What kids activities do you do on weekends?

[MNmomtobe]

Sometimes I feel that after working all week, I spend my weekends running errands.
I would like to do more activities that center around my DD. Things she will have fun with! We live in the Twin Cities so there should be a lot to do! We will take her to the zoo again this summer when the weather is nicer. She is too little for most of the rides at the Mall of America.

Regardless of where you live, what activities are you and your kids involved in? Thanks!

[SnuggleBuggles]

I am SAHM so I do all my errands during the week. I hate how crowded most places are on the weekends so we hit them during the week as well (zoo, museums...). So, weekends are mostly hanging out at home, riding bikes, playing outside if the weather is nice, playing games inside if it is not. That said, now that ds1 is in 1st grade we don't have weekdays to do fun stuff so I have been going to museums and places like that on the weekend and just know that they will be crowded.

Some seasons he has soccer or swimming on the weekend.

Beth

[Ceepa]

This morning we went to a local park and brought things for DC to ride on the paths. We like to keep things pretty low-key on the weekends. There are errands to run, too. But DC love to tag along, especially with DH because he isn't around during the week.

[KrisM]

I'm a SAHM and I tend to do at least some of my errands on the weekends as the quick in-and-out trips are too much with 3 kids.

Anyhow, the older 2 both play soccer on Saturdays, and DH has them at the playground now. Otherwise, we do things at home. We might do a bike trip for ice cream or something similar. Or, just play with the neighbor kids.

[smiles33]

I'm a WOHM too so weekends are the only time I have to run errands. Fortunately, DD loves shopping and riding in the car.

When I don't have many errands to do, we use the weekend to visit family (both sets of grandparents and 2 sets of her great-grandparents are within 45 minutes' drive), go to our local Children's Museum, walk/bike to the park, and go to a local Farmer's Market to see what's fresh and get some fun treats like kettle corn.

Once I'm on maternity leave in 2 weeks, I'm hoping to schedule some playdates with other kids. I just joined a local Mom's club (which seems to be 80% SAHM) so I'm hoping to learn about other possible activities from them.

[daniele_ut]

We have the same issue. I WOH, so I generally have errands to run on Saturdays and dh often has to work so the kids usually come with me. If dh is home we often split up the errands in the morning and he takes ds with him and I either get the cleaning done with dd or take her on other errands. We try to do something fun after dd's nap, but we aren't always successful!

[randomkid]

After working most of the week (DH all week) and DD being in preschool 3-4 days of the week, she usually just wants to stay home. I sometimes have a hard time getting her out of the house unless something is planned ahead and she is prepared for it. We often end up playing outside, visiting neighbors or DD plays with a neighbor girl.

Here are a few special things we have done/planned recently. Today, we went to the ballet! Our local ballet has a Family Series and today was Snow White - 45 - 60 minute show, then to the mall because DH and I are going to a wedding tomorrow and I needed shoes and for lunch. After the ballet, DD kept asking to come home!

Two weekends ago, we planned to go to a local park/spring - they have a restaurant where griddles are built into the tables and you cook your own pancakes. They have canoeing, swimming, etc. All 5 of us were going to go, the weather was perfect and DD woke up with a stomach bug. We will go sometime soon, though.

My youngest stepdaughter was in the play Annie at her HS - took DD to that.

When it's not a busy time of year, we go to Sea World (we have annual passes) and on occasion, Disney.

That's all I can think of for now. Honestly, DD is totally happy to stay home on the weekends, though!

[BabyMine]

I am a SAHM. My DS1 is in school so DS2 and I do errands on the weekdays. Saturday is outide day. That means that we do parks or do something fun. Sunday is home day. We plant or work in the yard or get caught up on chores.

[gatorsmom]

In the summer, we switch weekends either camping at my dad's farm in Wisconsin or waterskiing/swimming in the lake near our home. In the winter DH takes the boys skiing at Wild Mountain or Afton Alps. There is also a big sled-hill near our home that the boys love to go to. Usually Saturday mornings there is karate they can go to as well, if the weather isn't cooperating. I'm looking forward to the days that I can start doing this stuff, too, since I'm usually the one at home with the twins while DH is having fun with the boys. :irked: Sunday mornings are spent bathing and going to church and then lunch, if we aren't camping. Afternoons are usually spent at home doing something as a family.

DH and I try to avoid crowds at all costs so we choose activities and times of the day when we don't have to deal with a crowd.

[brittone2]

Some errands we do on weekends (like the Farmer's Mkt) my kids enjoy.

This weekend, we went organic strawberry picking and to a kid bday party. THe kids like working in the garden, playing outside, and just relaxing, although we often are busy busy on weekends (but we stay home a lot during the week). We did some shopping on Saturday, but incorporated a stop at a really nice locally owned toy store that was right where the rest of the stopping was, so that makes it more tolerable (and DH took the kids so I could actually *shop* for me and try on clothes LOL).

Other weekend things we do:
In warm weather, we camp at the lake pretty often. We have a little pop up and the lake is only about 35 mins away, so it makes for a fun weekend.

Last weekend we went on a farm tour (tours of several sustainable/organic farms....the kids loved all the animals, saw fibers being spun, etc.)

Music/family friendly music festivals in nice weather; a local place also has friday Bluegrass (sort of like a family-friendly outdoor happy hour at the university) and my kids like that. We meet DH there and hang out for a bit. It runs 5-7 so nice for kids who need to be in bed early-ish.

In a few weeks, we're heading to a puppet show at the local Waldorf school.

Museums

Day trips to the beach in the summer

Indoor pool (year round) that is 5 mins away if they want to swim

library

Park/playground

hiking, walks (yesterday went for a short hike to see some horses down a nearby dirt road, stopped and watched some insects, found some crayfish in a creek, etc.).

bike rides

on the agenda: zoo (not terribly close by).
Paddleboats at a lake near my parents' house

[MontrealMum]

Weekends are family time for us. We go skiing in the winter and biking in the summer - both with DS. We sometimes do church (creche care is sort of non-existent, so this is difficult for us with our high-energy boy), the market (which I also do during the week), or visiting the grandparents, godparents, or friends with kids. I expect we will start visiting the neighborhood pool this summer too :)

We do occasionally have to do errands too, but that either means bringing DS to the store w/ us in the Beco or Mac, or one parent getting some 1 on 1 w/ him while the other gets groceries or something. DH's job has funny hours (he's always driving all over for clients across the city) so he can often work in errands here and there during the week, so we are not so pressed to work these in on the weekend.

I imagine as DS gets older, weekends will include lessons of some sort (ie - skiing) or team practices, but he's just too little now.

[maestramommy]

If there is some family friendly community event going on in town, we do that. For example, this past Saturday our town had a Spring funfest. They had it at the town playground field. Egg hunt, sack races, a clown, fire trucks and other large city vehicles. It was all free and from 10-12, perfect for us.

Sometimes we just go to the playground. Or we'll make our monthly pilgrimage to TJs and Costco. Yes, it's a errand, but it's an op for Dh to be with all of us. When then season is right we'll probably go berry picking or to the farm.

[egoldber]

I would sooner cut off my right toe than go to Costco with Amy, so on weekends we generally....

1) go to the gym (as in mine and DH's gym) which the kids enjoy as well

2) have a family centered activity on one day (this weekend we went to our CSA's Open House)

I need to start up swim lessons for Sarah and that will probably be on a weekend since they are hard to do on a school night.

[WitMom]

I used to live in the Twin Cities and love, love, love it. I don't know where you live in the Cities, so some of these might not be easily do-able, but just some ideas.

Some of the things we would do on the weekends include Como Zoo and Como Park, along with the Conservatory that is right there. The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is nice to visit in the spring/summer/fall, and I believe they have various scheduled activities for families. There is always the children's museum in St. Paul that my kids always enjoy....good for rainy weekends. Check out the Three Rivers Park District- they have awesome facilities and great programs. Seriously, go to the Three Rivers Park District's website...you'll find tons to do. Minnetonka Regional Park has an awesome beach and swimming pond. It's small, but great for kids. They also have a great play area, too. Hyland Park is known as the chutes and ladders park and is lots of fun. Both Minneapolis and St. Paul have farmers' markets on the weekends, and those are always interesting. Let's see, what else? Pine Tree Apple Orchard in White Bear Lake has pick-your-own strawberries in early summer, and they are also great to visit in the fall for apples and pumpkins. Also for apples in the fall, Sponsel's Apple Orchard (also called Minnesota Harvest) is a great place to visit.

I miss the Twin Cities! Hopefully something on the above list is in your neighborhood.

[MNmomtobe]

Thanks everyone for their replies and ideas. The weather was really nice here today so we took DD to a park where she played for a couple hours. Yesterday she spent a few hours playing with the kids in the neighborhood.

Since DD will be 3 yr old soon, I think there will be more stuff that she will be able to enjoy this summer! I will have to keep an eye out for family centered events going on around here.

Thanks again for all the posts. It has also made me realize that just being outside or even inside playing may be enough fun for her and that is okay if that's all we do during a weekend. :)

[MNmomtobe]

I used to live in the Twin Cities and love, love, love it. I don't know where you live in the Cities, so some of these might not be easily do-able, but just some ideas.

Some of the things we would do on the weekends include Como Zoo and Como Park, along with the Conservatory that is right there. The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is nice to visit in the spring/summer/fall, and I believe they have various scheduled activities for families. There is always the children's museum in St. Paul that my kids always enjoy....good for rainy weekends. Check out the Three Rivers Park District- they have awesome facilities and great programs. Seriously, go to the Three Rivers Park District's website...you'll find tons to do. Minnetonka Regional Park has an awesome beach and swimming pond. It's small, but great for kids. They also have a great play area, too. Hyland Park is known as the chutes and ladders park and is lots of fun. Both Minneapolis and St. Paul have farmers' markets on the weekends, and those are always interesting. Let's see, what else? Pine Tree Apple Orchard in White Bear Lake has pick-your-own strawberries in early summer, and they are also great to visit in the fall for apples and pumpkins. Also for apples in the fall, Sponsel's Apple Orchard (also called Minnesota Harvest) is a great place to visit.

I miss the Twin Cities! Hopefully something on the above list is in your neighborhood.

Thanks for your reply. We did take DD to Chutes and Ladders last summer. Thanks for reminding me. DD will enjoy it more this year at her age. I never thought about the Arboretum for activities. I will definitely check this out. Thank you! :)

[MNmomtobe]

I would sooner cut off my right toe than go to Costco with Amy, so on weekends we generally....

1) go to the gym (as in mine and DH's gym) which the kids enjoy as well

2) have a family centered activity on one day (this weekend we went to our CSA's Open House)

I need to start up swim lessons for Sarah and that will probably be on a weekend since they are hard to do on a school night.


LOL about the Costco remark! :P I understand as I always fear how a "quick" trip to Target or Sam's may go with DD. She hates being in those shopping cart seats but goes running all over the place if she isn't contained. Ah, good times!

[kijip]

Right now, T-ball on Saturday and often church followed by lunch or something with friends on Sunday.

Because of the season, we spend a lot of time in the garden.

Today I took the boys to the beach in the morning and we ate our breakfasts from McDs there.

Last weekend we went to the tulip festival.

We do housework or house stuff as a family on the weekends too. Today T picked up the living room while I cleaned the kitchen and we picked pictures to put in our new frames.

I just re-upped the lapsed zoo membership, but I expect us to get more use from that when we are homeschooling him. It's just too crowded on weekends.