Help please for a birthday idea for my 12yo nephew.

[jwoo23]

Hi all.
Looking for the wisdom of experienced Mumsnetters please.
Niece and Nephews birthdays coming up. For niece I have suggested a day out to the big Primark in Birmingham (UK) with a view to spending the day there to eat, shop, nails etc. This is right up her street and a relatively cheap day out as it’s only the driving and parking. We’ll obviously treat her while we’re there and she will have her own money to spend too.
Can anyone please think of a good equivalent for a 12 year old boy? He’s certainly not into shopping. And isn’t really in to much tbh!! Just computer games and his Xbox. I’d love to be able to suggest something to him that will make his eyes light up like when I suggested a day out in Primark to his sister!!! Are there gaming things that we could go to?

I’m around Northampton and my niece and nephew are in Derby so the more central the better. All suggestions welcome please!

Sorry @jwoo23 I'm struggling to think of anything unless you can rustle up 2 for 1 at Alton Towers?

Thanks Rappers. Yeah I did think there’s some free kids passes things going around isn’t there? Sure I saw something from M&S. I’ll have to have a proper look. He’s just not much the theme park type. Won’t go on the waltzers with me at the funfair so he’s very difficult to please!
I’ve seen those virtual gaming sessions but you need a group of people to book and then it becomes expensive! I’m only an aunt, I don’t want to spend much!!!! 😂😂

Escape room?

Escape room and Lucy out some he likes does sound good

My 12 year old has enjoyed

Karting
White water rafting & canyoning
Clip & climb
Indoor skydiving - ifly
Indoor skiing - Manchester
Water park - Stoke on Trent

Laser tag? Escape room with a mate as well? If he likes video games, do you have a nearby games lounge you can take him to?

I took DS (age 13) to one in Chinatown. Downstairs it was soft drinks only, and loads of old arcade games, driving games, shoot em ups etc, and he had the time of his life.

There are also board game cafés if he likes those - burger, milkshake and King Of Tokyo or Settlers of Catan for an afternoon.

Saying that, my godson loves cats and his dad is allergic, so we did have a nice afternoon at a Cat Cafe when he was 11, so basically think about what sort of thing he likes.

Snowdome in Tamworth?

@Turophilic the games lounge sounds like a perfect idea! Thank you. Just the kind of suggestion I was looking for!
I have no idea what those board games are but I’ll find out if he does and is interested! Thank you!

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Some good ones. Lots of them would be out of my price range unfortunately and as I’m only aunt, I wouldn’t be able to contact any groups of friends for him either. But stuff to think about, thanks!

Laser quest -

They were just examples - places like Chance And Counters (love that name) have oodles and oodles of different board games to choose from. Those are just a couple of them I know.