The mother-son relationship is different from anything else. It should not be surprising that boys have a special bond with their moms. Moms are the ones who mend boo-boos, and tend to sick little boys with chicken soup and snuggles. Moms are there to lend an ear when a friend is being mean or when things are just hard. So why not have some special mother-son activities that just the two of you do together? Next time you are looking for something to do with your little (or big) boy, here are 10 activities to grow your mother-son relationship.
10 Fun Mother Son Activities
Take a Class
There are so many classes that would make fun of mother-son activities. Try an exercise class through a local fitness studio, YMCA, or your town’s parks and recreation department. Some yoga studios have yoga classes especially for parents and kids to take together. Or think about giving Zumba a try. There are classes like Zumba Kids that you could dance your way through – or maybe make fools of yourselves –
together.
Sign up for an art class. Most step-by-step painting studios have family sessions. An instructor walks you through each step of the painting as you go, so you do not have to be especially artistic to create a beautiful painting. Afterwards, you have a special reminder of your activity that you can take home.
Take a cooking class. Many local cooking supply stores offer cooking classes geared towards families and children. Spend time with your son while making something delicious – that sounds like a win-win situation!
Get Outside
If you both enjoy the outdoors, there are plenty of things you can do for fun mother-son activities. Ride bikes together or go for a run on a local trail or greenway. Visit a local park and feed the ducks. Many local parks and recreation departments offer all sorts of programs throughout the year like bird watching and stargazing that make for fun mother-son activities. Check with nearby parks and lakes to see if they offer inexpensive canoe or boat rentals, which could make for a fun afternoon adventure.
If adventure is more your speed, go for a hike or visit a ropes or zip line course. Another outside activity for an adventurous afternoon is geocaching, which is basically a high-tech scavenger hunt. You search for and find hidden treasure boxes where you get to swap out the treasure you find with a treasure of your own.
Play Video Games
Whether or not you were the champion of Super Mario Brothers back in the day, playing video games with your son can be a lot of fun. You can play baseball, ping pong, race cars, fight monsters, dance and almost anything else you can dream up. If video games are something your son enjoys, spend some time playing them with him. You will get to see what all the fuss is about, and he will appreciate that you took the time to do something he likes.
With video games, you have the option to play them at home or at an arcade! Arcades are back in a big way, so get some tokens and spend an afternoon playing pinball and PAC-MAN with your little man!
Get a Pedicure
It is important for men to take care of their feet too, so what better way to grow your mother-son relationship than with a pedicure? Spend an hour getting foot rubs and relaxing in massage chairs. He may enjoy picking out a neon orange or funky blue nail polish, or will at least enjoy the massage, from the millions of options they have at the nail salon, and you will have a great opportunity to relax while you sit and chat together.
Explore Somewhere New
Another fun way to grow your mother-son relationship is to explore something new together. Visit a cultural or seasonal festival or a craft fair. See if somewhere around you holds a night market or a pop-up market where different vendors set up booths and you can discover all sorts of local small businesses you probably did not know even existed.
There are also all kinds of seasonal pop-ups to explore. Many local farms have baby animal days in the spring where you can do things like play with baby goats. There are corn mazes to be explored in the fall. In the winter, outdoor ice skating rinks pop up in many towns.
Museums are another great place to explore. Check out a local museum you have never visited or go to one of the rotating special exhibits at your local art or science museum. Sign up for museum newsletters or follow them on social media, and be in-the-know on all the new exhibits, free opportunities, and family days.
Make Something
Spend some quality time bonding with your son over an activity where you make something. Put together a puzzle. Make a craft project. Bake cookies. Create an original comic book. Make a silly video or record a “podcast” about something you both like.
You could also take part in the recent trend of painting and hiding rocks around your neighborhood, town, or local park. Part craft, part scavenger hunt, you might find someone else’s hidden rocks while you are out hiding yours.
Volunteer
Grow your mother-son relationship while giving back to the community. Volunteer together at a food pantry or animal shelter. Many charities have volunteer days for families with activities, especially for kids. Teach your son to be a good human while you spend time helping a cause that you care about.
Start a Journal
Start a journal where you write back and forth to each other. Tell your son all the things you like about him or simply write about your day. You could even start a list of activities to do together. Sometimes it’s easier for kids to express themselves when they are not face-to-face with an adult. You will likely be surprised by the things he is willing to share this way. It has the added benefit of giving him practice reading and writing.
Go Old School
Take it back to your own days as a kid and play miniature golf, go bowling, go roller skating, or whatever your favorite childhood activity was. Part of the fun is sharing something nostalgic with your son. Tell him all about how you would go bowling with your sister as a kid and get french fries and a Cherry Coke afterward.
Get Sporty
There are a lot of inexpensive sports options out there if you know where to look. See if there are any minor league baseball, hockey, soccer, or basketball teams in your area. Chances are there is something nearby. Games are much less expensive than “the big leagues,” but are just as good since the players are up and coming athletes working their way up to the next level. They usually have lots of fun promotions as well as things going on between innings, so it is pretty entertaining for kids of all ages.
Another option is to attend a college sporting event. While tickets for men’s basketball and football often have higher price tags, other sports are often overlooked and much more affordable like baseball, gymnastics, women’s basketball, and soccer.
WANT TO READ MORE?
Look at things from your son’s point of view. Check out this article Always Love Your Mom: A Son’s Perspective.
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Sources: Geocaching 101, How to Get Your Kids into Painting Rocks
