We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.

This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Amusing an eight year old boy?

I have offered to help out a neighbour by looking after her 8 year old son for a few days. I carefully planned some activities, but all were outside. The weather isn't great here just now - neither is the forecast for the next few days. Any ideas? He doesn't like swimming which is usually a good fall back in wet weather.
«1

Comments

  • inkie
    inkie Posts: 2,609 Forumite
    Mortgage-free Glee!
    Hi Prudent - how about doing a spot of baking with him? May go down well especially if he gets to eat the goodies!
    Indoor treasure hunt - clues leading to a small prize perhaps? Board games - esp. those games that take ages and we don't usually have the time to play!
    If you have got enough space - how about indoor bowls?
  • wigginsmum
    wigginsmum Posts: 4,150 Forumite
    Sit him on a beanbag and play Wagner really loud - a 2 year old I babysat loved it.
    The ability of skinny old ladies to carry huge loads is phenomenal. An ant can carry one hundred times its own weight, but there is no known limit to the lifting power of the average tiny eighty-year-old Spanish peasant grandmother.
  • Andybez38
    Andybez38 Posts: 1,773 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Get a playstation Lol

    Thats all kids are into these days. :D
    I came into this world with nothing and I'm gonna leave with nothing.
  • emg
    emg Posts: 1,390 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    dvd and popcorn, board games, making pizzas, craft (an 8 year old I know is really into junk modelling), a window-shopping trip to Toys r us, visit to a McDonalds or pub with a soft play area, walk in the rain (waterproofed up and ready to jump in puddles - the woods are excellent when it rains).

    Hope this helps.
  • Andybez38
    Andybez38 Posts: 1,773 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    [QUOTE a window-shopping trip to Toys r us,[/QUOTE]

    Yeah ok Thats really gonna p*ss him off when he leaves the store with nothing. :mad:
    I came into this world with nothing and I'm gonna leave with nothing.
  • Becles
    Becles Posts: 13,184 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Have you got any large indoor soft play areas nearby? They're handy when it's wet and they can still run off loads of energy!

    Find out what he is studying at school and see if you can take him to local attractions or museums where he can enhance his knowledge. My 7 year old is really into St Bede at the moment, so we're going to a local museum about him in the summer holidays.

    Make a gift for his Mam. Don't know what she is into, but he could maybe make some sweets/cakes/biscuits and a gift box to put them in, or plant up a nice planter or something like that.
    Here I go again on my own....
  • alice's_mum
    alice's_mum Posts: 349 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    My 7 year old would love trips to museums art gallery's and any sort of "Wacky warehouse" play areas if its wet, and making things, food, presents etc. usually just having some one to give them attention on a one to one is all they want.
  • C_Ronaldo
    C_Ronaldo Posts: 4,732 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    a transformers dvd, i have seen young children enjoy food shopping but then there are some who hate it
    No Links in Signature by site rules - MSE Forum Team 2
  • squibbs25
    squibbs25 Posts: 1,324 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Maybe a game of cards or teach him to how play or chess, my 8yr old ds loves Chess!
    He also loves helping me out in the kitchen cooking different things. If you dont feel like cooking you can cheat by letting him ice biscuits!
    He loves art - craft things aswell.

    hth,

    Squibbs
    My beloved dog Molly
    27/05/1997-01/04/2008
    RIP my wonderful stepdad - miss you loads
    :Axxxxxxxxx:A
    our new editions
    Senna :male: and Dali :female: both JRT
  • Lorian
    Lorian Posts: 6,357 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 352.1K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.5K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 454.2K Spending & Discounts
  • 245.1K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 600.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177.5K Life & Family
  • 258.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.