Weekend surprises don’t have to be expensive, luxurious ones, but they should be all about that person’s interests. After we went through various nervousness with our sensitive child, and he again asked for consolation exclusively from me, we decided to arrange for him a sweet mom and son trip.
I knew it would mean both him and my husband, who is currently juggling time recording a music album, going to work and trying to stay awake while with his family. And above all, I wanted to be alone with him, without distractions, to talk through every issue with him.
Surprise your kid every time you can. You build that bond of trust every day, especially on weekends when you can provide undivided attention for more hours than on weekdays. Here are five great ideas for weekend surprises my family enjoys!
1 Spa town
My parents have an apartment in a spa town near our hometown, so my son and I went there. He loves water, and the thermal pool we visited every day (we stayed four days more) was a complete hit! Interestingly, nothing affected his daily routine except that he went to bed an hour later because we stayed at the pool until 7 PM.
In the morning, we had breakfast with classical music and activity books. I always mention activity books because it’s something my kid loves. This activity book with mazes and puzzles is a great choice! I love that 6-year-old kids can do majority of these tasks alone! After breakfast, we would watch cartoons with coffee for mom and mint tea for him.
Then we would go to the playground and then to lunch with my mom. Pool time was his favourite part of the day. We stayed there until dinner and bedtime routine. After bathing, we practised arts and crafts and then books (five-minute stories book we read every night) and sleeping. In the hours between these activities we played and talked a lot. And he wants it again!
2 Family game night
My little boy loves chess, and almost every night, he asks us to play. When we visit his uncle, who has super cool colourful chess, that’s the first thing he desires to do. I don’t know if it’s about being 6, but he started to enjoy board games that require more players this year.
We all know how important the family bond is for children. Having family members on their side means security, and over time it builds self-confidence. That is a totally spend-free idea. All you have to do is pull out the board games and make a few calls.
You can also agree on who brings drinks and who brings snacks. Anyway, this is one of the favourite weekend surprises for young and old together.
Check out our top five choices on family board games:
1 Jenga Classic Game
2 Do You Really Know Your Family?
3 Connect 4 (for kids, but adults can play too!)
4 Kids Against Maturity
5 Twister Game
3 Buy tickets, but think wider than the cinema
I mean, of course, cinema would be the perfect date, especially if it shows an animated movie that your child has been waiting to watch for a long time. My husband works in a building where cultural events take place, and he is in charge of exhibitions.
There is also a cinema in that building, so he always gets free tickets. Therefore, we watch movies and age-appropriate performances that our son likes. And considering that for many families, the cinema is the usual stop for the weekend, so they want to change it a bit, here are some more suggestions!
You can visit a zoo, museum or amusement park. We often take our son to music concerts. If your child loves sports, take him to a live sporting event or bowling. There are so many options, and experiences mean everything!
4 Playdate party
When I organize playdates, I usually suggest wearing the kids out first. So, in the winter we all go to the cinema together first, and then we take a walk home. Then moms can take a break with a glass of wine because children play peacefully with toys.
In the spring and autumn, we go scavenger hunting, to the playground or the library, and in the summer, we always let them in the pool. Many children in one place are too much information for each of them individually, and when their energy gathers, they often get nervous. That’s why it’s important to tire them out!
And where do you fit in here? How do you build that special bond between you and the child during this? Well, you are a great parent who organized the playdate. You are the one to listen to the experiences and emotions about the “best time ever” during the bedtime routine.
5 Volunteering
If this doesn’t sound like one of the fun weekend surprises to you, think again. First of all, when to instil in children the foundations of good behaviour and respect for others and the world around them, if not now? And secondly, children enjoy such activities if parents also enjoy them!
If you enter the story grumpy and complain all the time, the child will most likely experience the worst day of his life. Be proud of what you are doing for that little person today. Stay positive. My son’s first volunteer was cleaning up the park in our city.
He had the opportunity to explore nature and climb everywhere, and he also had fun because he came across “smelly garbage” like diapers and socks.
He was the youngest participant in the action among adults, so he tried his best to contribute to the team. The adults were so kind that they often asked him for help, and he felt quite important. Since that day, he often picks up trash when he finds it on the street! And he also donates toys and clothes regularly!
