Things to do on a weekend with DD (12) and DS (10)

[FunkyPeacock]

Over recent months we seem to be struggling to come up with ideas for getting the kids out of the house (and away from screens!) on a weekend

DH and I are both very active so tend to take turns to get out and do our hobbies while leaving the other parent at home with the DC. When the kids were younger it was far easier to dictate 'i.e. we're all going swimming/walking/cycling' or whatever but now I tend to get 'that's boring' or refusals to go anywhere unless I can muster up a friend from somewhere, or one will agree to something but the other won't.

DD is at the age now where to makes her own plans to meet friends etc so I am not so worried about her but DS would spend the whole weekend on the XBox given the opportunity so we really need to make more of an effort to take him out.

What do you do with your DC of similar age at weekends??

Science festivals, open days, fetes and one-off events mostly. But we're in London.

Thanks Rita, we're in rural Yorkshire so guess I just need to be more organised and find out what stuff is on in advance rather than getting to mid afternoon on a Saturday and desperately trying to think of ideas to get DS out of the house!

I think that probably is the way to go yes. During the summer months there's presumably a fair amount of events on if you don't mind a bit of a drive. Mine are that age and still quite happy to go anywhere with falconry exhibitions or a hog roast. The alternative would be to find him a sports club of some sort.

And it is traditional on these threads to say "geocaching" so I will do that but you'll have to google it yourself because I haven't a Scooby.

Geocaching is great ! Treasure hunting with technology!

I second geocaching - free app for smartphone if you want to give it a try.
I've been out in our local forest today and picked up 9 caches.

I find the same with my two. They have grown out of parks and play areas and it's difficult to find something that will motivate the two of them.

I have lowered my expectations a bit. They are happy these days to hang around the house in the morning then do something low key in the afternoon. I can even get them to the shops these days with the promise of a packet of sweets.

They both still like an occasional day out to the beach and funfair/amusement arcades or a farm but it won't be long before they don't want to do that.

Sometimes I resent paying a lot of money for something and then they moan it's boring eg the circus or the theatre so I won't do that any more.

We try to do somekind of interesting walk, as in bit of scrambling involved, or as weather gets better go to a lake, wetsuits have a bbq/picnic. We have an inflatable boat. occasionally have a friend round, but again depending on which friend it is still have to find this to occupy! Today dd12 has had friend round and they went to play crazygolf then costa then they've been on trampoline for about 2 hours. Other friends would not be so easily occupied....

I have the same problem. My 11yr old just wants to sit on their game console all weekend whereas i would like to be out and about doing something.

Are there any websites that give ideas or show events? I am in scotland and struggle to find events, things to do etc.

Do you have a climbing wall anywhere near you? Personally, I'm the type of parent who stands and watches while my kids climb, but as you describe yourself and your DH as being very active, perhaps one or both of you could do the necessary training so that you can take your kids climbing at a climbing wall.

I would put in very firm boundaries how much time he is allowed on the Xbox, eg 2 x 1 hour periods etc and stick to it.

Climbing sounds like fun. Or swimming. Do you have a pool with water slides near you? Bowling?

Thanks everyone
Plenty of good advice & suggestions

The benefits of a dog. It and the 11 year both need to be exercised at weekends.

I think they are of an age where they don't really want to be doing things with their parents. They need to find a hobby / join something that gets them out of the house with their peers - Scouts, or a sport maybe.

Also agree with DancerGirl that whether he is going out the house or not, that he has a strict limit of time he can spend on the screen, so the choice isn't "go out and do something or play on the X-box" but becomes "go out and do something or stay in and do nothing"

I have the same problem with my dd, who suddenly seems to have outgrown so many family days out that we have enjoyed up to now. The discussion comes at a good time, as we made up a list together of the things she does still enjoy last weekend, I thought they might prove helpful to others:

Cooking proper dinners themselves with you* and cakes etc, playing rounders as a family/with or without friends, picnics, anything connected to canoes, boating etc, water skiing, tennis, museums (check first with them before organising anything as some won't cut it) all theme parks except for the ones aimed at very young children, safari parks, skate boarding, climbing wall, mini golf, golf, kite flying (my children love this), long walks, nature walks, day out at the seaside whatever the season, visiting new towns and cities, Sleepovers, BBQs, swimming in lakes and streams, cinema, theatre, sushi night, train rides to far flung destinations, horse riding, crafts, making cards, gifts and such like, making dens (my children still like to do this if we are in woodland etc, camping even in the garden, flea/antique markets with pocket money, art galleries are completely free, board games afternoon/evening, make a camp fire in the garden with marshmallows*

This were our ideas, I am sure once on a roll your kiddies will come up with tons of ideas. We have printed ours now and highlighted what we can do in sunshine and rain and it is on the fridge. Now (I hope) we will never be bored again... All activities with ** are free.

Link below might be of interest:

www.wildswimming.co.uk/

Thanks for sharing heartofgold

Plenty on that list that would appeal to my DC. My DD is actually quite easy going and will have a go at most things and happy to go on day trips to new places, it is my DS who is the difficult one and seems to be going through a phase where he thinks anything less than go-karting/paintballing (both v expensive!) is boring. We will just have to sit down and try to agree on a few things they would both like to do

Re. Clubs/sports, my DS does play football but the season has just finished which is possibly why we seem to be struggling
My DD already attends a club every Sat pm

We're lucky to have a pool and a tennis court so my Dc play every weekend. There are loads of local pools and courts to use (especially now it is summer). I also take my youngest DD (10) to the library on a Saturday after her morning club. There are lots of things to do now that summer is here. Go out for fun activities such as rock-climbing, dry skiing etc. on some weekends (but not every as I know it gets pricey).

I also suggest doing a project type thing with your DD. I helped my elder DD make a dress for a birthday party that her friends loved. We now sew quite a lot. Cooking is also good fun. I decided a few months ago that I would bake enough treats at the weekend instead of shopping for them. A real sense of accomplishment.

Board games are more fun then you'd think. Cluedo is our favourite (but of course they are the feuds that DD2 is cheating). Cards is fun too.