# activities with 8 year old



## lilyrn11 (Oct 19, 2010)

Any ideas of some bonding activites I can do with my soon to be 8 year old daughter? We have done a "girls day" of shopping and pedicures and lunch but that gets expensive and I feel like we aren't really "bonding" if that makes sense. I would love to hear what other mamas are doing. It sure was easier when she was a baby. Just held and nursed her and she was happy lol.


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## zebra15 (Oct 2, 2009)

Just a few ideas that come to mind.

1. Picnic lunch and walk in the park

2. Have an at home mani/pedi

3. Instead of lunch out, go to a coffee shop or for tea (generally quiet and more intimate)

4. Find a great little independent bookstore

Make sure you rotate who gets to pick the activity. Its no fun if 'mom' always chooses!


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## SunRise (Apr 18, 2005)

We (my 9 year old son) do some kind of activity - play tennis, bike ride, walk around the pond, hike, or even longer, a night camping. Or as simple as walking to school together. Just some kind of one on one.


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## Daffodil (Aug 30, 2003)

Some things I've done one-on-one with my daughter:
skiing, biking, etc.
visiting an art gallery
playing a game like chess
doing art together


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## ollyoxenfree (Jun 11, 2009)

A few things we did at that age:

- cooking together

- crafting

- attending performances (everything from free or low cost community productions to professional theatre and concerts)

- historical walks around whatever city we were living in at the time - lots of communities publish guidebooks, check with local museums

- getting on public transit on a route we've never tried before and exploring an unknown neighbourhood

- reading to each other

- DD especially liked to pretend or put on her own productions. For a few years she organized a home library, cataloguing our books on the computer and creating a loan system (along with holds!). She needed help setting up the spreadsheet on the computer, creating labels etc. And then, of course, she needed someone to borrow books, attend readings and special functions like the Hallowe'en party (which involved costumes, cookies and juice and games and readings all with a Hallowe'en theme). Anyway, if your DD has an interest in a summer lemonade stand or creating a backyard circus or something like that, you can spend a lot of time together working on it.


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## One_Girl (Feb 8, 2008)

These are some things me and dd do to bond:

Reading to each other

Reading to dd while she does a craft

"Coffee" dates

Watching the movie she chooses actively (even if it is Fairytopia again)

Going shopping for craft supplies

Frozen yogurt on double punch night

Live family theater

Zoo trip

Picnics in the rose garden


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## jaam (Sep 29, 2004)

This is a great thread! I was just trying to come up with new ideas for the few times I get to spend one-on-one time with my dd, also 8. We've always liked to do art exhibits together, little cafe trips for tea (actual meals in a restaurant seem to be more distracting, for us anyway) and checkers are the things I can think of off the top of my head. Oh and drawing time- just sit and draw side by side.


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## squimp (Nov 7, 2005)

My DD loves to cook, she is 8 and is just really getting into cooking. She also likes doing craft projects, like working on a picture frame or cork board, and projects side by side at the pottery place. She also likes organizing so sometimes we regroup with each other by cleaning and decluttering her room together. It sounds kind of weird, but we both feel really good and happy after we do it!


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## Miko mom (Jun 11, 2012)

I will personally vouch for cooking, especially if you can work on building on a theme (me and my dd have this thing where we will pick a category for the month, eg. cakes, and then every week we will try a new one. Next month, new category). It's worked wonderfully!

Also, if you have access to a pool, swimming can be a fun thing to do together. Not as intimate, but still a great way to bond.


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## lilyrn11 (Oct 19, 2010)

Thank you for all the wonderful ideas! We do have a pool so we have been swimming together. We went to the craft store and we are going to take a class together on how to make jewerly. We went out to the department store and tried on a whole bunch of outfits together. We decided we were going to do a "fancy dinner night" just us two. I asked her what her favorite things to do with me was and I was surprised by that she said I love when you cuddle and read books with me. We have a few projects to do together. She is helping me find some curtains for our reading room. (moved into the house about three years ago and still do not have curtains up lol). My son wants to make a volcano so I found all the stuff for that with her help. I bought some a couple of stepping stone kits (they were on clearance!) so the kids could make them for our garden we are working on.


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## ollyoxenfree (Jun 11, 2009)

Sounds like you have a few fun projects planned! Just wanted to mention - Don't underestimate the value of the relaxed small moments that happen every day. In the morning, DD often spends some time telling me about her dreams (she has wild and wonderful dreams). Sometimes I help her style her hair - braids or updos etc. We often take her dog for a walk and I hear about stuff happening at school or with her friends. Small, natural moments that aren't planned and don't require any effort, other than some time together.


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## LynnS6 (Mar 30, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lilyrn11*
> 
> Thank you for all the wonderful ideas! We do have a pool so we have been swimming together. We went to the craft store and we are going to take a class together on how to make jewerly. We went out to the department store and tried on a whole bunch of outfits together. We decided we were going to do a "fancy dinner night" just us two. I asked her what her favorite things to do with me was and I was surprised by that she said I love when you cuddle and read books with me. We have a few projects to do together. She is helping me find some curtains for our reading room. (moved into the house about three years ago and still do not have curtains up lol). My son wants to make a volcano so I found all the stuff for that with her help. I *bought some a couple of stepping stone kits* (they were on clearance!) so the kids could make them for our garden we are working on.


Just be warned: You can't actually STEP on the stepping stones or they will break. Ask me how I know, and don't ask how long it took for the tears to subside .


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## JohnnysGirl (Dec 22, 2003)

What about with 8 year old boys?







:


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## ollyoxenfree (Jun 11, 2009)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Butterflymom*
> 
> What about with 8 year old boys?
> 
> ...


I re-read the thread quickly, but I think almost all of the suggested activities would be fun with a son too, as long as the boy in question enjoyed them. If the OP had an 8 y.o. son, likely that's what she would have asked. You may want to your own thread if you are looking for suggestions and the ideas in this thread don't suit. Let us know what kinds of things you and your 8 y.o. son like to do already, to give us some guidance







.


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## SunRise (Apr 18, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Butterflymom*
> 
> What about with 8 year old boys?
> 
> ...


My response above was in reference to my 9 year old boy. We also cook together, watch a tv show together, take photos together, got to the movies...


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## Elcie (Dec 17, 2011)

I find that intensely focusing on my kid(s) for short bursts also works well. Some ideas: My daughter (7) and I take 15 minutes to make cards and write notes to each other. I invested in several card games that are fast to play (eg "Blink") and also taught her how to play Gin Rummy, Spit and Crazy Eights. We like to make appetizer or dessert "platters" (cheese and veggies or quick bread and fruit cut up). She also likes to make lists with me.

I took her on a brief vacation with me this year and that was absolutely wonderful -- she didn't have to compete for a second of my time (with either siblings or work.) I would love to be able to do that again!


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## meemee (Mar 30, 2005)

for dd and i its the unexpected that matters. doesnt matter what you are doing.

for us anything kinda to 'break the rules' or 'to heck with it' - meaning in a casual sense and not safety sense.

so we have eating under table days. we have breakfast for dinner and dinner for breakfast.

we have a sugar breakfast.

dunno with dd its the sudden plan that works.

lots of outdoor activities. movies or music at the park.

she teaches me how to throw ball, how to do the hula hoop.

she gives me a bath. scratches my back. paints my nails.

we have opposite days when i am the dd and she is the mother. we walk and she leads the way. she decides our day and what to eat. you'd be surprised at her choices.


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## BellinghamCrunchie (Sep 7, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meemee*
> 
> for dd and i its the unexpected that matters. doesnt matter what you are doing.
> 
> ...


Love this!


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