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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

bored older kids,when raining.

41 replies

lovelymumma · 26/02/2011 14:40

Hi,I live away from family,so can't turn to them for help when having a hard day.When the children were younger,if I was having a bad day,I would take them to a playcentre,with play frames,the kids would have a great time and I would get a break and feel like I was still doing something good for children.Children are now between 8 and 11,and large for their age,and really seem a bit big to take to these play centres anymore.I'm stuck to know what to do when its raining and cold,like it has been this holiday.They do sometimes get on with watching films,playing on computer etc,but I miss having somewhere fun to take them all,because getting out really helped if I was feeling depressed.What do other mothers with kids this age do?,when they,ve had enough.

OP posts:
verytellytubby · 26/02/2011 14:44

Swimming, bowling or cinema.

moogalicious · 26/02/2011 14:45

My dd1 is 8. We usually go to the woods if it's raining - it's sheltered and means we get some fresh air for a couple of hours. And it's free!

Or how about bowling, swimming, museum, library?

seeker · 26/02/2011 14:46

Mine are older - 15 and 10 - but we still enjoy the occasional trip out together. We like swimming and ice and roller skating together. We sometimes all go out on our bikes, and we have tried geocaching - although we aren't very good at it and haven't found anything yet. We also like the beach in the rain.

A walk-with-a-purpose works sometimes (the purpose usually being a tea shop!)

We also sometimes borrow a dog.

God we sound like the Famous Five - sorry!

squeakytoy · 26/02/2011 14:49

How close to a major city or seaside town are you?

Original poster
lovelymumma · 26/02/2011 14:50

I like the walk with a purpose idea!I think the trouble is when I get one of those days its really hard to get motivated to do anything that involves too much effort;I think I'm just mourning the loss of adventure places;cause if you were feeling lazy,they were great.

OP posts:
Original poster
lovelymumma · 26/02/2011 14:53

We do go to cinema sometimes,but sooo expensive,do you sneak food in,as payed about £70 for family of five last time.!

OP posts:
Original poster
lovelymumma · 26/02/2011 14:55

Hi squeaky toy,live in west wales,so miles from major ciy,but close to beach,which is great in summer,freezing in winter.

OP posts:
Original poster
lovelymumma · 26/02/2011 14:55

oops city!

OP posts:
5Foot5 · 26/02/2011 14:57

Oh if you like walking with a purpose have you considered geocaching?

www.geocaching.com

Our DD was about 10 or 11 when we got in to it because we like walking and wanted to keep her motivated, i.e. not just going for a long walk in the country but going treasure hunting as well.

Also they are everywhere so if you can't get out to the countryside there are probably some to find near home.

Ideally you need a GPS but it is possible to get started without. My sister recently got interested and has managed to find a few by locating them first with Google maps and then using the hint. If you do get interested and decide to get equipment it is coming down in price and you can probably get a decent basic unit for £50 or £60 now. Also some of the flasher phones have the appropriate applications now so you could use that instead.

Anyway, I definitely can recommend it for family entertainment

FabbyChic · 26/02/2011 14:58

How about bowling? Cinema? Expensive but a treat once a week is neat.

squeakytoy · 26/02/2011 14:59

Borrow a dog and go to the beach.. it will be invigorating :)

Then home for a cosy night watching dvd's together..

Original poster
lovelymumma · 26/02/2011 15:03

We have got 2 dogs,but my girls seem to hate walking them:(

OP posts:
Original poster
lovelymumma · 26/02/2011 15:04

Don't know what geocaching is,but will look it up.

OP posts:
5Foot5 · 26/02/2011 15:10

Geocaching is a sort of treasure hunt using GPS. People hide a "cache", which is typically a small plastic box with a log book and a few inexpensive novelties, and then use a GPS to get accurate co-ordinates for it. They can then publish the details at www.geocaching.com.

Other geocachers then use the coordinates to go find it. If you find it then you sign the log and, if interested take a bit of treasure, though it is etiquette that if you take anything you also leave something in its place, i.e. swaps. (We are only talking cheap novelties here and not everyone bothers as the thrill of the find is often enough) Oh and of course you then re-hide the box exactly where you found it for other people to find after you.

Basically that is it though there are variations on the game.

As I said it is sometimes possible to get some without equipment if you have a good idea whereabouts it is hidden and there are thousands and thousands in this country alone.

2fedup · 26/02/2011 15:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

olderandwider · 26/02/2011 15:18

A windy wet walk on a beach is more inviting if there's a promise of a good tea when you get back: hot chocolate, yummy sandwiches, and home made cakes. When you get back from the walk, get the DC to pimp their cakes with icing, sweets etc.

Then plates and mugs around the fire/TV and voila - kids fed and exercised and (hopefully) tired.

Original poster
lovelymumma · 26/02/2011 15:33

Geocaching does sound like something my kids will enjoy;I must have been living in a cave or something,can't believe I've never heard of it.!

OP posts:
LadyThumb · 26/02/2011 17:16

5foot5 - have looked up geocaching and it looks like really good fun! Thanks for posting that as I had never heard of it.

verytellytubby · 26/02/2011 18:23

Ice-skating.

Jix · 26/02/2011 19:54

Also love the geo-cache link - have signed up! Thank you for the tip. We also do a lot of swaps with friends during half term, but I have to admit I'm totally knackered now.

zest01 · 26/02/2011 20:50

My kids range from 2 to 11 and in wet weather we just do pretty much what we would normally do but in wellies and raincoats!

This hol I took the kids to the park even though it had been raining - yes they got wet and muddy but who cares! They had a great time charging about and best of all it was empty where as I know the soft play place would have been rammed.

The seaside is nice in the wind and rain - it has a certain charm at least and we will watch the waves coming and and try to guess which ones will crash so hard the spray will reach our faces.

If we do stay in then we'll bake, make gifts or cards (it's always someones birthday coming up!), play board games (twister, what? cards and top trumps are the current faves) or make photo collages.

If they are bored I will suggest a job for them......they soon manage to amuse themselves then!

gillybean2 · 26/02/2011 21:01

Do any of the softplay centre near you do an older kids evening? There's a big one near here that lets older/taller ones in for the evenings on a friday.
I'm also not abverse to 'borrowing' some younger children (neighbours or friends) to take to the more local/smaller softplay which ds then enjoys as he has company.

Our local cinema is pretty cheap, so I can afford that. 3 of us went today with a bag of popcorn each and a drink for under £14 all in.

Do you have any National Trust places near you? They often have special events on in the school hols. And plenty of places you can use your tesco vouchers for.

Do you have a local magazine which lets you know what's going on? We get 'Kids Around' and it's packed with plenty going on at places you'd nevr think of. www.kidaround.biz/

ilovesooty · 26/02/2011 21:03

Zest01: that all sounds great fun.

Am I alone in feeling somewhat depressed that no one seems to think children could read a book now and then?

mmsmum · 26/02/2011 21:14

We used to do laods when I had the money for it, but we rarely even go to the museum anymore - £5 for parking! So we take the dog to the woods or different parks (still not the big far away ones, too much petrol) or stay in and watch movies on t.v. or play monopoly.

I can't wait til I'm getting more money again, it makes life so much easier!

polskiprincess · 26/02/2011 21:18

It's maybe a little old fashioned I guess but how about board games? Or playing cards?