her to get the bus into town with a friend and yes hopefully there will be plenty of going to each others houses.
I’m trying to encourage her to make plans with her friends but I think covid has prevented them getting much practise in.
Good idea to invite a friend on a day out-she’d much prefer that

OP posts:
delilahbucket · 29/06/2021 22:39

DS missed most of last summer socialising as we were in tier three last summer but he squeezed in a cinema trip and a lunch out (total pain as it was card payments only). He's 13 now and so far he's planned a nerf gun war with his mates, roller blading and an illustrators class. There will probably be bike rides with picnics and plenty of gaming sessions.

BackforGood · 29/06/2021 23:21

Well, you've ruled out what most people will say, in your first sentence Grin

If she isn't in guides, Scouts or anything else that might occupy part of the Summer and won't take part in any activity weeks and doesn't like sport and doesn't have any interests / hobbies (I presume as you probably would have mentioned them) and doesn't want to come on any family days out - then she's kind of ruling out anything that might take her out of the house in engaging with people

What about putting her in charge of meal planning, and doing some cooking across the week ?

MobyDicksTinyCanoe · 29/06/2021 23:23

Spend money

Find things to spend money on

Moan about not having money.

On repeat.

TheChosenTwo · 29/06/2021 23:23

When mine were 12 the vast majority of holiday ‘entertainment’ was led by me I think. They did have the odd day out with friends or sleepovers planned but day to day they were with me and the siblings.
We went to the beach, booked things like crazy golf, invited friends round, bowling, theme parks, made things to take on a picnic, hired rowing boats (bit of a disaster one time, dd lost her Teddy over the side 😂), took a train somewhere, met up with family, local walks and lunches out, interspersed with quieter days at home just us where they could just entertain themselves.
At that age I was pretty much left to my own devices, I remember being incredibly bored a lot of the time.

CorianderBee · 29/06/2021 23:26

Mum sent me to drama camp at that age

Ozgirl75 · 30/06/2021 00:55

Mine is 11 and we basically organise a few things that suit his hobbies, he catches up with friends, goes on bike rides with his brother, reads and we normally have a holiday too.
He plays sport so does tennis and cricket camps and we also look out for science camps and he also normally attends one that a university puts on.
We also still do days out doing things like rock climbing, ninjas or high ropes which he’ll do with a friend or group of friends.
They also go to the local pool and mountain bike track.

HarrietHairbrush · 30/06/2021 01:06

Lurking
Only just realised how looooong these hols will be

Kanaloa · 30/06/2021 01:13

DS is 11. We tend to do a lot of family activities, so bike rides, beach days, picnics. On his own time he will ride his bike, play with his friend who lives a few doors away and play with his sister. Like a pp I remember being bored to tears in summer holidays, so I try and make sure we do something at least a couple of days a week.

Kanaloa · 30/06/2021 01:14

I am quite lucky though as DS loves sports so he will still have his martial arts class and his football club is doing some all day sort of holiday clubs. That will fill some time. Is there nothing your dd likes that she would attend?

avamiah · 30/06/2021 01:20

The school holidays are ridiculously long here in Uk(at least 5/6 weeks)
My daughter is 11 and I have always signed her up for summer courses at her dance school( drama, dance, singing)which she loves as she meets up with her dance friends and also meets new friends.

We also go for days out and usually a little break away( here in UK)

Original poster
Frenziedfishes · 30/06/2021 06:25

I’ve suggested every holiday club/hobby I can think of.
The only one that got her attention was kind of nature / forest school camp but she says she’ll only do it if a friend goes too. Plus she’s right at the top of the age range.

She really is quite hard to please. She’s well aware she’ll be bored and in a bit of a strop said she’d rather go to school. She may well get her wish if summer catch up school happens!

Stark contrast to her brother who will happily do anything I offer and makes new friends within 5 minutes.

OP posts:
Ozgirl75 · 30/06/2021 07:55

Do they still do PGL holidays in the U.K.? My friend and I used to go every summer from about 11/12 years old to Wales and had a brilliant time.

LadyCatStark · 30/06/2021 08:03

Skateboarding, BMXing, snowboarding at Chill Factor, wakeboarding, paddleboarding, mountain biking. I will just ferry him to these activities and watch 😂 except for paddleboarding and mountain biking. We live on a small estate (just one cul-de-sac) with lots of children so he’ll play out all summer or go to the park or exploring the surrounding fields or get the bus into town to see his friends from school.

NoraLuka · 30/06/2021 08:06

We are not in the UK and the summer holidays here last 9 weeks 😭😭😭

Things we did:
Camping for a week
Beach
Walks in the forest
Shopping
Cooking
Trying unsuccessfully to involve them in DIY and gardening
Looking after pets
Seeing friends (DD2 very shy and needs pushing to do this)
Reading
Drawing, painting etc.

They are 13 and 15 now and want to live in their rooms all day with Tiktok and YouTube. I won’t allow this but it’s so difficult sometimes!

NautaOcts · 30/06/2021 08:09

I’m a bit worried about the holidays and my 13yo is a bit similar in terms of not wanting to do stuff. Also in lockdown she didn’t keep in touch with friends and spiralled down a bit.
I think I might say she needs to arrange something with a friend at least once a week and come out with me at least once a week

eddiemairswife · 30/06/2021 08:15

When I was that age I just spent time with my best friend. Living in London, we would visit the museums; we would go to the pictures, see other school friends. With my own children we would go camping in France for 4 or 5 weeks with friends who had children of a similar age, and let the children do as they pleased. Nothing much was organised for them.

UserAtLarge · 30/06/2021 08:16

Organised stuff with friends which was a mix of going to each others' houses/hanging round in the park/going for cycle rides/going to McDonalds and similar/wondering round town/doing stuff like cinema and crazy golf.

And the odd family thing. But basically out with friends all the time. There were lots of posts in group chats where someone would say they would be in the park and did anyone fancy joining them.

I think 12 is the summer where planning to meet becomes a thing (before that it was more knocking on local friends' doors) so in this aspect Covid shouldn't have had an impact..

MN always suggests camps and organised activities but it's not something I've seen this age group doing really.

MissyB1 · 30/06/2021 08:17

ds is 12. He will meet up with friends to do mountain biking/ bowling/cinema
Dh and I have booked two weeks off, (should have been in Greece sob sob), but instead we have arranged lots of day trips with some overnight stays, we are going to
Cardiff
Stratford On Avon
Oxford

Ds still loves a day out.

Chill08 · 30/06/2021 08:22

Watching this with interest as my dd is exactly the same. Starts secondary in september too so abit of a transition period with friends.

Beamur · 30/06/2021 08:26

Reading - book challenge for the summer?
Get some art and craft books from the library and try something new
Even if she's not in Guides there are activities and ideas on their website
Upcycle some clothes - go to a charity shop to buy a project
Do some fundraising - sell cakes with a friend
Redecorate/remodel her bedroom
Start a wildflower garden
My DD's mental health can take a nosedive during the holidays so I set her a challenge to do something useful or productive every day..

SwimBaby · 30/06/2021 08:41

I liked seeing at that age and would make a lot of my own clothes, I’d also read for hours and break it up with a walk to the local shop for two ounces of sherbet lemons.
I did see friends too, visiting their houses, having them over or walking around town for ages.

SwimBaby · 30/06/2021 08:41

Sewing

Swipe left for the next trending thread