We can finally start thinking about summer! I have two active boys, 8 and 11, although the older one will be 12 this summer. We have always had memberships to the Zoo, Science Musuem, Children's Museum and YMCA and season passes to the local waterpark. They are starting to outgrow some of those activities, or at least the older one is. Their grandparents also like to take them places and they have been taking them to the same places since they were 2. They need new ideas. We have a few camps lined up already and they like to have downtime with their friends so we won't be on the run all of the time, but does anyone have any fresh ideas for fun summer outings or activities for boys these ages? I was also wondering if there are some appropriate service or volunteer type activities for my older one. We live in Eagan and the grandparents live in Eden Prairie. We also frequently drive to Mpls and St. Paul. Thanks!
I would sign up for the Go City Kids Minneapolis/St. Paul email weekly newsletter. They tell you all the events going around your area for that week. They also include an archive of past events and links to everything.
Unfortunately that is about all their is to do. I get bored with it too. My daughter and I live at Cascade Bay in the summer.
Your 11 year old is borderline for turning the corner where all he will want to do soon is probaly hang out with friends in the neighborhood and distancing himself from mom/dad etc. He's at that age where he'll find a hobby or sport want to do that non stop with his buddies. Like fishing, skate boarding or basketball whatever and he'll obsess over it. He'll do that and slowly grow up and distnace himself til he's a full blown teenager and into girls. That's why there's not exactly family friendly things to go do when they're that age.
Cindy -
I found a great website http://www.networkforgood.org/volunteer/ that lets you search for volunteer opportunites in your area, you can even search specifically for opportunities for children. Other ideas include walking dogs at the humane society, volunteering/visiting at a nursing home, and park clean up and planting in the spring. He might even be able to volunteer to do yard wrok for an elderly neighbor. Feed My Starving Children in Eagan and Brooklyn Park do have some family walk in nights to help pack food, both your boys are old enough to do this, you might be able to get a group together between your family and another family or two to volunteer for a specific time, their website if www.fmsc.org.
Some other interesting places to visit/things to do; The Bell Museum at the U, The Bakken Museum, The History Museum in St Paul, Mill City Museum, James J. Hill House (in St Paul near the Cathedral), you can walk the trails at various nature centers and state parks throughout the cities (Fort Snelling Park and the nature reserve in Bloomingtin are both nice), The Raptor center on the St Paul campus of the U (near the state fairgrounds), Gibbs Farm Museum is right near the St Paul Campus of the U as well. The twin cities have a number of great bike trails. You could eat at Mickey's Diner in St Paul, visit the sculpture garden in Mpls., visit the State Capitol building, or drive by the Govenor's mansion (then walk down Grand Avenue and window shop). There are free performances in the parks throughout the cities in the summer.
I hope you are able to find some fun and different things to do this summer.
C.
What are their passions? There are places to paint pottery or take classes at the Northern Clay Center. www.northernclaycenter.org If they like theater, then there's lots of options in the summer here. The U of M has a lot of interesting programs, too. There is community rec programs for sailing - my 13 year old has decided to start golf - and all sorts of other things, too. My son last year started going to Twins games with a friend if it was an afternoon game. Saints games are tons of fun, too! And of course, there is Gameworks (arcade) in downtown Minneapolis that can easily blow an afternoon and a wad of cash... :o I've also heard that it's not terrible for kids these days to be bored sometimes. I think that advise is hardest on the parents, but it's an option. Good luck and enjoy your boys - they do grow up too fast! (p.s. my 13 yr old is still not into girls or friends only activities - he occasionally says he can't stand his family, but then likes it when we do family stuff together - so don't lose heart that your time is short.) It is what you make it!
