10 fun and frugal mother and daughter dates ideas for you to enjoy as you make memories with your kids!
When you look back at your own childhood do you remember the moments or the toys the most? I love creating memories with my kids but something I have to remind myself of, is great memories can be made in our home and for cheap around town. If you have sons I guest posted over at Jaime’s 10 Things series Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails with 10 Great Mom and Son Dates Your Kids Will Love.
I didn’t start having mother and daughter dates until high school and those were usually for special occasions. My mom pretty much raised us herself because my father was out making sure we had a roof over our heads. So even if she had wanted to start these mother and daughter bonding times when I was younger there just wasn’t enough time to deal with making meals, cleaning the house, making sure her 3 children were looked after. If this is the case for you, find ways to have quality time with your child in small ways at home. I highly encourage you all to start developing this bond with your little princess or little princess warrior, early on. You will be thankful for the strength of that bond when she hits those tween years.
As you peruse the list you may think, “I have never done that or that’s not my style,” but don’t let that stop you from trying something out for the first time with your daughter. That’s part of the memories learning together, making a fool out of yourself and laughing about it together. Even if your daughter isn’t a girly girl or a sports enthusiast try things out of your comfort zone but just don’t keep doing them if she didn’t care for it after the first outing.
As a child I wasn’t your typical girly girl, I liked playing with dolls but I could also play a mean game of basketball. So as I came up with a list I wanted to have a good mix of ideas not just manicure and makeover ideas.
Don’t forget to stop by our Spring Into March Cash Giveaway happening right now. We are giving away $110!
10 Fun & Frugal Mother Daughter Dates
1. Crafting for a Cause: Make no-sew fleece blankets for a shelter or embellish onesies for a pregnancy center. You can make cards for a children’s home or nursing home. Now these days you dont’ have to craft from scratch, get creative and contact your local shelter, pregnancy center, food bank, soup kitchen… and ask what their needs are and see what you can come up with.
2. Mall Makeover- What I love about this outing is that you can have a blast for free. Stop by a dept store in your mall that has cosmetic counters as ask for a makeover. They can do your make-up, paint nails or give you a facial all for FREE. While you’re there peruse their fragrances and try some on and if you’re lucky they may have some samples to give away. Have your daughter put together an outfit for you to try on and vice versa, don’t forget to bring your camera.
3. Bike Ride & Picnic – Take your bikes to the park and have a picnic. If you’re short on time and couldn’t pack a lunch then pick something up on the way.
4. Girls Night In – You don’t have to go out to have a fun time. Find a chic flick on Netflix (1 month free trial) and snuggle up on the couch with your favorite movie snacks. Or build a fort and watch a movie.
5. Take a class together – It can be a one hour class or a month-long class. Look online or in the paper for classes offered and if you’re lucky you might find some for free. Home Depot has free “build” workshop or check your local gym to see if you can try out a dance aerobics class out for free. Take a cooking, pottery or art class really you can find tons of ideas once you start looking around.
6. Start a Mother Daughter Scrapbook. If scrapbooking isn’t your thing but you still like the idea of having a scrapbook, you can buy a pre-made one at your local craft store. Or go out and buy scrapbook and pull out your pictures for some fun creative time.
7. Make scones or buy them and have high tea time. Scones are really easy to make but if you don’t have time to bake pick some up and set up high tea time. You can even purchase special tea cups that you each pick out for yourselves and make it a regular thing you do to catch up at home.
8. Dance Party or Wii Dance – I love, love and did I say love, dance parties! All you need is fun and loud music and some willing bodies. I used to do this with my boys we blast some music and we would skip around the living room with scarves giggling our heads off.
9. Make a “fancy” meal together. You can serve something simple like peanut butter and jelly or pizza but still go all out on making the table fancy. You can even dress up for your meal and ask the men in your life to join you.
10. Read a book together. This is fun when they are young or older. Go to the local bookstore and find a cozy place to read a book together. If they are older than why don’t you both purchase the same book and discuss it. Or you can just snuggle up in your bed and read your own interest books together and then share about your book.
Have fun making memories! image via quotediary.me
For more great post:
Date Night ideas with your spouse