We have four children – our sons (8 and 6 years old), our daughter (3 years old) and our infant son. I’ve made a conscious effort to have more one-on-one with my babes these days, especially the bigger boys. Having a toddler and baby in the mix means they have had less of our undivided attention. They deserve to feel special, and I’ve found one-on-one is the way to go. My sons each need the unshared attention. I need time to delight in him again, free of the frustrations that build when all four want a piece of me. When we go on our “dates”, we get to have uninterrupted conversations and lots of laughs. It’s also liberating being able to roam around wherever we go stroller and diaper bag – free. Ahhh, the small joys!
Here are some Mom-Son Date ideas we love. Some are FREE, several low-cost, and all can be done in and around the Greater Toronto Area:
- Movie-going either at the Cinema, Drive-in or Movies Under the Stars organized by your Town at local parks
- Head to an amusement park, like Canada’s Wonderland
- Gift-card shopping spree – gather all those gift cards they’ve gotten from Birthdays, Christmas, etc. and see if you can spend them all!
- LegoLand – bring your building brainiac to Lego heaven!
- Chapters Indigo (Grab a drink and snack at Starbucks, then have fun exploring the kids section)
- Go to a play at the local theatre
- Watch his favourite team play (local or major leagues)
- Bike ride with a pit stop at an ice cream shop (our fav is DQ)
- Release some adrenaline playing Lazer tag
- Go on a Scavenger Hunt – here’s a printable one we love by CBC Parents
- Visit a Fire Hall – most do family tours
- Apple Picking at a local farm. Visit here for a list of Apple orchards in Ontario
- Building Workshops at Lowes and Home Depot Canada
- Take a swing at Mini-Putt
- Glow in the dark bowling
- Tobogganing or skating at an outdoor rink followed by treats and hot chocolate
- Casual dinner date at a Sports pub or Entertainment Complex (Dave & Busters) – order wings + milkshakes while watching their favourite sport on the large screens, followed by gaming in the arcade
Whatever you decide, keep the planning to a minimum, go with the flow, and have lots of fun soaking in all that quality time!
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