12 yo girl - how to entertain

qwerty79

I'm lucky enough to be having my friends daughter for the day next week as her mum has to work unexpectedly. She is a great girl, and I want to make sure she has a wonderful time and knows we are genuinely pleased to have her spend the day with us. It's very important to me that she doesn't feel like she's been palmed off for the day.

We will have to walk the dogs (non negotiable, but she has dogs of her own so I don't forsee problems with her understanding that)

Other than that the whole day is a gift to us and I want to make it special for her. I'm just not sure how.

I don't drive.

We are near town, beach, cinema, arcades.

We have pc, Xbox, tv.

A few board games.

I'm willing to spend up to about 40 on doing things.

I'm looking for suggestions that will make her feel cherished, but not over spoil her.

Thank you

Bennifred

Baking/cooking together? Just having the attention will make the day special. Have fun!:)

RAS

Being read a story makes even adults feel special.

Ask her what she wants (depending on the weather); nothing like that for feeling special.

Idiophreak

Couldn't you ask her mum what she might like to do for a treat?

Lorian

Don't even mention the board games.

balletshoes

once you've walked the dogs, take her into town - my 12-year old loves shopping, even if its mostly the window variety . You can't go wrong browsing in Claires Accessories, New Look and Primark.
Take her to Subway or a cafe for lunch, or Costa (my DD loves the giant bourbon biscuits in there, she has a cold drink while I have a coffee). Maybe she'd like her nails done? Loads of nail bars in town centres do mini-manicures and colour for kids for around a tenner.

mrsjanebanbury2009

I've got one of those; I agree about the baking, also any kind of craft or drawing. Depending on your beach how about collecting shells, painting on pebbles, rock pools. If you've got a Claire's accessories in town then maybe spend ah hour browsing in there (with a small amount of spending money!) And maybe a girlie DVD?

19lottie82

RAS wrote: »

Being read a story makes even adults feel special.

Nice idea but not cool I'm afraid!

I have a just turned 13 DSD and tbh her phone is her main interest!

Failing that she's always up for a bit of baking, or the cinema.

You can try asking her, but I find with a lot of kids that age, they will just answer "I don't mind", so you may have to take the bull by the horns with that one.

IS ther anywhere near by where you can take her for a mini manicure? I think most 12 year old girls would love that.

But, on a final note, I wouldn't stress too much about it, jsut go with the flow on the day.

Counting_Pennies_2

I would suggest the following itinery:

making cupcakes together in the morning,
walking the dogs,
then going in to town have lunch out, her choice of restaurant, based on a few of your suggestions, then
cinema then home for tea and cake you made that morning.

qwerty79

Thank you. some good ideas. I will keep an eye open here and update after next week.

HeadAboveWater

I love the fact that you want to make your friends daughter feel really special

19lottie82 wrote: »

I have a just turned 13 DSD and tbh her phone is her main interest!

OHs 12yo is exactly the same

BUT she does like baking/cooking We were able to get a couple of ready made mixture packs from Asda recently for brownies and gingerbread men (I'm hopeless at that sorta stuff so we went the easy option!!)

Walking dogs is perfect

Treat her to a hot chocolate if you're stopping somewhere for a coffee. All our girls love this!! :D

They also love McDonalds (:eek:) so you could treat her to lunch out.

Window shopping or else suggest going somewhere to try on fancy clothes!

Board games are hit and miss. DD3 takes notions! She does enjoy Monopoly right enough but it takes hours!!

DD3 also likes the Xbox. If she's into that sort of thing then if there was a suitable game you could both play/compete at, that would be perfect.

And a girlie film - you can't go far wrong with that!

I would say 'go with the flow' too! Ask her what she likes doing and be prepared to try anything!! lol