Are you looking for a way to spend more time with your son? Perhaps with concentrated one-on-one time? There’s no doubt about it – mother son dates are a lot of fun! They can be a great way to strengthen your relationship with your son and create some unforgettable memories. These mother son date ideas can help you get started!
Why go on a Mother-Son date?
Going on a mother-son date isn’t always easy. You have to schedule time into your already packed schedule. It takes effort and might even feel a little awkward at times but, mother-son dates are also an amazing tool for mom’s of sons. They give you and your son a chance to:
- Bond over shared interests
- Create connection and a deeper parent-child relationship
- Make memories
- Talk about important (and not important) topics
- Appreciate one another
In short, mother-son dates can help your son to feel valued, important, and loved.
Tips for success:
Mother son dates don’t need to be complicated, but here are some ideas to help you succeed!
Listen
If you’ve ever wanted to know what your son is thinking, this is your chance. The catch is that you actually need to listen more than you talk. Let your son lead the conversation and follow his lead. You might be surprised at what you learn about him!
Avoid sensitive topics
There will always be time to talk about the hard stuff. If you want your son to have an interest in continuing to do mother son dates with you, keep things light and fun. Don’t bring up the tough topics. And if he brings them up…don’t lecture! It’ll kill the whole mood of the experience.
Have fun!
You want this to be fun! Don’t use this as an excuse to get more done, sneak in a workout, or run errands. This is a time to unwind and just enjoy each other’s company.
Plan ahead
The best mother son dates are the ones that are planned with your son in mind. If you’re not sure what he would like to do, ask him! He’ll be happy that you care about his interests.
Give him a say
Speaking of caring about your son’s interests, this is his date too. Give him a say in what you do, where you eat, and even when you go. This is his special day too, after all.
Now that you know the benefits of going on a mother son date and some tips for success, it’s time to come up with some fun ideas! Here are a few of our favorites:
Mother son date ideas:
Here are 60+ of our best mother son date ideas!
Visit an amusement park
Get ready for a day of crazy rides, laughter, and memories! Most amusement parks have something for everyone so you’re sure to find rides that both of you will enjoy.
Have a picnic lunch
Find a beautiful spot outside, pack a lunch, and enjoy each other’s company surrounded by nature. Don’t forget to bring some games or activities to keep things interesting!
Go to a ball game
Grab tickets to see his favorite team play and enjoy some quality time together. You can even make it a tradition and go to see the same team every year.
Attend a concert or show together
Does your son love music? Or perhaps he’s interested in theater or stand-up comedy? Buy tickets to see a show together and enjoy a fun-filled evening.
Movie night
We have three boys and ALL of them love movies. Take your son out to the movies, or even set up a movie at home after everyone else is in bed. He’ll love the time with you, and getting to stay up later than normal.
Petting zoo
Even if you’ve been to the petting zoo with your son before, it’s a new experience every time. It’s so fun to get to pet the different animals. In a lot of petting zoos you can even feed the animals!
Get donuts
Wanna make the start of your son’s day even better? Wake him up early and go the bakery for the freshest donuts they have. Let him pick his favorites!
Go out to dinner
Taking your son out to dinner can feel so special for the both of you. It’s a great time to build skills for eating out in public. Not to mention getting to try new or interesting foods.
Build a fort
Pull out all the blankets and build the biggest fort you can! Once finished, nosh on snacks and fit in some great one-on-one time.
Bake a cake
Teach him a family recipe or try something new together. You can even bake it in a mug so there’s less to clean up! This kids cookbook can help you get going! Our oldest has this cookbook and it’s fantastic!
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Paint pottery
My daughter is always the one who asks to go paint pottery with me. But you know what? We took our whole family to paint pottery a few months ago and our boys LOVED it! They were so proud of their creations. Take your son on a pottery painting date!
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Take a dance class together
This one requires a little bit of bravery, but it can be so much fun! If you’re feeling really bold, sign up for a public performance at the end of the session.
Bike ride
Pick a scenic route, pack plenty of snacks and water, and enjoy a few hours of bonding time. This is a great activity to do if you live near trails or parks.
Visit a farmer’s market
Take a stroll and discover all the different fruits, vegetables, and flowers that are in season. You can even make it a game and see who can find the strangest looking item.
Book store
The book store can be appealing to everyone. No matter how much (or little) your son likes to read. You can find books, comics, puzzles, and more. It’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon.
Board games
Play an old favorite, or teach your son a new game. There are so many great games out there that you and your son can enjoy together! Right now my 7 year old is really into Battleship!
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Need more ideas for board games: Read: 35 of the Best Games for 4–Year-Olds
Build a Lego set
One of my favorite things to do is help my kids put together a new Lego set. It’s so satisfying to see the final product and it’s a great opportunity to bond with your son.
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Do a puzzle
Puzzles can be a perfect “low key” downtime date with your son. Put snacks on the table, pop in a movie you’ve both seen before, and enjoy chatting and creating something together. My space-loving son has this puzzle and it was a blast to put together! It’s glow in the dark too!
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Cook dinner
Our boys are constantly wanting to learn to cook. So we try to have them help with dinner as much as possible. It’s a great way for them to learn a useful skill and spend time with us at the same time.
Plant a plant for just the two of you
Visit the nursery or greenhouse and pick out a plant that will be for jus the two of you. Maybe a tree of large bush. Plant it together and then take care of it together. Watering it, adding fertilizer, etc. It will be a great way to spend time outside and watch something grow!
Science experiments
Boys love experimenting with new things. Make a mess, blow something up, or just have some fun! There are so many great science experiments you can do at home with items you already have. This set would be an easy way to get started with science experiments!
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Video games
Play your son’s favorite video game with him. Or better yet, let him teach you how to play! This is a great way to connect with your son and show an interest in his hobbies.
Work out together
Get active and healthy together! This can be as simple as going on a run or playing tag. You can also find local mother-son fitness classes, like yoga or dance. Your older teenage son might even convince you to lift some weights with him!
Stay up late watching TV (and let him choose the show)
Sometimes it’s the simple things that are the most fun. Let your son stay up a little later than usual and enjoy some quality time together watching his favorite TV show. You might even find a new show to love!
Go hiking
Lace up those hiking boots and get up early to tackle a morning hike with the sunrise! This is a great way to explore nature and get some fresh air.
Fly a kite
This is such a classic activity and it’s so much fun! You can even make your own kite if you’re feeling crafty.
Play Pokemon go
Our oldest son has been going through a giant Pokemon phase. He would LOVE playing Pokemon go with me on a date! Looks like I need to pencil it into our schedule!
Rock climbing
If you’re feeling adventurous, spend the day rock climbing! This is a great activity to do with your son. You’ll both find out just how tough you are!
Go swimming
Head to the local pool and play. You can show your son all of your awesome pool skills, or give him a few pointers. This is a great way to cool off on a hot day!
Water balloon fight
A son would like nothing more than pelting their mom with water balloons! Sounds fun doesn’t it? 😉
Go kayaking
Rent or borrow a kayak and head to the open water to explore the great outdoors. Wear a life jacket and bring plenty of sunscreen!
Go fishing
If you’re lucky enough to live near water, take your son fishing! This is a great way to spend some time outdoors and hopefully catch dinner.
Feed ducks
When our oldest son was just three, we spent an afternoon feeding the ducks. It was a mommy-son date. It’s still one of my favorite memories with him. He ran up and down the river chasing the “rubber duckies” and feeding them. But it’s not just young kids that love feeding ducks! Even your teenager would probably love it!
Catch bugs
Boys are fascinated by bugs! So go catch some! You can even put them in a jar to take home with you.
Bowling
Put on those bowling shoes! This is a great game to play with your son. You can even make it a little friendly competition.
Make homemade pizzas
Get creative and make your own pizzas! You can even turn it into a pizza party and invite some of your son’s friends over.
Laser tag
This is a great activity for teenage sons! You can even make it a little friendly competition. We recently took our whole family and our 6 year old son loved being on my team as we chased around the other players!
Ice cream
You can’t go wrong with going out to get ice cream or frozen yogurt! Or better yet, make your own ice cream sundaes at home and add all of your favorite ingredients!
Arcade
Get ready to play some classic arcade games! From Pacman to shooting alien invaders, your son will love spending the day with you at the arcade.
Brunch
Instead of waiting for a fancy dinner, take your son to brunch! This is a great way to spend some quality time together.
Go carts
Racing around the go cart track is so much fun! Ride in the same cart, or race once another as you go!
Drive in movie
Stay up late, bundle up, and enjoy a local drive in movie! You can even bring your own snacks and drinks to enjoy during the show.
Batting cages
If your son is a baseball fan, take him to the batting cages! He’ll love getting to hit some balls.
Escape room
Work to solve a problem together by doing an escape room! This is a great activity for teenage sons.
Decorate/organize their room
When was the last time your helped your son decorate or organize his room? Instead of simply shutting the door when the mess threatens to pile out, take an afternoon to help your son get his room in order. You can even turn it into a game! See who can pick up the most toys or make the bed the fastest.
Visit a playground
Swinging, sliding, and climbing – what more could a boy ask for? Spend an afternoon at the playground and explore all of the fun things to do!
Go to a trampoline park
Jump around and have some fun! This is a great way to get some exercise. And it’s so much fun!
Plant a garden
Get your hands dirty and plant a garden! This is a great activity to do with your son. You can even make it into a science experiment by growing different types of plants.
Water park
Slide, splash, and swim your way around the water park! This is a great way to cool off on a hot day.
Kids museum
Explore all of the fun exhibits at the kids museum! This is a great way to spend a rainy day. Your son will love all of the different things to see and do.
Aquarium
Ready to see some sharks and jellyfish? Take your son to the aquarium! This is a great way to learn about all of the different types of sea creatures.
Zoo
Ready to see some tigers and elephants? Take your son to the zoo! This is a great way to learn about all of the different types of animals.
Convention
Do you have a kid that’s crazy about a certain video game, show, or movie? Why not take him to a convention dedicated to it? Chances are he’ll love meeting other people that share his interest. Plus, you might just have some fun yourself!
Train ride
What boy wouldn’t love a train ride with his mama? Go on an adventure and explore a new town or city. Or, take a ride on a historic train. Either way, it’ll be a day to remember!
Visit the electronics store
This one is for all of the gadget-loving boys out there. Let him pick out his dream toy and then take it home to play with! Just make sure you don’t break the bank.
Go for a drive
When you go for a drive you get to see new things, spend time chatting, and listening to music. It’s the perfect way to bond with your son and have some fun!
Window shopping
Walk around downtown or at the mall and do some window shopping together! It’s a great way to spend some time together and get some steps in.
Garage sale shopping
Have you taken your son garage sale shopping? It’s a great way to teach him about budgeting and how to find a good deal. Plus, it’s a lot of fun!
Pet store
Is your son animal crazy? Take him to the pet store! He’ll love getting to see all of the different types of animals.
Road trip
Take a road trip and explore a new place together! This is a great way to spend some quality time together. Plus, you’ll get to see some amazing sights!
Geocaching
Geocaching is a great way to explore your city and find hidden treasures! This is a great activity for boys of all ages.
Camping
One of the best ways to bond with your son is by going camping together! This is a great way to spend some time outdoors and have some quality time together.
Skateboard park
Is your son into skateboarding? Take him to the skateboard park and let him show off his skills! This is a great way to get some exercise and have some fun.
These are just a few of the many mother son date ideas out there! So get out there and have some fun with your son!
Looking for more parent-child date ideas?
Read: Bonding Activity Ideas for Daddy Dates With Your Son