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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:
Original poster
CopperLion · 09/12/2023 14:17

It’s twelve because the idea is to take them out once a month 🙂

OP posts:
SleepingStandingUp · 09/12/2023 14:27

CopperLion · 09/12/2023 14:17

It’s twelve because the idea is to take them out once a month 🙂

It's lovely op but do make sure you've got time to do 24 things over the year

PeppermintParty · 09/12/2023 14:28

Make a snowman?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Christmas Families Games
sleepymama3 · 09/12/2023 14:30

Ziplining if there is a centre near you.
Only for the 8yo, obv... the 3yo could go to a playground and be equally happy.

What a lovely, thoughtful gift. They are so lucky to have you.

theduchessofspork · 09/12/2023 14:40

Picnic

book shop to choose a book each

Aftermoon of baking / easter bonnet making / Christmas decorations making

day kids festival if you have one near you (8 year old)

afternoon tea

A night camping (8 year old)

Chinese / Indian restaurant (8 year old)

Trip to adventure playground (8 year old)

skating / rollerskating - 8 year old

transport museum - if you have one (all three year olds seem to adore climbing around buses)

Trip to the fair - maybe just the little one in the afternoon to ride on teacups (thus avoiding feral teens)

kit flying

Make a big painting (little one)

Bbq1 · 09/12/2023 15:56

Don't know if it's been mentioned but for most cities there is a pre cheap/free map you can buy/print abd you follow the clues to find the 'treasure"

What a, wonderful Auntu you are. Lucky kids.

persisted · 09/12/2023 16:35

Trip to an outdoor swimming pool in the summer
Day at the beach and fish & chips
anywhere local to go fossil hunting?
Younger brother used to love a christmassy day out - choose a present for mum & dad, get lunch, see sparkly lights/Carol singers, choose a new tree decoration

Are you quite local to them? I think hatching butterflies would be a wonderful, fascinating thing to do but would take a few weeks. Really only possible if they can come round regularly
www.greengardener.co.uk/product/butterfly-plus-breeding-kit/

Butterfly Garden PLUS Breeding Kit

An exciting learning experience! Butterfly Breeding Kits to breed your own Butterflies. Free Delivery in the UK, order online.

http://www.greengardener.co.uk/product/butterfly-plus-breeding-kit

Howtosolveit · 09/12/2023 20:02

@persisted yes I am local to them but don't have a garden unfortunately.

Howtosolveit · 09/12/2023 20:04

Under a different user name, sorry! I have two devices and can't get them both to recognise my account for some reason. It's a whole other subject...!

Brackhurst · 09/12/2023 20:16

Nothing constructive to add (tired!) but I just wanted to say that OP, you are a proper cracker. What lucky children.

Rocknrollstar · 09/12/2023 20:22

Cooking with you - decorating pizza bases or making cakes/ gingerbread people
other craft activities
Swimming
I love the suggestion of going to a bookshop

reluctantbrit · 09/12/2023 20:26

Crazy golf
Zoo
children's theatre show
indoor play center
trip to the library/buying a book followed by a slice of cake
NT or EH trip if you or the parents are members
trip to a farm
castle
if the older one has a particular hobby, is there anything you could do with him related to it?
fruit picking in summer and making jam/cake

Scarletttulips · 09/12/2023 20:28

Alice in wonderland tea party at yours with cakes
Halloween trick or treating
sledging - if the snow comes
movie and hot chocolate
make your own pizzas
museum
Trip to the sweet shop
Games in the park - take bats and balls
trip to a water fountain - where they can play and run through the water.
Carole singing!
Trip to a farm - some are council owned and are much cheaper than others - try petting zoos - or even a local animal shelter
Science museum

caringcarer · 09/12/2023 20:34

We love Paint a Pot. At the moment you can paint a Xmas bauble. You paint it, it goes off to be fired, then you collect it. Today 6 of us painted a bauble and a gingerbread house and we're painting for almost 2 hours. It cost £85. For you and 2 DC it would cost about £40.

UsingChangeofName · 09/12/2023 22:26

If you are looking for free things, mine loved:

  • sledging + building a snowman
  • going to the local pet shop - aquatic centre / shop is ideal
  • blackberrying, then making a crumble or pie
  • going on a bus, or on a train (whichever they don't normally do) - okay, not free, but minimal
  • any sort of cooking (just 1:1 time with an Aunty would have been lovely)
  • (older one) - is there a local pantomime put on in a Church or something?
  • (little one) - a different park from their usual one...... puddle jumping ......feeding the ducks ....collecting conkers or pine cones or feathers (could make it into a treasure hunt with older one)
  • we have a garden centre near us that does a wonderful display of Sunflowers in July / August you can just walk around - they are all over adult's heads. It is a great visit.
  • (older one) a local bonfire / firework display ? (again, that one will cost, but nice if someone can take the older one to somewhere the little one might not enjoy)
  • Take the older one swimming / a fun pool - again a cost, but something it is tricky to do with a little one in tow.
ChilledToTheBone · 09/12/2023 22:29

Craft day
Baking day
Treasure hunt in woods ie twig etc (lots online)
Soft play
Bowling
Swimming

MuggleMe · 09/12/2023 22:38

So many lovely ideas. You could add a couple of surprise/wildcard ones in there, where it's a mystery or they have to pick cards for each part of the day e.g. park or woods, shake or cake etc.

Howtosolveit · 09/12/2023 22:47

Do 8 year olds like soft play or is this more for the 3yo?

Howtosolveit · 09/12/2023 22:48

So many great ideas here! I am making the voucher books now.

Howtosolveit · 09/12/2023 22:48

I like the wild card!

sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea · 09/12/2023 23:02

So many brilliant ideas on here that I'm trying & failing to think of something that hasn't been mentioned! My kids used to love smaller museums because they tended to be quieter & slightly less tiring (for me & them).
Chips & ice cream at the beach is still a winner for them even though they're teens now - and we usually still fit in at least an hour on the 2p machines in an arcade as well.
Heritage Open Days are on in September, where places that quite often aren't open to the public offer tours & events, etc. They have to be free, so it won't be too pricey! The only problem is that the listings aren't released until the summer, but you could have fun together deciding what to visit?

shoutandpout · 09/12/2023 23:08

Cooking session if your handy in the kitchen

Arts and craft session etc

persisted · 09/12/2023 23:13

A country fair - often there are tractors, sheep dog trials, bird of prey displays, lovely food vans.

Howtosolveit · 09/12/2023 23:18

Thanks so much everyone! This is what I went for in the end: both of them have a trip to the pantomime (already booked), a swimming trip, cinema trip + popcorn, a trip to the playground + an ice cream (hoping the 8yo hasn't outgrow this!), baking biscuits at my house, a sleepover at my house, a trip to choose a book in the bookshop, and visiting a cafe for hot chocolate. Then the 8 yo also has a bowling trip, a game of laser quest, and a trip to the cat cafe in London! The 3yo has an arts and crafts session at my house, a picnic in the park, and a soft play visit. They both have a 'wild card' too.

Howtosolveit · 09/12/2023 23:20

There are so many other ideas here that I am going to share them with my parents (their grandparents) who are always looking for things to do with them, especially inexpensive things - thanks so much to everyone who added to the amazing list!