How to entertain an 11 year old

RE*AC*TOR

My girlfriend is minding her little brother this weekend. He's staying with us for the weekend. I'm looking for suggestions for activities to keep him occupied. Any help - much appreciated.

Stephen

Got a playstation/xbox/gamecube? Sit him in front of that, should kill a few hours. The kid's parents may not approve. You could take him to a park or something if their is one nearby with a playground or anything like that for kids.

RE*AC*TOR

Stephen wrote:

Got a playstation/xbox/gamecube? Sit him in front of that, should kill a few hours. The kid's parents may not approve. You could take him to a park or something if their is one nearby with a playground or anything like that for kids.

No console - just a big expensive PC.
*slap* "don't touch"

Hello Kitty

The only thing I can think of is computer games!
When my cousin (whos 12) comes over thats all he plays.......

Twistedlilkitty

children love labour.....
and if they dont do the labour
threaten them with fire!!

cinema, or dvds.....or cheap tesco brand cider, 11 year olds love it.

Beruthiel

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

No console - just a big expensive PC.
*slap* "don't touch"

don't be so mean!
get a game for your PC, he's old enough not to break it

RE*AC*TOR

Beruthiel wrote:

don't be so mean!
get a game for your PC, he's old enough not to break it

I was only joking.
i have lots of PC games - probably not suitable for an 11 year old the concept is a bit complex or the content is unsuitable (eg Doom 3).
I used to have an xbox - and had him playing Halo - apparently he had nightmares afterwards.....

BEAT

games are generally what kids of that age will like, seriously, no game console? get urslef to a gameshop right away man!

If you wont let him play games on the pc then you may have to leave the house for some fun...go to a movie and an arcade.
Or rent some movies he will like and get a pizza!

Kids are easy to entertain, just ask him what he wants to do

yossarin

Find out from her what hes into and just cater to that. 11 year olds are unlikly to have interesting hobbies so it'll be somthing fairly generic.Movies or violent games are a good direction. better still - get him to bring his games console/warhammer set/17th Century lace doilies over with him, so he can do that in your downtime.

Finish the weekend by filling him full of coke and chocolate, and packing him off home just before it kicks in. That way he thinks you're a cool uncle type and you don't get asked again.

lee_baby_simms

i hear manhunt on the PS2 is good.

RE*AC*TOR

BEAT wrote:

....seriously, no game console? get urslef to a gameshop right away man!

had xbox and gamecube - they no longer interest me...

BEAT wrote:

If you wont let him play games on the pc...

i don't mind really - just don't think they're hugely suitable - plus there's the whole mouse keyboards coordination thing..

yossarin wrote:

Finish the weekend by filling him full of coke and chocolate, and packing him off home just before it kicks in. That way he thinks you're a cool uncle type and you don't get asked again.

you sir are a genius - will definetly do this (he's prone to getting car sick)

Nemici

a few DVD's of his choice should do the trick for a few hours.

Alternatively you could give him 8 litres of coke, a box of fireworks, and a blowtorch.

You are sure he will be entertained. (and maybe half the street as well)

yossarin

> i hear manhunt on the PS2 is good.

heh. make sure to leave your toolkit lying open.

Nala

Maybe try some good old-fashioned board games!
Monopoly can go on for hours...

Lainey

firstly, don't bring him to a park/playground unless you have a football.. he won't want swings.. remember he is a little man so basically will like what most other men like and prob yourself (except for the ladies).. i think dvds, junk food and ask him to bring his playstation with him is a great idea and hire out a game or two for him for the weekend.. boys his age are so easy to entertain really.. the best thing i give my son at the weekend is remote control power with pizza and coke..

yossarin

Monopoly is great only if you want to combine being horribly bored with being really angry.

It'd be a good game to play with an 11 year old as it allows you to decend to their emotional level of pettyness and boredom mixed with wanting the horrible ordeal to just end, please god just let it be over. You'll really emphasise with the little tikes feelings.

sorry, just don't like monopoly.

Sleepy

Guinness All Ireland Hurling Championship semi-final at Croke Park Sunday August 8th, Waterford v Kilkenny, 3.30pm. He'll love it and it ain't too expensive.

As far as I'm aware Extravision still rent consoles for the weekend and if they don't I'm sure he'll be okay to rent a few DVD's...

Bowling/Cinema/Quazar are all good craic for kids of any age...

Tellox

If you know an instrument, play a couple of songs for him on that. I always loved it when my aunt played guitar for me when I was that age..

cormie

How about something not involving electronics or junk food??
Take him for a cycle through some woods, light fires and cook some food in the woods. Get all mucky and have some fun!

Flukey

Lots of variety required. Indoor and outdoor activities. If the weather is suitable take him out and get him using a lot of energy, so that he will sleep that night. If you can, find something that you can enjoy doing too, which will make the chore of looking after him that bit easier. If you have a car at your disposal you could go off for the day and it will be interesting for you too. Good luck.

lee_baby_simms

Sleepy wrote:

Bowling/Cinema/Quazar are all good craic for kids of any age...

The aul Bowling/Cinema/Quazar combo! Unbeatable. I havent heard the term Quazar in years.

Knowing kids these days he'll probably start skinnin up and askin for bacardi breezers the minute he gets in the door.

peckerhead

cormie wrote:

How about something not involving electronics or junk food??

Jesus, man, get out a football, play three-an'-in and let him win...
(that's presuming you have a choice in the matter!) :eek:

Big Ears

Sleepy wrote:

Guinness All Ireland Hurling Championship semi-final at Croke Park Sunday August 8th, Waterford v Kilkenny, 3.30pm. He'll love it and it ain't too expensive.

the best idea so far .

does he like sports ? , you could always play a bit of soccer with him or something .

If he's got a playstation and likes soccer it would be well worth renting pro evoulution 3 .

lee_baby_simms

3 an in, headers and vollies, world cup...sure arent ye spoilt for choice.

For an old skool feel, go to a newsagent and buy one of those cheap 'Cup Champions' footballs that curl magically the opposite way. I hear theyre fantashtic.

Sleepy

Anything energetic is good, it'll mean more time alone with the girlfriend once he's tired

You could go camping, though he might love ya too much after something like that and keep trying to get his mother to dump him on ya.

Most importantly though is to do something you don't mind that much yourself.

monkeyfudge

The Dublin Wax Museum!

It's the best place ever for people of all ages...

man I love that place so much...

Oh wait... he's not a fat child is he? Because he won't have as much fun in the cool dark tunnels if he is...

Nala

Where is the Dublin Wax museum?

Oh I have another suggestion-bring him to the zoo! They've loads of new stuff, including newborn animals like the baby red panda.

Agent Smith

i'd go with the zoo, or cinama, a few good film's out now IE. shrek 2, spiderman, I-Robot...
to name a few

monkeyfudge

neev wrote:

Where is the Dublin Wax museum?

Oh I have another suggestion-bring him to the zoo! They've loads of new stuff, including newborn animals like the baby red panda.

Yes, but if it's raining.. and lets face it... it probably will be.. then the zoo will be terrible... and there is nothing more depressing than a soggy monkey.

The Wax Museum is just off Parnell Square, if you turn right after the Hugh Lane Gallery you can't miss it as it has big giant climbing up the front of the building.

I go about twice a year.. I'll be going for the second time this year next month. I can't wait!!!

jesus_thats_gre

The Zoo is dope man.. I am 24 and love a day in the Zoo.. You can't loose.. Or bring him somewhere with some cool big man stuff. Like planes or big **** off bridges

Flukey

€40 for a ticket to Croke Park on Sunday. €35 for Saturday. You'll get a refund for the child, but you have to ask for a childs ticket and pay the full value up front first. A great day's entertainment though. I'll be there!

gonker

Hi, Im 11 using my mams nick....loads of pizzahut apache pizza...fastfood you get my meaning? dvds games and stuff.... the zoo is good if its not raining....ask him what he wants to do first...i guess he will say what i say..bram stokers museum in fairview at the weekend supposed to be scary i havent been there but hope my mam brings me there....hint hint...oh yes and the cinema...spiderman II and thunderbirds are out now hint hint again
j

Chucky the tree

stick him in the shed for the weeked

The Real B-man

Chucky the tree wrote:

stick him in the shed for the weekend

best so far.....
or go to the woods and run away my da did this when i was a 11 was following me in the bushes for a half an hour then showed himself by that stage i was mentally traumatized

tba

Introduce him to boards.ie, tell him its a game, and that the more angry replies you get the more points you receive.

Cabaal

Tellox wrote:

If you know an instrument, play a couple of songs for him on that. I always loved it when my aunt played guitar for me when I was that age..

yes and we all had slacks and said goodnight to each other everynight just like thge waltins (spelling?)

koneko

There's kid friendly games for the PC too, maybe something like Harry Potter.

Even if you do something like go to the zoo or somethign like that, there's always time left in the day where you're bored sitting around. Playing a game is good filler.

The zoo is the weather is good, bowling/arcades/cinema. Camping tbh is a no no. If kids are young they like it, but an 11 year old probably won't. Sports if the kid is into it, but find out first (if she doesn't already know). I, at 11, would have hated going to any sports-related things.

Mossy Monk

TV, the answer to all lifes problems

Sleepy

koneko wrote:

I, at 11, would have hated going to any sports-related things.

Yeah, but it's a boy aged 11, not a girl and every Irishman likes hurling, haven't you seen the Vodafone ad? It's in our DNA

RE*AC*TOR

OK lets see. Seems computer games is the most dominant reply. Park/Zoo/Wax Museum/Croke Park. I do have a car so we can drive somewhere. I'm liking the stuffing him full of sugar and sending him home idea. Maybe some unnecessary surgery? I suppose not. Any events on around dublin or kildare/wicklow/louth/meath etc this weekend. Any good trout farms where he can go fishing or something like that?

Beruthiel

The Real B-man wrote:

or go to the woods and run away my da did this when i was a 11 was following me in the bushes for a half an hour then showed himself by that stage i was mentally traumatized

this is a good one
give him a map, a bottle of water, some crackers, a first aid kit and a rain coat
tell him to close his eyes and count to 100
then leg it

signed
a caring mother

Aurther Hugh

If you're in Dublin, bring him to Bray. There's the amusements and a massive big wheel on the hill which is actually really fun . And best of all it's so packed with 'cream crackers' at the weekend you also get that Zoo value but for free.

pickarooney

Is there any kind of a swimming pool with slides in Dublin?
I was in one for a whole day with my nephews (11, 9, 8 and 3) and everyone had the best craic, then the kids were tired and slept early.
Plus, the added bonus of bucketloads of near-naked floozies for you to ogle.
Then again, we were in France...

koneko

The National Aquatic Centre (in Blanch) has slides and things like that: http://www.nac.ie

dogz

go karting quadbiking take him to the beach and try to thech him to drive go bowling an amusment arcade the list is endless

Beruthiel

pickarooney wrote:

Is there any kind of a swimming pool with slides in Dublin?

there's a new one in Blanchardstown

RE*AC*TOR

dogz wrote:

go karting quadbiking take him to the beach and try to thech him to drive go bowling an amusment arcade the list is endless

karting?
where?
suitable for youngsters?

Stephen

I seriously doubt anyone who operates a quad track will let an 11 year old on one of their quads.

Nala

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

Any events on around dublin or kildare/wicklow/louth/meath etc this weekend.QUOTE]

If he's into horses, you could bring him to the Horse Show at the RDS.

Sarky

Buy two decks of Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. He'll play by himself if he has to.