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Stumped for ideas here – my wife is out all day on Sunday with our two girls so I am left with a 12 yr old boy who would happily spend his time in his room on devices. He is not particularly active so nothing more than a short bike ride (as in 30 minutes dog walking pace). I could potentially get him to play football for a bit but his attention span isn't great. However, he can get interested in doing some activities if he can be left to his own devices to an extent so I was wondering about some kind of archery, high ropes course, climbing etc. We have done swimming in the past but we did that yesterday. There's nothing on at the cinema that he would want to watch and I am getting a bit stumped for ideas! We are in Harrogate and would be happy to drive up to an hour. Any great ideas would be very much welcome!
Is Bradford withing an hour of Harogate, or close enough?
https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/
Or how about
https://royalarmouries.org/venue/royal-armouries-museum/
Hah - wrote the word 'stumped' twice in my OP now it's just crossed my mind - Stump Cross Caverns might be a good call. Hmmmm.
But @MSP - both of those are very good shouts actually - he's into death and stabby things (lovely lad) and also quite technically-minded so I think he would enjoy either.
Royal Armoires do "story telling" several times a day. They have a bloke who dresses in period costume and delivers a monologue like he was actually there (Waterloo, Samurai Japan, Battle of Hastings etc). Superb stuff. They also have fighting demonstrations, and when I was last, they gave a lecture on battlefield forensics which was full of skulls with various nasty holes in them.
Me and the kids went to all of these shows and talks, to the extent that we didn't actually see much of the museum.
Film ...Super Mario bros
Out doors ..Brimam rocks ..Aysgarth falls walk.
Any indoor climbing walls nearby?
Any Go Kart tracks nearby?
@MSP I thought the Media Museum had shut for a two year refurb or is that not yet?
Film …Super Mario bros
He's past that sort of film – he's more into Marvel and enjoys stuff like Stranger Things – SMB would be way too childish for him
Out doors ..Brimam rocks ..Aysgarth falls walk.
We have done Brimham Rocks a thousand times so probably not. Aysgarth could be a possibility but stretching how far I'd want to drive
Any indoor climbing walls nearby?
Yes there is (Hornbeam Park in Harrogate) so that is a possibility
Any Go Kart tracks nearby?
I'd want to do that when there are more kids for him to race against (Sunday will just be me and him). He is also quite short so we are a bit stuck at the moment – our two girls (and his friend) can all go in the bigger, faster carts and they would be a bit bored going in the slow ones for younger kids.
Any thickish woods nearby? Go for an explore and see if you can spot some wildlife or find some wildlife habitats (without destroying them)...once you've been out for about 1 hour, have a stop and get a flask of something and have a seat and drink/eat a snack.
What about one of those trampoline places? He'll burn off more energy than he realises in 30mins.
There's one in York, and a couple in Leeds...
Kelham Island museum followed by a spot of lunch in the Fat Cat
Nerf gun fight
Any thickish woods nearby?
Yeah that is something we do quite often too (Harrogate Pinewoods and Nidd Gorge are places we go to a bit)
On the indoor climbing option, Clip n' Climb is always a favourite with my kids. Looks as though there are ones in Ilkley, Leeds, Garforth & York.
Other things my kids always like;
- Bowling (with add on of time on the arcade machines)
- Crazy golf
My lad isn't it to team sports and like all kids these days, he's often to be found staring at tech. We have found that indoor climbing is something we can share. And he loves interesting outdoors such as Shipley Glen, Brimham Rocks, etc.
Thankfully, after much patience he is finally enjoying biking 😎
Is there a Go Ape nearby? Probably need to book well in advance though.
Looks like there's one to the east of Leeds, nr Garforth.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park is within your hour of driving.
Plenty of these new crazy golf things now, indoor and out.
Edit: A1 roadworks start today, if coming to Donny use M1/M18 or M62/M18
Is there a Go Ape nearby?
He's a shorty so still can't do the 'big' one and the kiddies one is way too young for him.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park is within your hour of driving.
We did that two weeks ago - he hated it FFS. The rest of us love the place.
Get him to teach you how to play his favourite game and then get good at it so you can play together. Sometimes you’ve got to realise their culture is different to ours, even though it seems trivial.
Ban him from his devices for a day and let him be bored. At 12 years old he'll find something to do himself.
Being bored is a seriously underrated part of growing up.
Ban him from his devices for a day and let him be bored.
We half do this already - can't be in his room or on devices after midday but, as the family are all out for most of the day, I wanted to do something just me with him. If I left him to himself he'd probably go into the garden and play for a bit but I wanted to do something a bit more pro-active. If it's a nice day I could get him to jet-wash the patio - he'd probably quite enjoy that 🙂
Brimham Rocks ?
Walk around Harewood House and look at the red kites up close
Fountains Abbey - most NT sites have good cafes !
Sutton Bank and white horse
York museums?
^ Done Brimham Rocks loads and recently did Harewood which is a bit shite now as all the birds have gone so it's just a playground and a walk - he'd hate the house itself (although it's free to get in for us as carers which is a bonus). I think he'd find Fountains Abbey a bit of a boring walk (although the bridges walk might occupy him as he can paddle in the stream). I guess Jorvik might interest him, not sure he'd like the train museum – I think that would bore him.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople has guns in it and a main character of his age.
I'd second the trampoline park and possibly consider bowling as well, though you'd need to steer him well away from the inevitable arcade and crane grab machines.
We also find, with foster children, that often just spending time allowing them to help us do 'stuff' was also surprisingly popular. Cooking, a bit of bike maintenance, washing the car, painting a wall etc. A bit of cash payment as a slight incentive also went down well.
I’d second the trampoline park
Yeah, if his friend is available I could do that – and we know his friend's parents quite well now so they may be happy for me to take them both.
Mission Out | Epic Outdoor Adventure for Families | NOW OPEN IN LEEDS
Our 3 love it here. Freeklime in Huddersfield (or York) worth a visit if not too far
Good shout Woody, Mission Out is supposed to be great.
My grandson is very similar, would spend all day in front of a screen if you let him.
I take him out to the woods and talk to him about everything we see, IE trees, birds , animals,bugs under stones etc. I explain their function in the world and why we have them. He's very bright so he takes it all onboard and if I question him about stuff on our next trip he usually remembers it.
As long as I keep it going he'll stay involved.
Caveat. . as soon as we're back home he wants to Xbox or TV very quickly.
National Videogames Museum? Sheffield.
That looks really cool. There's not really any point recommending it for the OP as it's in Cambridge, but my kids love the Centre for Computing History. Everything is available to get your hands on and have a play with (including tons of games consoles).
Almscliffe is near by, might be worthwhile if not too wet/windy
Are there any exciting walks around, you know the type, where you may have to scrabble up a windy hill, or, clamber over big stepping stones (river crossings), wibbly bridges a bit of a view from the top, then a race to the bottom of the nearest hill.
Someone mentioned outdoor crazy golf, that's always great fun.
Are there any exciting walks around, you know the type, where you may have to scrabble up a windy hill, or, clamber over big stepping stones (river crossings), wibbly bridges a bit of a view from the top, then a race to the bottom of the nearest hill.
The problem is that he's really quite lazy and that's not the sort of thing he enjoys - we do get out for some walks occasionally and he will join in begrudgingly but I'd like to do something that he actually would enjoy rather than endure. I'm not ruling it out, but I'd probably just prefer an easy life over a battle for the whole day.
My children used to enjoy a wander round the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
https://ysp.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions
go to Manchester
Manchester Museum, MOSI, lots of great cafes, shops if he wants a new game etc. etc.
If you've done Brimham a lot then go to Spofforth Pinnacles for really random esoteric boulders. Or for more climbing type climbing and bouldering then go to Slipstones (guidebook used to describe it as the best crag on the planet and you get pies / beer in Masham on the way to / from).
Follow up Spofforth with cafe / ice cream in Knareborough.
PS I'm borrowing some of the above for our bunch. Thanks 👍
Edit: also recommend the sculpture park
Can't let it get past page 1 without the obvious coke and hookers suggestion.
Computer games, but in the outside world (sort of). Arcade Club https://www.arcadeclub.co.uk/
Bury is massive, haven’t been to the Blackpool one.
There’s a tiny independent version in the Piece Hall in Halifax, which you could combine with something else?
Or laser tag. My 12 yo and his friends love that.
I know its been said that he should put down the devices, but thats what young uns do these days, they have in fact been brought up on it since day one, while we didnt have such things so perhaps cant understand to the same degree.
I'd go for a play station/X box whatever 2 player tournament gaming fest. Pizza, cola type of day in with his dad rather then try to direct him towards what you want or think a near teen should be doing.
I’m not his dad, I’m a carer, we’re trying to stop his history of device reliance by getting him to do other stuff. Mostly we get kickbacks and refusals so I don’t want the day I’m with him to be ‘easy’, more challenging.
Could you buy a lego technical set and start to build something cool. They arent cheap, but there is lots to lear with them, and it can be safely put away if unfinished until you get some more time with him on his own?
I love outdoors, but how about something like learning to bake a cake? He can show everyone his efforts on their return, and as it cools you two can go and have a walk around to make room for the massive cake you have made?
Ian
Rather than look at one thing, how about doing a mix. I like to take my kids on a bike ride to a cafe then over to the park. We can grab an ice cream maybe also take a ball or frisby. Should take a few hours and wouldn't cost a fortune.
My kids also moan when I take them hillwalking but love a bit of a scramble and a play in a river or rock pool. You could plan something like that and take a picnic with some of his favourite foods. Or go M&S on the way and let him pick what he wants.
My 10 and 12 years olds wouldn't leave the house if left alone. Sometimes I don't give them an option about coming out for a family walk, meal etc.
How about inviting a pal or two along. For both of you.
Geocaching? We 'sold' it as a Treasure Hunt at that sort of age.
Or Treasuretrails - There is one in/around Harrogate. NB - We found the two local ones quite hard, but there were good options to stop for an ice-cream/coffee/cake etc and overall it was a good day out.
Or an Escape room. Again there is one in Harrogate, although you might need to be a bit careful as his age and the fact that there will only be two of you might make that a challenge
I was bout to suggest Treasuretrails. I'll be heading out to do one with my daughter any minute now! 😂
Could you buy a lego technical set and start to build something cool. They arent cheap, but there is lots to lear with them, and it can be safely put away if unfinished until you get some more time with him on his own?
We got him a couple of boxes of Lego Technical when he first came to us (last May) and he hasn't touched it or shown any kind of interest in it. Then, ironically, I got home last night and he had built a Mecano type helicopter that we bought him for Christmas and was very pleased with himself so it might be an idea to see if he'll have a go (if the weather is rubbish).
How about inviting a pal or two along.
He only has two friends and one we were with on Tuesday (so I wouldn't want to impose ourselves on him again) so that leaves just the one – my wife is getting in touch with his mum today.
Escape Rooms - we've done a couple with him (The Harrogate one and the Leeds one in The Light) but yeah, with just the two of us it would be a challenge. It's more fun as a bigger group.
It's complicated!
my lads are around that age. we're pretty active as a family but of course left to their own "devices" they will revert to devices. when time allows for some one2one time (which is rare for us) I find they each respond best to something low key, so rather than a day out, helping me do something - recent activities have included taking the winter wheels off the car, digging a trench to fix a drain, digging a pond - that sort of stuff. it also gives you time to have a blether.
as a family ours love a litter pick - if you can find a way to make it his idea then all the better. "this park is a disgrace, wouldn't it be good if people cared about it a bit - if someone picked up a bag of litter it would be great" once you're done you can make a fuss, weigh the bag, that sort of thing
or what about a mini service of the car? check the lights, tyres, wipers, check the oil and fluids and filters - a learning together with internet, YouTube and practical stuff??
Love the practical stuff, we give ours jobs to do around the house to earn pocket money.
My two love to build flat pack furniture. I got them both to build their furniture even when young, obviously supervised but I let them have the plans and get them to be team leader.
When I got in yesterday from work, my 10 year old son had been on the iPad most of the day (mom is working from home), I took him straight out for a road/gravel ride, it helps that he has a new bike to try out. We went up one of the steepest road climbs where we live. 😂
Great ideas above and I might nick a couple for myself.
I’m not his dad, I’m a carer, we’re trying to stop his history of device reliance by getting him to do other stuff. Mostly we get kickbacks and refusals so I don’t want the day I’m with him to be ‘easy’, more challenging.
Well if thats the case, and he's self isolating then yeah something else is the way to go. I'd think something exciting, by which i mean slightly dangerous, but maybe the perception of dangerous.
I think Go Ape was suggested, which to me sounds ideal. Always a bit scary being at height, and the safety lines make it less so, but theres also the part of overcoming the fear and launching yourself off onto a zip line builds confidence in your own abilities, but also can raise quite the internal Adrenalin rush that appears to appeal to the older kid.
10 pim bowling
Paintball
Go karts
Fishing taster experience
Raptor center visit
Steam train trip.