So what are kids into these days?

paulineb_2

Yes, its a park with swings and not for swinging. dogging or anything rude, must be a scottish phrase, other people might call it a play park

I think it would be fine for the girls to share

Just remembered snakes and ladders, operation, monopoly, that would pass a few hours, everyone loves a game of monopoly

Tropez

paulineb wrote: »

Also, see what the local gym has to offer, you'll get some gyms that do sessions for kids aged 8 and up. My local swimming pool does free swims for the duration of the summer and theres no time limit as to when the kids need to be out.

Also, Ive seen loads of companies in my local area advertise dance type activities for kids, streetdance and the link, some do half day sessions.

Any decent parks nearby where you can feed ducks and swans etc? Theres a large country park near me, I also have a conservation area near me as well with lots to do (I dont go but I should really). Places you can hire bikes, nature trails, national trust properties near you, take a picnic etc.

I assume kids these days might be harder to please than back in the mists of time when I was a kid, I cant remember ever doing much that cost a lot of dosh, quite happy playing with mates and watching why dont you on the telly.

Might take a bit of planning to see whats available in your area but I bet theres more going on than you would think at first glance.

There probably is quite a bit that goes on that I don't know about. Apparently there was some sort of festival thing in town last week, I didn't know anything about it.

There is a private park nearby, I'm a member, so I can go in with guests. Has some landscaped gardens and a nice big lake... would be quite nice for a picnic. There's another park I know of with another lake, but it's a bit of a drive. I think there's a woodland trail somewhere around here too.

I remember "Why Don't You?"!

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

My 8 year old would be fine sharing with me (his mother) or his father, or both.

Why not ask? Send cousin an email, saying, "would little Johnnie prefer to share with his sisters, his Mum, or kip in the sitting room?"

Sounds sensible. I will have to probe my partner for details as it has occurred to me she never told me anyone's name so I don't currently have any contact details at all but it is something that is quite urgent to sort out. I've only got a few days and you haven't seen the upstairs! I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a small Japanese lady living there.

(http://www.nbcnews.com/id/24889337/ns/world_news-weird_news/t/homeless-woman-lived-mans-closet-year/)

paulineb wrote: »

Yes, its a park with swings and not for swinging. dogging or anything rude

I think it would be fine for the girls to share

Just remembered snakes and ladders, operation, monopoly, that would pass a few hours, everyone loves a game of monopoly

Excellent. I do happen to know where the... other... parks are. Our company got the local contract to install more cameras. My job's pretty disgusting sometimes...

Operation! Yes, that was a classic. I wish I still had my Mr Frosty... everyone loved Mr Frosty.

JimmyTheWig

Tropez wrote: »

Oh while I have everyone's attention, it occurs to me that the sleeping arrangements could be quite difficult.

Will the two girls be okay to sleep in the same room?

Absolutely ok. If they get a room for just the two of them, that's more than I'd expect when going to stay at someone's house.

will have to get hold of some beds, mind

Try freegle / freecycle or local Facebook groups.
[Or make it an extra challenge at the car boot sale!!]

JimmyTheWig

Something else that just came to mind...

Trying too hard is probably uncool!

cheesemelts

Dont presume they like 1D, I bough my 12 year old niece a 1D dvd, calendar etc and you would think I had handed to her a pile of dog poop, my sisters immediate 'well that can go on ebay' pretty much summed up their whole response.

Tropez

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Absolutely ok. If they get a room for just the two of them, that's more than I'd expect when going to stay at someone's house.


Try freegle / freecycle or local Facebook groups.
[Or make it an extra challenge at the car boot sale!!]

Something else that just came to mind...

Trying too hard is probably uncool!

I'm a 29 year old mid-level manager who enjoys sci-fi, fantasy and video games. I think the "cool" ship set sail long ago. Though I don't intend to make it look like I've made that much effort.

Cheers for the Freecycle tip. I'm going to ask my mum first because she always seemed to have various fold-up, travel type beds for reasons I never understood. I'd like to think that she simply had the foresight to realise that this would one day happen and would be prepared.

cheesemelts wrote: »

Dont presume they like 1D, I bough my 12 year old niece a 1D dvd, calendar etc and you would think I had handed to her a pile of dog poop, my sisters immediate 'well that can go on ebay' pretty much summed up their whole response.

Well having listened, briefly, to what was posted on an earlier link this whole One Direction thing sounds like an ASBO waiting to happen... that's music? Oh dear.

Little bit rude of your sister and your niece though, but I suppose it has successfully conveyed the message not to do that again.

paulineb_2

Well if your cool ship set sail long ago, mine sunk long ago. I dont have kids and I dont have anyone elses to look after, the only contact I have with kids on an ongoing basis is teaching fitness classes, think thirty 8 year olds competing to see who can do the best burpee

I agree, try freegle, freecycle, failing that maybe argos, you can get some fold down occasional beds that double up as chairs

marisco_2

Do you have a pack of cards? Some kids love learning how to play card games. Another really popular activity is 'battleships'. You can pick this game up cheaply from Argos.

paulineb_2

I remember the days of playing hangman or noughts and crosses with just a piece of paper and a pen

What about draughts, excellent game and can go on for hours.

Frith

Haven't read the whole thread so apologies if I am repeating anything.

My sons are 12 and 10. They like (in no particular order)....

1) Games. Monopoly, Scrabble, Uno, poker dice, card games, battleships, Mousetrap etc.

2) Reading and going to the library. (in the bigger libraries in our county you can now play computer games on MASSIVE screens).

3) Anything to do with water. Those splash pads in certain playgrounds or swimming in the river. And swimming in swimming pools.

4) Cinema.

5) Laptop, ipod, DS, Wii etc. Preferably at someone else's house because they always have something different and games they haven't tried before.

6) Going for a walk if there is a point to it. Like an ice cream at your destination. Or geocaching walks.

7) Still at their age they enjoy building things out of the sofa cushions and all the pillows off every bed.

8) NERF gun fights.

9) Meals that look like take aways!

10) Back to the water theme again, they really love making little paper boats then letting them go down the stream.

11) NT properties as long as I walk round at lightning speed.

12) Eating out, inc picnics.

13) Sitting in the tent in the garden.

P.S I wouldn't rush to go to the West Midlands Safari Park. Last time I went I couldn't believe how run down it was!