What do you plan with your 11/12 year olds in school holidays?

[Lottie4]

We have a camping trip planned and hubby is taking a week off at end of the holidays for day trips. In the past I've taken my daughter to the cinema, shopping trips, picnics, library, hired DVDs, but more and more she doesn't want to do them which I understand. Just wondered what others do with their preteens.

She obviously enjoys her friends, but her two main friends are away quite a bit and her other friend is a bit tricky to get together with as neither Mum has a car and she's in a different area.

Just trying to avoid her sitting around on her ipod all day!

Let her sit around with her ipod for the first day or 2- and then after that she'll get a bit restless and want to go out?

Mine are a bit younger (9 and nearly 11, both girls). The things you suggest are all things mine like doing, but they also like some downtime in between.

DD1 loves cooking (proper meals, not just cakes). They both like going swimming. We have a new climbing centre opening near us, so we'll probably check that out. I expect we'll fit in visits to grandparents. We may go out on bikes. Usual stuff.

bike rides
dog walks
swimming

She has 2 days a week where she's home alone to mooch about on the ipad/with her mates. She also has 2 days a week where dh is home but working so she has to entertain herself.

We are going on holiday for 2 of the 6 weeks though.

I've only got to entertain her at weekends and one day a week so will try to make them fun but not blindingly expensive.

I cheat and give DS 11 a budget of £20 a week for entertainment ( not including petrol). He works out what he wants to do, whether it is a trip to the seaside on the train or buy a computer game one week and not go anywhere. I am SAHM so no childcare issues. If he wants food out, it has to come out of the budget, so more often than not we take a picnic. I don't include the cost of petrol as I spend less during the holidays than when I do the school run. We started this last summer holiday and since then he has been much more aware of the cost of things. He also spends time researching online about what he wants to do and has begun to look for special offers.

More and more my daughter wants to play on her ipod/laptop or be with friends. I don't mind the friends part, but want to avoid her playing with gadgets all holiday. I do like your idea though, pourmeanotherglass, let them play on ipods for the first couple of days and then when they get restless come up with a couple of ideas.

My daughter never says no to shopping or eating out. She wants to go to McDonalds and the cinema with friends in the holidays. She likes painting and I always go through the art cupboard in the six weeks hols to remind her what we've got. I'll have suggestions of swimming and making us some cakes or biscuits. I don't very often have the use of the car, but when I do we got off somewhere for the day pottering around the shops and getting a couple of treats for tea or taking her bike out.

I'm liking the weekly budget idea Sunnymeg. Might try that.

Thanks for your replies. They've given me some fresh ideas (or ones I'd forgotten about). I might try the idea of letting her crash out on her ipod and laptop for the first few days and then she may be more willing to do some of my suggestions if her friends aren't around.