Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

How often do you go for a family day out?

53 replies

ChocolateWombat · 27/01/2014 11:59

Wondered how often you do it? Thinking in terms of a day trip to somewhere like the zoo or perhaps just a long walk with a picnic. Could equally be a visit to friends for the day....but you all go.
Also wondered if not visiting friends, what kind of things you do.
Thanks!
We have 1 DC of 8 and I think we go to visit friends for a day about once every month to 6 weeks and go on a full day out about once every 2 months. That's not counting days out when we are away on hols.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

NightCircus · 27/01/2014 12:01

Every weekend

Original poster

ChocolateWombat · 27/01/2014 12:05

What kind of places do you go to Night Circus?

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

C0smos · 27/01/2014 12:11

We do something most weekends otherwise our 5 year old DS would drive us batty. We go to the zoo, parks, local airport to watch the planes, museums, cafés with good play equipment etc

frogwatcher42 · 27/01/2014 12:17

About 8 times a year!!!! And most of that would be visiting family for birthday parties. We go to the zoo, or sea life, or a city, or the beach about 3 times a year.

We do loads of trips out separately though - either dh or I take kids for bike rides, walks, family visits, etc.

Dh and I work around each other to reduce childcare - it doesn't leave a lot of family time!!! Apparently it is the modern way according to most of my friends who do it too. I just see it as a necessary evil and a way or eroding family life but enabling us to pay the bills !!!

NightCircus · 27/01/2014 12:22

National Trust- I look to see what's on (egg hunts etc) and pencil things in on calendar even though wont do all. We are members
Nature Reserves/RSPB places- often just a few pounds for parking
Woodlands
Bike rides in local park
Kids am at cinema
Theatre in school holidays
More expensive days out with Tesco points (museum/aquarium/theme parks)

I put options on calendar so we actually get out. DS is practising on his new bike do this weekend I've pencilled in a local wood with a decent path.

PavlovtheCat · 27/01/2014 12:29

once a week, maybe a little less as DH is working a lot and I am recovering from relapse of back pain so I'm not going out that much. But not big things, usually a walk somewhere, or a visit to friends houses for dinner or meet up in the park with all the children for a bike ride and catch-up.

Big days out, once a month this time of year.

In summer at least twice a week - we will go for a walk several times a week, go to the beach after school for a picnic, meet up with friends in a park or for a BBQ. Big days out like the zoo or similar probably once a month as expensive.

Reduction · 27/01/2014 12:32

Not as often as I think we should

This year we have set ourselves of seeing all 9 of our county's country parks in each of the four seasons. We've done 4 so far and the trips have ranged from a 30 min walk in the rain at the local one on New Year's Day to a full day with a picnic.

I take Dcs to football (to watch) twice a month and DH takes them out to run round the woods with toy guns (I'm not allowed to say that ) about once a month

PavlovtheCat · 27/01/2014 12:33

that's doing stuff as a family. Either of us take the children out every weekend somewhere, usually to the park or to visit friends, or they come here. Like, Saturday they all went out for breakfast while I waited for plumber (otherwise we would all have gone) with friends and their children, then to the park then back to friend's house (as I was waiting for plumber else they might have all come to ours). Sunday, I took children to the park and a different friend visited for the afternoon while DH worked. This weekend coming, DH as both days off work so we will probably go for a long walk somewhere, take some soup with us.

Kendodd · 27/01/2014 12:36

Every weekend

We live close to the coast, so seaside, National Trust, lunch with friends, a botanical gardens with big play barn we have membership to.

What else are the weekends for?

Quinteszilla · 27/01/2014 12:41

Most weekends.
We like to go for long walks, followed by dinner/lunch in a country pub. We usually do 7-10 km, get all muddy in winter and sunburnt in summer. Or to parks, like Virginia Waters, which we like, or Richmond Park. Or we go cycling. Sometimes we take the bikes in the car, other times we cycle along the Thames.

If the weather is too wet, we go to a museum, or visiting.
This Saturday we went to see family, followed by Homebase and McDonald. Sunday we stayed home, and just did a quick trip to the pool.

Original poster

ChocolateWombat · 27/01/2014 12:54

I wonder if the big family day out continues as children get older. Those of you with very regular days out as a whole family, what ages are your children? Are those of you with older children still doing it? And I also wonder if it is affected by how much both parents work. If both work full time, is there a lot less going out out as a whole family due to other things that need doing?

OP posts:

oranges · 27/01/2014 12:56

we both work full time and that's precisely why we tend to do a family day out at the weekend. But we tend to work in the chores too, so this weekend, it was just supermarket shopping and lunch at a vietnamese restaurant. children aged 3 and 7.

BackforGood · 27/01/2014 12:58

Mine are teens.
We only all go somewhere altogether if it's a specific invitation to a family 'do'. It's great when they are teens - if you fancy a brisk walk in the forest for some fresh air after Christmas, you can just take those who want to and leave those who don't.
That said, we've never been a family for whole family days out - we're too busy all doing things we enjoy and are committed to. Things like zoo trips were a one off special in the school hols and I'd take the dc while dh was at work. On other occasions dh would take them camping and I'd get to catch up my work, etc.
Works for us.

morethanpotatoprints · 27/01/2014 12:59

At least twice a week we will have a day out with dd she is 10.
her brothers are older, practically left home and work so they don't usually come with us, but will if they are free.
We go all over the place, dd is H.ed though so its good to get out and about.

RooobarbAndCustard · 27/01/2014 13:05

Only once a month or so. Usually at weekends we
Tag team as we have no relatives nearby and both work.

Dh takes dc out Saturdays and I get a few hours to myself. I take them out on Sundays and he gets a rest and makes dinner.

In school holidays we do lots as a family though.

MegBusset · 27/01/2014 13:05

Depends on the time of year... in the summer pretty much every weekend (that's why we moved to Norfolk, so we could go to the beach all the time!). In the winter less so, maybe once every 3-4 weeks for a big 'day out', but we do get out of the house every weekend, even if it's just for a run round the park and dropping by MIL's for a cuppa afterwards.

Tbh I would love to go out every weekend rain or shine, but DH and the DCs are a bit less weatherproof than I am!

Reduction · 27/01/2014 13:08

I have one teen and one pre-teen. It is true more effort needs to be made to keep up the days out as they get older and sometime you have to just tell them they're going which they might not be to keen on but they always enjoy themselves one there.

IMO it almost becomes more important as they get older because if you stay at home you can pass a whole day in the same house barely sharing a word. Also, they need to be reminded about simple pleasures, a walk by a stream for example. They love it when they do it but they wouldn't choose it iyswim. They also &talk when you're walking and there's nothing else to do.

Quinteszilla · 27/01/2014 14:25

Mine are 11 and 8

dogindisguise · 27/01/2014 20:31

Once every month/every couple of months perhaps. We tend to do that sort of thing more in the summer, perhaps going to a farm or on a walk or bike ride.

I sometimes find the weekends a bit of a struggle. I look forward to them, but then find that I often have to take the children (ages one and three) out by myself, or sometimes with a friend, as DH has jobs to do - clearing out the house for the builders, mowing the lawn, tax return, etc - and everywhere is much busier at the weekend than it would be in the week.

littone · 27/01/2014 22:11

We go out every weekend, kids aged 6 and 3. Can just be supermarket or shopping ( we both work) or local parks/museums/library/meal out/visit relatives/theatre/cinema. Most of these trips are inexpensive, Internet is great for what is going on locally at little/no cost. Aim to do a bigger day out once per week in holidays. Now eldest is at school nice to visit places related to topics at school which he seems to enjoy.

Creamycoolerwithcream · 28/01/2014 12:30

We go out as a family every weekend. When the DC were younger we did zoo/play park type days out and had lunch there. We also were members of National Trust so did that a lot plus tried out different swimming pools. Ball pits, cinema trips, different park or trips to the beach and amusements. Sometimes we'd visit the library and then get a Mcdonalds. Now the DC are older we have Merlin Annual Passes so do one of the attractions about once a month, visit Too Golf, go bowling or to the cinema, go to a different town for shopping and lunch. Or go for a walk somewhere beautiful and have a drink in a pub. It does get harder as the DC are teens to think of things to do. I'm trying to wind it down a bit now hoping this will encourage them to meet up with friends.

OldBeanbagz · 28/01/2014 12:36

We do something as a family almost every weekend. This includes...

Going to an art gallery/museum
Cinema or theatre trips
Cycling/climbing hills/orienteering/swimming
National Trust sites
Visiting family/friends for the day

DC are 12 & 9 and i'm sure there'll come a time when they don't want to do anything as a family

jamtoast12 · 28/01/2014 12:52

Full day out at the most every few weeks, Saturdays my kids like to relax at home as they are at school all week and have after school stuff so enjoy pj days on Saturdays, Sundays we visit the grandparents for lunch. I make a big deal about relaxing at weekends and find we have better quality time together than if we take them out which often feels like were filling the day with activities rather than talking and playing with the kids iyswim!

Original poster

ChocolateWombat · 28/01/2014 17:23

yes I know what you mean about the relaxing at home. Think as children get a bit older it is very important. School and extra curricular stuff can mean there is little time just 'being' at home. Sometimes having small children is a bit like having puppies, in that they really need a 'run' every day and you can't stay home. Also the,luxury of having a full day where no on has any other commitments (and I think of sports matches, orchestra rehearsal et cetc) perhaps becomes less as children get older and if there are more children. Not to say that families with older kids shouldn't have days out...they are still important, but perhaps just less frequent. The other thing is that as they get older, they have more choice themselves. Little ones just go along with your plans, but bigger ones might have more ideas of their own and it is important for them to have a say about their leisure time sometimes too.
My 8 year old is still happy to be to,do what we are doing and enjoys being with us a lot. Long may it continue, but I know the days out may become less and certainly have to change in some respects as time passes.

OP posts:

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread