They say “don’t blink”. I don’t know who “they” are, but I’m starting to understand what they are saying. Each day I blink and then my baby is suddenly 12! Or I blink and another kid is getting is driver’s license (How did that happen?) Next time I blink my oldest two have left or are leaving home. The only thing constant in life is change. And someday I’ll be stuck at home longing for the days when my boys were my special dates and we went on adventures together. Since we can’t stop time, we can make the most of the time we have. These Mother and Son Date Ideas are the perfect and easy way for moms to build an unbreakable bond with their son.
Mother and Son Date Ideas
Mother and Son Date IdeasOne thing that I have noticed in raising my 4 boys is that they crave, CRAVE one-on-one attention. And when they don’t get it, they may act in the most undesirable of ways. It doesn’t matter the age, they need to know they matter to you They want to have. time with just mom or dad and not the entire family. A Mother and Son date night doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. We have a large family (by today’s standards) and it can be hard to have time for each of my boys individually but these Mother and Son Date Ideas will get your brainstorming process started.
If you are like me and just want your activities planned out for you, 12 Months of the BEST Mother and Son Date Ideas combines all of our favorite mother/son dates into one printable bundle with 4 fun, easy and inexpensive activities each month.
More Mother and Son Date Ideas
Do something active and fun!
Miniature golf, water balloon fight, fishing, paint ball, archery, Nerf war, and bowling all come to mind first, but boys always come up with even more ideas when you ask. Trust me! My boys love when we have a spontaneous war with water balloons or squirt guns!
Have a date at home.
Pull up Netflix and see what movies are available. Steer clear of the chick flicks for a night and watch some action movies! Play some board games and eat tons of desserts. These games are so much fun for boys depending on their age and definitely “boy-approved”: Totally Gross: The Game
Totally Gross: The Game of Science
Chutes and Ladders Super Hero Squad
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Be adventurous.
Go-karts, sky diving (or not. ), 4-wheeling, ziplining (fun!!), bumper cars, kickboxing, jet skiing, or horseback riding. Boys love adventure!
Take a road trip.
Even if it’s just a day trip, road trips are amazing – and they’re a great way to bond. Pick a spot on the map, and plan your trip together. Grab some of these fun printable road trip games and you are set!
Try geocaching.
Have you tried geocaching yet? If not, they would love it. It’s pretty much just like taking them on a treasure hunt. My boys have been wanting to go for a long time so I think as soon as it cools off around here, we’ll be trying this out. Here is a simple guide to helping you get started: FOUND IT ! Introducing Geocaching To Kids and Families
Volunteer.
Whether it’s at the animal shelter, local church, or even a food bank – volunteering is an amazing bonding activity. Even just helping out an elderly neighbor or taking cookies to a friend. All of these things help children to learn the importance of serving others.
Cook something together.
My boys have always loved helping out in the kitchen. It is fun for younger kids, but essential that older boys learn how to cook! Create a menu and cook a meal or a treat together. Serve it to the entire family, or just make it for yourselves. Either way, enjoy it! My boys LOVE creating fun food in the kitchen and helping me with meals. Some of my boy’s favorite cook books are The Official DC Super Hero Cookbook
The Official DC Super Hero CookbookThe Magic Kitchen CookbookTaste of Home Kid-Approved Cookbook
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Go camping.
There is just nothing like the great outdoors. If roughing it sounds like a complete nightmare, rent an RV or stay in a cheap hotel. That can be considered “roughing it”, right? 😉 But make sure to spend as much time outside as you can. And, if you need some activities to do while camping, check out these games: Camping Charades and Nature Eye-Spy Scavenger Hunt. And don’t forget to bring a fishing pole. My boys love catching something for dinner!
Be lazy.
Yes, I am giving you permission. Play some video games, watch a movie, or try some boy approved crafts and activities. My boys actually love it when I will sit down and just be lazy with them. I’m a bit of a stress case most of the time so I pretty much have to force myself to be lazy. I know, I’m weird. 😉
Teach him how to date.
It might sound silly, but teaching your son how to take a girl out on a real date – how to act, how to pay, proper etiquette, etc – is a valuable learning experience that will stay with him for years to come. Plus, my boys love to go on “dates” with mom. I am always amazed at how much my boys will tell me when I get them one-on-one.
Most importantly, just make the time to spend with each of your boys individually. There is nothing like the love a little boy, or not-so-little boy has for his mom, so make sure you give him the attention he is craving from you.
Then the next time you blink and your son is watching his bride walk down the aisle, you can look back at your little boy and smile at the times you spent on your special date nights together and the loving bond that you share.
What’s your best mother son date idea?
Get your copy of 12 months of the best Mother/Son Date Ideas HERE!
Download this easy reference sheet with date ideas for when you need a quick idea:
If you are raising sons, you should read:
Yes I’m Raising Boys, and No I’m Not Sorry
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Lots of great ideas!
Thanks for linking up with the Parenting Pin it Party this week x x
Hi Kara,
I’m the mom of two boys, a 4 year old and my little guy just turned 1 (already! it goes SO fast!) Just found your site while looking for activities for both of them, and thought I’d drop by here and say hello! I just put my little one down for a nap, so I’m off to look at the ideas on your lovely site. I hope today finds you and your boys well, and your enjoying some of these activities! Best, Cynthia
Thanks so much for stopping by Cynthia and for taking the time to comment. I love to connect with other boy mamas! You have to enjoy them while they are little because they grow up so fast. 🙁 I can’t believe my oldest is heading off to middle school. Don’t blink. 😉 I hope you find some fun activities to do with your boys. We have a lot of fun holiday things coming up.
What a great post! Pinned!
Great ideas! I only have one son but I agree that it is good for all children to have their own time.
Awesome ideas! I’m so borrowing a few to use with my girlie. <3
Fun! Yes, they can definitely be used for the girls as well. All kids just love one-on-one time with mom.
Love love love your ideas for dates. Really kids are so easy to please when they are getting one on one attention. Especially from their momma 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration. Pinned 🙂
I always have to remind myself of how important that one-on-one attention is. My boys act so much better when we have spent even 10-15 mins doing something together each day. So important! Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the pin.
As a mom of 2 boys myself, I love all the ideas you have provided. Now, I just need to get my dates on with my boys!
I know. It can be hard to make the time but so important. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
Hello,im heather and im a mom of 3 boys..a 5yr old and i have 3month old twin boys nd i just love them soo much…But im so glad i found this..bein as tho i have newborns i don’t want my 5 yr old to feel left out nd you have just gave sum wonderful ideas…Thank you
I’m so glad you found this too. 🙂 Congrats on your new little ones. I know that the older boys really do crave one-on-one attention once new siblings come into the picture. If you would like to connect with more moms of boys we have a Facebook group just for Moms of Boys. It’s a really supportive and fun group to be a part of. We’d love to have you. https://www.facebook.com/groups/486845904695846/
So great you have something like this. I am expecting twin boys in Feb (my firsts) and I have been disappointed in the way some people are reacting, telling me they are sorry for me that I won’t have girls (or worst telling me I can try for a girl with a third child – I haven’t even giving birth yet, geez!). I am looking forward to my sons so much and the special bond I will have. The world is not pink or blue, it’s how you raise them. Thank you for keeping a positive spin, boys are awesome!
I hear you! I get a lot of comments from people when they see me out with my four boys. Just know you’re not alone. 🙂 You will absolutely love being a mom to your boys. Just live in the moment and cherish each minute with them. I have no intention of having any other kids and I get asked nearly everyday if I’m going to try for a girl, which in reality is nobody’s business but my own. 🙂 And CONGRATS on your pregnancy. I hope everything goes smoothly for you and those sweet babies.
Thank you, Kara!
Hey Jess, I have 4 boys and have had all these negative comments too. Don’t listen to them! It is wonderful having all boys. If these negative people ever get you down, just check out my blog and you will realise you re not on your own. Us mums of boys must stick together! xx
Lovely to meet someone else who has 4 boys too! We often do the things you have on your list here but it is so hard to find time to do it one on one. They do love it when they do get me or their dad to themselves though. xx
I have one boy these ideas are good for him. Thanks
I have three boys. My oldest is 17 and we have gone on dates since he was 9. It started with a date night once a month and now we go our for coffee at least once a week. He actually looks forward to these times. My youngest is 7 and we are going on our first “formal” date in two weeks. He decided he wanted to get all dressed up and take me out to dinner. He gets to choose, and sure it is the local pizza joint, but I will be dressed up as well and we will have a blast. I treasure these times with all three of my guys.
These ideas are amazing…I’m a mom of 3 boys (10,7,5)
…I’d just like to thank u for ideas!!!
For us, it’s probably volunteer service. Since my boys were like six or so, we’ve been doing volunteer service in many different ways. I think that’s a great way to spend time and also teach them something as well.
I’m a new mom to my husband’s 6 year old boy and I’m so happy I came across your site. I’m looking for ideas to bond with our son. I think I found what I’m looking for. Thanks for all your great ideas!
God bless you and your family.
Thank you! I’m so glad I could be helpful to you.
Hi Kara. My son is coming home for a week next month. I was browsing for other things to do that we haven’t done already. I have done most categories on you list. Every summer before school would go back my son and I would take a road trip. We would just drive (most times with a little pre-planning in my head). His junior year in high school we drove 6hrs to Pittsburg to get lunch at special places and to look at the football stadium. We just so happen to be there during a baseball game so out of the blue we went. This was by far the best trip ever. I’m pretty sure we are doing this the week he is home again. Whatever, happens for a reason. We cooked together often and still like to try new recipes together or on each other. May all the mom’s enjoy the special times they have bonding with each individual child they have. They are our blessings.
Thanks so much for sharing! I just love being a mom to my boys and love hearing ways that other moms are connecting with their sons.
This is a great list of ideas!
My son is now 3 years old and we have done a bunch of mom/son dates over the years. Our very first one happened in 2017 when I took him to a local park one day and took some photos of him sitting in his pram, he was seven months old at the time. More recently we ventured out of the house further afield just before Christmas last year. I took him out for a long overdue hair cut at a local salon, then we paid a visit to the library to see the children’s books and borrow some. Next, we stopped at a shop in Epsom and I let him buy a new game and toys before lunch. Lunch was at a local cafe before we walked home Thanks for the reminder I need to plan another mom/son trip soon before April comes.
I’m glad it was helpful! It sounds like you have a lot of fun together. ❤️
This is such a lovely list of ideas. I have two small children. We have a mom and son/daughter date every month. It has become kind of a monthly tradition within our family. On my most recent mom and son date, we drove to a library not far away to borrow some new children’s books. Then we had lunch at the lovely cafe which was adjacent to the library. After that, I decided to take my son to a local high street salon for a much needed trim. Finally we went toy shopping in town. What other ideas do you have in mind? I completely have run out of ideas. Every mom and child date has taken place at a toy shop, ice cream parlour, library, cinema or a park. I need some new ideas for jazzing up this tradition please. All I can think of is a puzzle or game night.
Love your ideas! I am really having a hard time to look for fun stuffs to do when hanging out with my son. Thanks for sharing!