‘Doing’ present??

[Bungle2]

Hi,

I have three girls, all very close in age - 10, 8, 5. The younger two have asked for scooters for Christmas so that’s nice and easy to sort but my eldest has always been a ‘challenge’ to buy for. Even when she was little she didn’t really play with anything and now she’s older she’s quite happy with her iPad and the occasional piece of paper to draw on. What she has asked for though, is a “doing” present. I initiated this idea a few years back on birthdays to try and combat the amount of stuff entering our house and it’s been fab - junior zoo keeper experience, trip to Harry Potter world, horse riding experience... This year she’s asked for something similar, she doesn’t mind what it is but she wants time with me (I know, it’s very sweet).
Anyway, how will I explain this to the other two that FC has bought their sister time with me and they get physical presents? 🤔 and if I do go down this road, what could we do together? She suggested cinema tickets but I was hoping for something a bit more exciting...

Any thoughts/suggestions appreciated.

It might help to know that my eldest daughter is a non-believer and the youngest are very much in the ‘we believe’ camp.

Thanks

A mother and daughter spa day or a salon day new hairstyle having nails done my daughters 11 and she loved it.

Where about a are you? Harry Potter experience, Alton towers, chessington? Spa day is always a hit with mine.

My middle daughter would LOVE that but my eldest isn’t really that type of girl. Although I wonder if she would be in that kind of situation. She does love to laze around. I call her my sloth 😍

We’re in Wiltshire. We’ve been to Harry Potter studios and a theme park seems like something we should do as a family really?

We try to do something similar and have done:
Theatre
strictly live tour
zookeeper experience at Port Lymne (amazing)
cookery school
pottery
word of caution though I received an animal experience for christmas last year and due to Covid it has been cancelled twice and i still haven't been able to use it with no date being able to be booked at present

how about a voucher for an afternoon tea for two all nicely presented in a gift box? That way you're not named on it but obviously you will go with her and you can have a really nice afternoon together?

Or a baking / cooking workshop together

Pottery painting and lunch out

Trip to an art gallery and then book into one of the creative workshops most galleries do - you do it together and have coffee and cake or lunch afterwards and discuss it all

A day trip to a nearby city with an itinerary of the best thing to see and do - museums, galleries etc spend the day wandering about doing things you wouldn't usually get to do

Lush (and other places) do make your own bathbomb workshops

Depends on her interests really...

How about a trip to Wookey hole. My son went with my partner recently and thought it was brilliant (and it's not v expensive, £15 each I think). Or Longleat?

Thank you for the ideas. She does love to bake so perhaps a cookery school would be a good idea. She’s going through a funny phase where she’s just coming out of walking around head-to-toe in Harry Potter merchandise but she’s not yet found her next thing. She very pre-teen: very emotional, frequently falling out with friends and she’s super cuddly so I’d like to get her something nice.

Go Ape?

I’ve found a Parent and Child cookery class where we’ll get to make pizza and pasta from scratch - she’ll love that! Thanks for the advice 😊

A sloth encounter seems fitting

well most experiance days do gift box presentations so could still be a wrapped gift.

without knowing your daughter its hard to know, would she like girly things like a mother daughter photo shoot or more crazy things like indoor skydiving or ziplining?

@Bungle2

I’ve found a Parent and Child cookery class where we’ll get to make pizza and pasta from scratch - she’ll love that! Thanks for the advice 😊

Perhaps buy a few cooking gadgets and put the voucher in with them so the others don't question it.

What about something like a voucher for afternoon tea, but gift it Ali geode some baking things. That way, she can do something over Christmas (perhaps getting some special time with you then), and have a ‘grown-up’ treat to look forwards to.

Or, the promise of a shopping trip with lunch - maybe during the sales. Again, would feel quite grown-up, result in physical gifts and get time with you!

Yes, a sloth experience would be very fitting! 🦥 will have a look for some cooking gadgets to wrap her voucher with. Thanks