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

Ideas for spending time with children

54 replies

CopperLion · 09/12/2023 12:25

i don’t have kids of my own but have a nephew (8) and niece (3). For Christmas this year I’m going to give them each a personalised book of vouchers with 12 x things we can do together. They get to ‘cash them in’ as and when they would like to do something.

can anyone help with ideas for fun things to put in the books? I’d like most to be inexpensive but a few can be more. I’d also like them to be similar but I think a few should be different because of the age gap. The idea is that they do it separately, not together - though I guess they can choose to do together if they want (they are siblings).

ideas so far are cinema, swimming, a kids theatre show, a sleepover at my house, baking at my house, a trip to the playground and an ice cream (3 yo). What else could o put in them??

TIA 🙏

OP posts:
wishuponastar1988 · 09/12/2023 12:29

Museum trip, soft play, bear hunt in the woods, ice cream trip, farm/petting zoo, aquarium, bike ride

Original poster
CopperLion · 09/12/2023 12:40

ooh, a bike ride is good!

OP posts:
Comedycook · 09/12/2023 12:42

Bowling
Trampoline park
Feeding the ducks
Kite flying

What a sweet idea by the way

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Christmas Families Games
Original poster
CopperLion · 09/12/2023 12:45

Thanks @Comedycook ! Feeding the ducks is a good one.

OP posts:
SugarCookieMonster · 09/12/2023 12:47

Story/rhyme time at the local library and pick a book - ours does one a week

Check if your local museum has any events on live visiting dinosaur fossils etc

Any sea life or aquarium type places near you? DS 5 loves watching the fish in our local aquatic shop!

Trip out for a hot chocolate or cake

NoItsStillNighttimeDarling · 09/12/2023 12:47

This is an absolutely gorgeous idea OP I would be so happy if someone did this for my DC.

Soft play trip? Cafe trip for cake and hot chocolate? Trip to the park for an ice cream?

Bbq1 · 09/12/2023 12:47

Trip to zoo
Trip to farms park
Trip to NT property
Walk in the woods

Cazaletto · 09/12/2023 12:48

Climb a mountain*

*small hill

Original poster
CopperLion · 09/12/2023 12:48

We are a short train ride from London so can get to the london aquarium if that’s still a thing?

OP posts:
Original poster
CopperLion · 09/12/2023 12:49

I love walk in the woods!

OP posts:
Original poster
CopperLion · 09/12/2023 12:49

@Cazaletto 😂

OP posts:
Bbq1 · 09/12/2023 12:49

Pamper day at your house when 8 yo. Face packs, nails, styling hair etc?

pastypirate · 09/12/2023 12:51

This is a brilliant present. What about a treasure hunt in your house?

Look at free/cheap events and commit to taking them - be a lovely day off for parents too.

A baking session - cookies or decorating biscuits together.

Sone craft kits to make together? Have a look at baker Ross or hobbycraft website for ideas. Even the works has stuff.

Making Mother's Day cards - Easter cards - you get the idea.

EducatingArti · 09/12/2023 12:52

Some kind of craft activity

Imaginary play session for 3 year old ( play pretend cooking/going to the shops/ dressing up as Elsa/Paw patrol/whatever they are into.

Modeling session using play dough for 3 year old and air dry clay with 8 year old.

Water fun day in the garden in summer (paddling pool, water pistol, cups and jugs for little one)

Snuggle up and read: PJ's, cuddly toy and blanket and read books together.

Science afternoon with 8 year old. Look at mentors and cola, vinegar and bicarb experiments online or get a kit.

Trip to local free museum

evtheria · 09/12/2023 12:54

Such a lovely gift!

• day at the arcades, if you have one nearby
• afternoon tea (relatively cheaper ones can be had at Patisserie Valerie, Cafe Rouge)
• trip to the bookshop (look up author events or readings for best days)
• ultimate slime-making day (at yours! parents will appreciate this, ha)

If you have an outdoor space, you can do:
• summer waterfight day
• pretend campout with marshmallow toasting

idontlikealdi · 09/12/2023 12:56

Indoor den day, or overnight

WeightoftheWorld · 09/12/2023 12:57

Gosh you've already had great suggestions but I just want to say how very lucky your niece and nephew are to have such a fab aunt (and how lucky their parents are too by extension!). Our kids are 5 and 2, they have two aunties and 3 uncles and none of them have ever offered to take either of them out! My kids would absolutely love this, especially the eldest, and I'm sure your niece and nephew will too.

Funderthighs · 09/12/2023 13:11

Board game afternoon, afternoon of crafting?

PandaCory · 09/12/2023 13:15

That'a a lovely gift idea!

My kids would love a trip to a book shop (or library) to choose a book, a trip to the Lego store (could be an expensive one!), a day at the beach (if local enough), a picnic at the park/in the woods. My older son would enjoy a museum, youngest would rather go to an adventure playground. We've done a couple of Treasure Trails treasure hunts, both kids enjoyed them.

Original poster
CopperLion · 09/12/2023 13:19

I'm loving these ideas, thanks so much everyone!

OP posts:
Brokenfurnitureandroses · 09/12/2023 13:36

Boat ride on the Thames, choose a small Lego kit and do it together, visit to an art gallery (some do activities for kids too), visit a castle (if there is one nearby), trip to a cafe for hot chocolate, library day, pamper day for the three year old with kid nail polish and glitter tattoos and cucumber eyes, cat/dog cafe visit if there’s one nearby.

WinterParakeets · 09/12/2023 13:37

Build a den. If the weather is good, you can do it in the woods, if it's raining you can do it with upturned chairs or tables and asheets and sofa cushions

Teddy Bear's picnic for the little one

Steam train or steam fair ride?

Baking together.

Make an erupting volcano together

Trip to the seaside.

Visit a castle

Play hide and seek

Visit to the panto or Polka children's theatre

Original poster
CopperLion · 09/12/2023 13:57

My nephew would love a cat cafe. Are they ethical??

OP posts:
PeppermintParty · 09/12/2023 14:03

Blackberry picking and making a blackberry and apple pie afterwards (obviously seasonal, so they would need to be patient for this one).

mondaytosunday · 09/12/2023 14:07

Gosh 12 is a lot. If trim it down to half that for starters! Skating? Children's theatre?

Swipe left for the next trending thread