How often do you go for a family day out?

[ChocolateWombat]

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.

every sunday. dd is 8. saturday is tv/video at home on sofa day as dp works on a saturday. on sundays we go out anything from a museum to chessington or a castle. we live within driving distance of central london so lots of stuff is free and there is almost always something to do. if the weather is bad we do a cinema trip or try to find something indoors.

Next sunday we are going to chinese new year and then lunch.

My DC are home by 3.30 pm and in bed at 10.15 pm so they get hours and hours of leisure time at home, probably to much that's why we do quite a bit at the weekend. DH likes to be out and about at the weekend and treats us to lots of nice things and I like a bit of both but do get quite a bit of relaxing time during the week.

Dpa and I both have a day off together on Mondays so the stuff we do on Sundays is generally decided by DD (within reason - if she had her way we would spend every weekend on roller coasters!)

Oooh I would love day with my DH and no children, pub lunch, getting jobs done together. That sounds a nice balance.

Creamy - it is nice and we are experts on every pub lunch within a 10 mile radius of our house!

Dp has always worked Saturdays so when i went back to work when DD started school I made a decision to earn less but have a day off for us to spend time as a couple (he works lots of late nights so we hardly see him in the week) We are lucky that I found a job that fits so well and give us some couple time

Sounds fab
Sat-chill out day
Sun-fun things with your DD
Mon-time with your partner.

Every weekend. We both work - so have agreed weekends are devoted to family time. However, mine are young so have no choice in the matter .

Things we do...in summer days out to the park where we pack a picnic, out to the local pool, museums, the zoo, visiting farms, markets, go out for a meal, shopping, kick around a ball while out for a long walk, bike riding, visit a lake, camping. In winter, winter sports - sleding, skating...that kind of thing.

We didn't have 'organised days out' very often - we have never lived near family and my friends aren't necessarily the people my DH would choose to socialise with and vice versa . We did a lot of walks when DS was younger, trips to the beach when we lived near a beach but much of our weekends are now taken up with 'routine' stuff ie: DS (12) plays a lot of sport so that means endless training and matches; I am very involved with Church so that is most Sunday mornings. DH & I both have a lot of voluntary work commitments etc. DH likes to go off fishing or cycling.

It does get harder as they got older - DH & I love going to National Trust places but trying to get a 12 year old to go along with that is not easy !

Very, very rarely do something 'expensive' - in fact we've never been to a theme park or anything like that. We sound dull .

I will say that because we both work full time and because we are zealots about family weekend time, we are lackadaisical about getting other things done like mowing the lawn, home repair etc. Its always a battle. We both try to take a day off every month where the kids still go to daycare so we can do home stuff. Its a time crunch for sure.

We used to do lots when mine were younger now they are teens never really, they will come to family events, My DD will come to an art gallery sometimes, both are happy to go out for lunch if i'm paying but cant afford that recently. I miss weekends in the park, maybe i should get a dog.

I miss National Trust days out, especially the Easter Egg hunt type events. In a few years DH and I will be one of the older couples you see walking around those places without children...pretty scary. I also miss Christmas grotto visits too.

Most weekends in the summer but lately have been enjoying family film day on a Sunday. Lots of crisps and popcorn and sweets just like going to the cinema.

Not very often. Dh works most Saturdays and Sundays.

Most weekends.

Creamy - I am looking forward to those days, nothing scary about them .

Personally I am more in favour of doing things that we like individually with our DS rather than initiating 'family time' . DH & DS went horse racing last weekend, my idea of hell, but I am happy to find things that DS and I enjoy together whilst DH does his own thing.

What's that all about?

Every weekend. We both work 12 hr days mon-fri so weekends are family together time. We make sure between us that any chores / work are mainly done mon- fri.

Something like:

Sat - breakfast out, then long walk/ cycle somewhere. In afternoon meets friends and all go to local museum/ theatre/ craft fair/ whatever's on ( we are central London so lots). Dinner out. All home late

Sun- morning swim at local pool together, Hyde park to feed ducks/ walk, hot choc somewhere, back for dinner with friends over or to friends for dinner.

Art&co - you must be super efficient if you and your DH work 12 hour days and you can still fit in your household chores etc in the evenings. I am very impressed.

Do you never long for the time to just relax with a book or something like that?

Rag- we have plenty of time to read/ relax also. If say I start work 7am-7pm I would put a load of washing in for example in washer/ dryer and time delay so it starts at 5pm. By the time I'm back it's washed and dried and just needs putting away. We cook simple ie sear some fish, with steam veg. We are strict with storage/ everyone tidying so its vey quick for someone to wipe surface. We have a roomba Hoover that hoovers for us whilst we are out

Of to google roomba Hoover ...

Never, DH works mon-fri, I work fri-sun. :-(

Very much looking forward to some annual leave.

You still sound like superwoman Art . Or perhaps I am just lazy but personally I don't like being 'busy' all the time, I love pottering around, chatting to the neighbours, that sort of thing . Lucky that everyone is different.

Creamy- roomba is fab! Can program and little robot Hoover will Hoover for you. Ours does 30mins every day. You can get a scoomba also to wash floors :)

Big trips out - Legoland, zoo etc we do once a month.

We do something every weekend, visiting family, going to a NT place, swimming, bikle ride etc.