mother daughter hugging
Here are ten outings moms can enjoy with tween daughters, which require little or no planning:
1. Relax at a day spa. Sometimes local spas offer discount packages off season. Call in advance to find out when specials are offered so you can take advantage of them. While you are inquiring, ask about any two-for-one or discount packages for moms and daughters. You might plant a seed for their next promotion. You can also check groupon.com or livingsocial.com for special one-time offers at great rates. If a spa trip is out of the budget, create your own spa day at home. A quick trip to Ulta in Mercato and you will find all the makings for your spa day.
2. Rediscover cruising the mall. Maybe you hate shopping at the mall. Or maybe you love it. Try to scroll back in your memory and remember how you felt about it when you were a tween and teen. Don’t forget to hit her favorite food court stall and all the teeny bopper shops she loves. You can do this, mom!
3. Go ice skating. You might make a bit of a fool of yourself if it’s been a long time since you’ve been on skates but you’ll both have a blast xuring free skate time at Germain. A big bonus is that you’ll get to spend a hot afternoon in the cool rink and wear a sweater in May!
4. Squeeze in a movie matinee. This works well for a spontaneous escape on a rainy day that has you both snipping at each other. Next time you squabble, calmly walk away and pull up the Silverspot show times. Then breeze back into the room and tell her you’ll call a truce, if she will go to the movies with you–popcorn and a favorite beverage included. Once you sink into those cushy leather seats you’ll both forget what you were disagreeing about.
5. Venture downtown for a special lunch. Dress up a bit and then head to Fifth Avenue or Third Street, pick out a restaurant that you haven’t tried and enjoy a “grown up” lunch with your daughter. After lunch, spend the afternoon window-shopping boutiques.
6. Pop in for pedicures. This is another quickie getaway and special treat that doesn’t have to break the bank. You may find the chair massage is almost worth the price of the pedicure itself. Bonus idea: take her to a drugstore on the way to the salon and let her purchase the hottest new color. Then she can take care of her own touch-ups.
7. Forage for treasure at a flea market, craft show, or farmer’s market. My daughter enjoys doing this, even though you’ll never get her to admit it. The key is to make the trip about her, not me. If I am dragging her along because I am looking for something, that’s a different type of trip. But when my focus is on helping her discover what she admires, it becomes a more supportive and encouraging adventure. Give her ten bucks to spend on an item for herself, and spend ten bucks on enough snacks to keep you both going for a couple hours.
8. Go on a your favorite type of tour together. This could be a home tour, a farm tour, a historical tour, a bus tour, or a museum tour, just to name a few possibilities. It’s fun and engaging to learn new things together. And you’ll be amazed how much more you can appreciate any experience the experience when it’s fueled with interesting information and stories.
9. Paddle the afternoon away. There are a lot of options locally for kayak, canoe and paddleboard rentals. If you don’t have much experience, take a guided tour for beginners. No matter which you choose, the two of you will have some uninterrupted time to chat, enjoy nature and get some exercise.
10. Express yourselves at an art studio. Sit side-by-side and create pots or tiles at Earth & Fire. Or check out other local artisan shops for an array of choices. Check Joann’s or Michael’s for a basic knitting class, painting or collage workshop. Be sure to do this on a day that is otherwise unscheduled, so you can relax into the experience and enjoy the creative process thoroughly. Maybe grab a frozen yogurt afterwards to extend the fun.
Rite-of-Passage Gifts To Give Your “Tween” Daughter
- A pre-paid debit card to use with her allowance savings
- A copy of the American Girl book “The Care & Keeping
- of You”
- A special journal and pen
- A Facebook account (once she hits 13)
- A trip to the mall to get her ears pierced
- A charm bracelet or a Pandora starter bracelet. You can add beads or charms for important events over the years
- A gift certificate for a makeup consultation so she can learn how to apply age-appropriate makeup right from the start
- A birthstone ring or pendant
- Her first mobile phone
Christina Katz’s mother could not only handle the mall, she also knew just where to find the best doughnut or ice cream cone treat after shopping. Christina’s latest book is Permission Granted, 45 Reasons To Micro-publish.