Having lived in the city all my life, I usually know no other better activities than to visit the malls during the weekends. Now that there’s a toddler in tow, we’re still doing that, spending our weekend time either at home or in a mall. Sometimes, I think the malls aren’t the most ideal of places. Sure it offers us the convenience to do our grocery shopping and to window shop, but it doesn’t have much to offer a kid (other than retailers like Toys R Us and those wonderful kiddie rides).
So what do you normally do with your kids during the weekends? Here are some of my ideas and suggestions although I’ve not done them all. I just thought of doing a quick brainstorm to see what and where else we can go to other than a mall. So if you have more suggestions (and I’m sure better ones!) to add on, please contribute as I think it may be helpful to other parents out there too.
Things or activities to do with children
1. Arts and crafts
I know some parents send their kids to clay lessons. There’re so many of these clay art classes in shopping malls and you see a lot of kids having fun learning to make potteries and other things. I think it’s a rather healthy class and to let them learn how to make things with their bare hands.
I’m someone who can’t draw to save my life, what more to fashion something out of clay. So whatever the kids have been making at these lessons are very impressive to me. And if these classes allow, I think it’d be fun to go for a parent-child clay art lesson together!
2. Flying kites
On Mother’s Day, we went to The Waterfront @Parkcity in Kepong during the evening before dinner. We brought along the boy’s little remote control car to let him have the space to manouvre his car and he absolutely loved it. But the key activity at the park was actually kite flying. It was an amazing sight for me (I don’t know how to fly kites, so again the kids impressed me!).
The Waterfront @Parkcity also offers a decent playing ground for children if they are not keen to play kites. I personally think it’s a good place to let children mix and play together.
3. Watch a movie
When my boy is over 2 years old (which will be quite soon), I think I will start taking him to movies. Of course they have to be animated ones for kids otherwise I don’t think he’ll sit through even a minute of it. The big screen may be something that is fascinating to kids instead of the usual television they’re used to.
I like the idea of exposing kids to things in life early on, and I see no harm in going for a movie every once in a while just for an experience. Busy Bee has assured me that it won’t be easy to keep a toddler in his seat the whole time, and her tip for me is to choose seats along the aisle so that the kid can walk up and down without having to disturb others.
So let’s see how I fare when I finally take my little rascal for a big screening. I think it’ll be fun too to enjoy a movie with a hot tub of popcorn. No, not for me, rest assured…for the kid (and the kid in me?!).
4. Visit a zoo
I think it’s very educational for children to visit zoos. Well maintained and well populated zoos, that is. Before my boy turned 1, we decided to take him to a zoo. We were headed towards the National Zoo in Ampang one Sunday morning when it rained when we were almost reaching. So in the end we abandoned the trip but made it up by going to the Malacca Zoo another weekend.
I have to say that the zoo in Malacca is better than the National Zoo. Although we didn’t get to finish visiting the entire zoo, we saw quite enough to tire us out (under the hot sun, how not to tire easily?) and I found the experience there better than the one I made to the Zoo Negara many years back. I hear there are more good zoos in the country, outside of Kuala Lumpur. So there we have it, plenty more zoo experiences as the boy grows up.
5. Go for a swim
Babies are natural swimmers, and I learned that as they grow older, they lose the touch quickly and may even be afraid of water. So whilst your child is still a water baby, you can consider going to the pool for some fun. My boy is already coming to 2 years, and from the experiences in the shower, I gather that he won’t go down into the pool easily.
Nevertheless, I’m already preparing him for his first dip in the swimming pool for some good fun. I’ve bought him one of those floats in which there’s a seat for him and two little holes for him to stick in his feet into the water and just float about. I also bought him a pair of swim suit, so he’s all set to go for a cool dip anytime. The only ones who aren’t ready are the parents, because we don’t have swimming suits to go into the pool with him!
6. Playing at theme parks
Theme parks are not only fun for kids but for adults too! But I’ve stopped enjoying all those exciting and adventurous rides a long time now (because I’m a scady-cat). Whether it’s a dry theme park or a water theme park, I think it’s going to be good fun for the family to enjoy the day out at a theme park.
There are several theme parks in town, some of which I’ve never even been before. Just to name a few theme parks off the top of my head:
In Klang Valley:
- Sunway Lagoon
- Mines Wonderland
- Desa Waterpark
Outside Klang Valley:
- Genting Highlands (Pahang)
- Bukit Tinggi Resort (Pahang)
- Bukit Merah Laketown Resort (Perak)
- A’ Famosa Resort (Malacca)
So far that’s all I’ve come up with for now. I’m sure there’re many more good activities to engage kids in if we all put our minds into coming up with fun filled activities for the family. What are some of your great ideas?
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Other ways I spend the weekend with my kids:
1. Bowling
It’s not that difficult to play. The scores are calculated for you by the machine and it IS a sport.
2. Have a family get-together.
Have it your place or your siblings’ place, your spouse’s family’s place or your parents/parents-in-law’s place. Or in a club with a pool, a restaurant, a theme park, etc. In this way, my kids develop a bond with their grandparents/aunts/uncles/cousins. Finding time to do this can be difficult as all of us have our own things to do but the time spent will be worth it.
3. Educational places e.g. Petrosains KLCC, Science Centre in Bukit Kiara, FRIM in Kepong, Bird & Butterfly Parks in Lake Gardens, etc. They are not expensive and can offer the alternative you are seeking if you are tired roaming the malls.
4. Karaoke
Red Box Karaoke is very family friendly and there’s food, too! They are open even in daylight hours. Rooms cater to all sizes of groups. There’s even children’s songs in the playlist.
1) Chuck them in front of the TV for 1(oh indefinite) hour(s)
Get them to paint the hollow stump of the toilet paper roll and turn it into a pair of binoculars
2) Let them play with water in a small tub, but you must see/ hear them. To enhance it, throw in some water balloons. To enhance that further, teach them to have a water balloon fight.
3) Plant plants together
4) Make simple meals – jelly, mashed potatoes, sandwich, juice
5) Read and tell stories (but must do together, sigh)
6) Do some pages off an activity book, get them different types of colouring tools, but make sure it is washable
7) Get them to paint on egg shells, egg trays
9) Visit playhousedisney.com
10) Give them wine and make them go to sleep!
Ok, I did not do (10), but it is such a good thought.
Amir, great idea, thanks. Wow, karaoke! I never knew and imagined to start them off so early!!
Busy Bee, all great suggestions too, from a well experienced mother. Hmm…about #10, when you’ve finally found the courage to try, let me know the results! Hahaha.
Any ideas for a toddler below 2? All the ideas mentioned were great but not many are suitable for a toddler below 2
.
Amy, hmm…lemme go dig up some of those books on activity suggestions and see if there are some useful ones for you.
I usually bring my son to the park nearby our house on weekends. And bring along some bubble soap to blow and his favourite ball.Besides playing slides and swings….he still have other alternatives of things to do in the park… :O)
As a kid I love those bubble soap thing, but I haven’t started my son on it. I’m sure he’ll come to love it too.
Wow this is a really good idea of a website… What happened? Theres still plenty of ideas!!!
Lets keep it going:
~ chalk
~ the hose
~ instead of a stroller…. try a wagon!
~ Childrens museum
~ Ride elevators in the tall buildings downtown!
~ Play in the mud….both of u! Or all of you!
~ Chase hot air balloons
~ Go to the airport, or close by, watch planes take off!
~ Go to the park find a big hill and ROLL!!! (race back up it’ll wear em out too lol!)
~ Fly a kite!
For the parents:
DO have parties……Day or Night, doesn’t matter! Get all your friends over with their kids put tons of toys , and maybe some crafts for older ones, video games, a movie, etc., to keep the kids busy and play cards, catch phrase, taboo, etc with the adults! Have the snaky stuff available to the kids so they feel like they’re at their own party, then you play TOO!