 |
When my oldest was little, we spent so much time together playing, singing songs, going on adventures, and visiting friends. Then I had two boys and it became much harder to get the one-on-one time with them.
Now that they are older, one of my “goals” this year is to spend more quality time with them – separately. It’s important to get to know them as individuals and keep that mother and son bond strong.
Plus, they both have different preferences, so it’s nice to do something that they pick and not something that they are “forced” to do with the rest of the family.
I plan on setting aside one or two days a month to take my boys each on a date or do something special with them.
I started making a list of all the things I could do with them and when I was done, I had a pretty long list with some fun ideas (some are seasonal).
I thought I’d share the list with you, to help inspire you to take your son(s) on a date.
Remember, it doesn’t have to be such a big ordeal and can even be spent at home. The whole point is spending time with them individually and doing something that will create new memories for them.
At Home:
- Explore the backyard
- Have a picnic (indoors or out)
- Movie marathon day
- Play video games
- Have a catch
- Practice soccer skills
- Build a fort in the living room
- Craft day
- Play hide-and-go-seek
- Build a puzzle together
- Play board games
- Bake delicious treats
- Dig in the dirt
- Water fight
- Star gaze
- Have a dance party
- Go on a treasure hunt
- DIY project
- Play light sabers
- Cook together
- Swim
- Draw with chalk in the driveway
- Read together
Out and About:
- Miniature golfing
- Go to the movies
- Have a lunch/dinner date
- Fly a kite
- Play at the park
- Go out for ice-cream
- Visit the zoo or local museum
- Go bowling
- Take a bike ride
- Cooking class
- Visit a toy store
- Make sandcastles
- Go to a sporting event
- Go-karts
- Bowling
- Indoor rock climbing
- Go for a long drive
- Laser tag
- Art class or pottery
- Shopping trip
- Visit a book store and pick out a few new books
- Tennis tournament
- Geocaching
Have older sons? Check out date night ideas for moms and teenage sons!
Please comment below with “date” ideas you like to do with your son(s) and I’ll add them to the list above. Thanks!
{ 73 comments… read them below or add one }
These are wonderful ideas! I think my son would enjoy doing all of them.
JDaniel4′s Mom´s last [type] ..{Science Activity for Kids} Magnetic Heart Jar
Thanks for stopping by!
I love all of these ideas! I, too, am a mother to two boys and I have to remind myself all the time that they just think differently than I do.
Kirstylee´s last [type] ..Valentine’s Day Food Ideas – Chocolate and More!
So true! And even though they are brothers, they still have different “likes”.
great list!
and OMG I love that photo!
Dresden (@DresdenPlaid)´s last [type] ..Looking for the solution to the feel crummy problem
I know, I love that photo too!
Thanks! I love that photo too
These are all great ideas! I’ve found with my two boys that they just want to have my attention. Well….so do the girls.
Haha…you are right. My boys are always fighting over attention, so it’s nice to have that one-on-one time w/them.
Tina @ Life Without Pink´s last [type] ..Because The Word “Underwear” Is Funny
I guess all kids love that one-on-one time
Love this list! Will have to print it out so when the boys and I need some time together I will have inspiration.
Shana D´s last [type] ..Wordless Wednesday-A treasure to keep forever
Thanks Shana!
Tina @ Life Without Pink´s last [type] ..Because The Word “Underwear” Is Funny
I love letting my boys pick the dates!
Great list to have in one place. I’m kind of psyched at how many I’ve done already with my son….just did not do much planning. I like being more intentional about it. We’re also lucky to have a good library that he has enjoyed visiting. Thanks for the suggestions!
That’s great Andrea, thanks for stopping by!
Tina @ Life Without Pink´s last [type] ..Because The Word “Underwear” Is Funny
Oh that’s something we haven’t done in awhile…visit the library. Great idea!
I take my 2 1/2 year old on coffee / target dates. I’ll get my usual coffee and order a vanilla streamed milk with a dash of cinnamon for him and we browse around target together. He loves it…
We love Target dates too
Tina @ Life Without Pink´s last [type] ..Entertaining & Style | How To Live Like An A-Lister #HYTTYAwards
Love Target dates!
I don’t have a son, but my husband and I have been talking about taking time to take out daughters out on one on one dates more. I’ll definitely be using some of the ideas on you list.
Yeah they are really good for sons or daughters. Have fun!
Tina @ Life Without Pink´s last [type] ..Entertaining & Style | How To Live Like An A-Lister #HYTTYAwards
Yes and these are great for girls too!
We like to walk along the seafront and throw stones into the sea seeing how far we can throw them.
Oh so fun!!
Tina @ Life Without Pink´s last [type] ..Entertaining & Style | How To Live Like An A-Lister #HYTTYAwards
My boys love doing this too!
Awww, I love these! I have so many friends who are parents to all boys and they would love to read your list
Charlotte´s last [type] ..Valentine’s Day, Shmalentine’s Day
Thank you! xoxo
Tina @ Life Without Pink´s last [type] ..Entertaining & Style | How To Live Like An A-Lister #HYTTYAwards
Thanks Charlotte!
I am the Mom to 3 boys ages 15,11, and 10 and we all LOVE to go to the trampoline park together!
Wow that sounds fun! We don’t have one of those near me.
Tina @ Life Without Pink´s last [type] ..Entertaining & Style | How To Live Like An A-Lister #HYTTYAwards
Oh I wish we had one near us, sounds fun!
I love these ideas
my little one is 2 1/2 and we go on a starbucks date every thursday together.
Oh how cute!
This is such a great list! Thanks for the ideas. I have three little kids and my hubby and I take turns taking each on a date every month. My son’s (4 yrs) favorite date so far was going to eat at Burger King then we went to the Dollar Store and he got to pick two things. He was just on top of the world!
Oh my kids LOVE the Dollar Store too! Hey it’s a cheap date but they have fun!
Tina @ Life Without Pink´s last [type] ..Dane Cook To Voice Lead Character Dusty In Disney’s Planes
Such a wonderful idea – can’t wait to try some of these myself. I love your blog!
Serena Malcolm´s last [type] ..Reach for the Bugatti
Thank you so much! Means a lot.
Tina @ Life Without Pink´s last [type] ..Dane Cook To Voice Lead Character Dusty In Disney’s Planes
Great list! My son and I go letterboxing together. It is kind of like geocaching and he loves it.
Oh wow never heard of that, but I’ll have to check it out. Thanks!
Tina @ Life Without Pink´s last [type] ..An Embarrassing Moment as a Boy Mom
I am the mom to an 8 year old boy and he LOVES going to the farmers market. Every friday after school, we pick out our next week’s fruits and veggies, then I let him pick out something from the lady who sells baked goods. It’s almost always a square of fudge for him and peanut butter fudge for me! I love that one on one time with him!
Wow, what great memories you are building!
Tina @ Life Without Pink´s last [type] ..An Embarrassing Moment as a Boy Mom
Thanks for all the fun ideas! My son and I are going to our local high schools drama production this weekend. It’s a tradition we started when he was four. We always go to the soda shoppe beforehand.
. Can’t wait!
Oh that sounds like fun!!
Great list – I will be using it as a reference for sure! I am always looking for new ideas for dates with my little man! Boys sure are different than girls and I remind myself and The Hubbs regularly!
Thank you!
I have a son ( now 24) who I used to have days like this with . We called them “Kelly /Momma Kind of days”. I wouldn’t have traded them for the world. We did all sorts of stuff but mostly it involved us just spending time together. He has since grown up and been to war and back . The first thing he wanted when he get out was a “Kelly/ Momma kind of Day “. Now he is attending college and getting ready to leave again I am sure that once he is gone though, he will remember them and long for them again . Thats priceless .
I love this, how sweet! Thanks for sharing your story with me.
At home, we have Friday Night Family Pizza & Movie Night every week. Beware when they learn the meaning of calling 911 and do so when you accidentally fall asleep on them and the movie and they get scared! LOL
Out and about, we also go rollerskating, horseback riding, to carnivals, and to reptile shows (depending on where you live) where you see and can buy different reptiles.
Love all of your ideas! Oh and reptile shows? My boys would probably love that!
Any ideas for older boys? He just told me over spring break that he was too old to “hang out” with me. It’s a fine line between being Mom & Friend and this age. My son will be 14 this summer and he’ll be attending early college high school in August so I feel like I gotta take advantage of the little time we have left. : (
You know, I was thinking of having someone guest post with ideas for older boys. Keep your eyes open for that post!
Try to think of things he is interested in or things he likes to do with his friends – then multiply it by like 10 and make it so amazing he won’t be able to resist. At that age, you’ll probably have to splurge a little to make it exciting, but if you are only able to get a “date” out of him once a month or so it might be worth it.
Ex: If he likes cars/motorized vehicles…find a racetrack where racecar drivers will take you on some laps around the track, rent some 4 wheelers and go tearing up some trails, rent a REALLY nice exotic car for the day and tour the countryside (even break the speed limit a little), monster truck rallies, jet boat races, depends on what is in your area
If he likes adrenaline rushes and thrills…take him to an amusement park and ride some roller coasters, go skydiving with him (not sure of the age limit on this, but my dad and I went together and it was AMAZING!), go skiing/snowboarding, etc.
Some other random ideas…take some shooting courses at a gun range (or have a knowledgable friend/family member take you both), rent some jet skis, take kickboxing lessons together, build something cool together…
And if all else fails, just keep on being his mom for a little while. It’ll be a few years, but eventually he will want to be friends again
LOVE this! Thank you so much. I’m going to write a follow-up post to this and I’ll incorporate your ideas
I have three boys, ages 8, 6, and 3. When my oldest turned 6, we started a tradition where he took me out on a date on Mother’s Day to my favorite tea house. We get dressed up, and I show him how to open the door for me and pull out my chair like a gentleman. He usually forgets about his inhibitions about being the only boy there once he’s giddy on apple cider and hot chocolate!
Wow Neena what a wonderful thing to do! I’m going to steal this idea
I usually let my son choose the restaurants for our dates. (I gave him choices.) He was a fairly adventurous eater, so we tried different international cuisines. On a “Mother/Son Trip” to NYC, we listed all the different kinds of meat we ate in a Brazilian Churrascaria, which he thought was just the coolest thing, at the time!
great ideas…but i lol’d at the idea of “visiting” a toy store.
If you have children, you see the humor in this “date”.
Of course that’s my boys’ favorite thing to do!
So fun!
That is such a great list and reminds me i need to focus more on my older boys. I am a mom of 2 older (step) sons (10 + 12), a 1 1/2 year old son and soon a baby boy. so it’s difficult having good time with the older once since i am home with the little one. i loved one activity with the middle in a school break. He wanted to go sightseeing (what i love). With him and the little: one morning we walked in Berlin (Germany) to see an open air display throuout our area. In the afternoon we visited Berlin Dom.
Only with him: another day we visited the Reichstag with a lecture (He choose it). I loved this time with him.
Wow that’s awesome!
I take my boys on train or bus rides. We live by Wrigley Field, so we take in a ball game and eat hotdogs and popcorn.
Oh fun! My kids love the train
Thank you. I like those ideas.
Thanks Sarah!
I really like all of these ideas which I USED to do with my son when he was younger. He’ll be 13 in 3 months and NOW I’m having such a hard time trying to find things to do with him. He’s an introvert who gets embarrassed easily. Which makes it difficult for me because I’m a little of kilter
If anyone has teenagers and any ideas that they’d like to share, I’d love to hear them.
Actually I’m putting a list together now and should have that done in the next week or so. I’ve been polling my fans…more to come soon!
I have 2 teenagers and a six year old. I love your ideas for the younger, although we rarely struggle for things to do…its a little harder with the teenagers..so here are a few ideas I have tried with the older boys…
1) Hollywood Bowl (for the one who likes classical music)
2) Local Live Theatre shows
3) Driving Range
4) Action Movie – without the other brothers
5) Hiking
Sometimes, the best time with the older kids is when we are trapped in the car together…they are almost forced to talk about what is going on in their lives…they are also more receptive to questions when they dont have to look at you! I love being a mother of boys!
Thank you so much! I’m going to add these to my list!
Tina @ Life Without Pink´s last [type] ..NEW Trailer for Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World #Thor
Oh thank you, such great ideas!
As a grandfather of 4 very active boys (all under 8 years old), I keep very busy and never have a lack of things to do. My mother always found things to do with me when I was a little guy (touch football, jacks and many outside activities that have gone by the wayside), and my father contributed by making easily made homemade toys that Mom and I could play with together (kites, soap box derby cars etc.) I share all of these things with my grandsons and they marvel at them !! Activities do not have to be expensive. Building a house out of cardboard boxes (think “maze house”) is about as cheap as you can get. After you are through with the boxes, flatten them out and slide down a dry, grassy slope with your boy or girl and always keep in mind that almost everything is “new” to the young mind. All three of my children remember with joy the many things we did that were simple and fun. And the thing they remember most is that they spent “fun times” with mom and dad.
I love this, thank you for sharing!
Thank you for these great ideas!! My son also likes going to the free Home Depot & Lowe’s Build & grow workshops that they have on Saturday mornings (1st Sat of each month for HD, every few wks for Lowes).
{ 2 trackbacks }