Activities With Kids

This week I have mostly enjoyed picking blackberries, it’s something I haven’t done for a long time. Blackberrying is one of those activities I gave up when the kids got too old to want to do it with me. I began to calculate the hours spent versus the value of the goods produced (I’m self-employed, it’s a habit) and realised that, financially, I’d be better off buying my blackberries from Tesco.

Except of course I never did because I can’t bring myself to spend money on something you can get for free in the hedgerows. A few blackberry-less years later, I’m back and remembering how satisfying the activity is in itself, and not just because it was teaching the kids something and got them out of the house.

There are some activities with kids you enjoy aren’t there…and others you don’t. There are also some activities I enjoyed at the time but which I will never go back to: the things I only enjoyed because I did them with my children. I’ve amused myself by writing a list. You will have your own, but I think we’re probably all agreed on number one:

1. I will never read another Thomas the Tank Engine book in my life (self-explanatory).

2. I will never go to a theme-park again. I used to love these places with my kids, the tackier the better, but no way.  I certainly won’t be going in order to prove that people my age can still have fun. Don’t try and make me.

3. I won’t go to any farm, zoo, or other place where I can stroke baby animals. I did enjoy it once, but not that much.

4. I will never again try to grow all my own vegetables. I don’t have to, all the kids know where real food comes from now.

5. I will never again do a craft activity. I think I used to enjoy this with my kids once we’d started but the words ‘craft activity’ still strike dread in my heart and I can’t get past it.

So that’s my Top 5, what’s yours?  Oh and blackberry and apple crumble anyone? Honestly I’ve got loads.