Hobby suggestions for mother and 4 year old son?

[Lochie]

I'd really appreciate any suggestions as I am stuck for ideas!

My son has just turned 4 and I'd love to find a hobby or class to take him to, just me and him, maybe once a week (weekends are only viable time really). Since the arrival of his sister 18 months ago (who is very clingy), I feel now is a good time to start having some one on one time away from her! (we spend pretty much all of our week altogether and they go to the same nursery).

Naturally during the weekend his Dad will do sporty things with him and I'll potter around with my daughter, as well as doing stuff all as a family. But now school is looming next year I feel a desperate urge to have some mother/son time but don't know what regular activity we could do. Does anyone have any suggestions? Something he can really start to get an interest in? His interests are Octonauts, eating and cooking and he is really good at problem solving e.g. puzzles.

Thanks :-)

[canela]

There are a number of cooking classes around you could go to - but most regular classes tend to be during the week. You might have to get a bit inventive, i.e. get a scrapbook and spend Saturday morning or whatever going to a different kind of food shop where he takes photos, prints them out, do recipes together etc.....you get the general drift!

[bluesuperted]

What a lovely idea Lochie, I feel similarly about wanting some mother/son time too since the onset of school nursery but V is too little to really do that yet at just 6 months.

I think Canela's idea is great; the new farmers market at the Hornimam is brilliant - Saturdays 9am - 1pm - so you could incorporate a forage there for ingredients then home to cook. Also a friend of mine does Crafty Cooks (I think?) in West Dulwich and I'm sure somewhere I read they did a weekend class.

Other ideas I've thought of for the future are: Lego projects when he gets properly into that, a crafting project - even scrapbooking which I used to do when I lived in the US, going with him to a regular sports class myself...

Will bookmark thread for future use! Btw can't believe O and E are same school year... O seems so much older!

[Mellors]

Swimming one on one without other children is lovely - Forst Hill Pools have an open session on Saturdays. Followed by a trip to one of the nice cafes nearby fpor a "grown up" snack (I take my book and get mine a magazine or something).

Or cycling? Penge cycling club do kids classes on a saturday morning from 10 - 12, even for tiny ones.

Cinema? Lots near here do kids clubs.

[alieh]

Crafty Cooks would be a great one! I'm pretty sure they have a Saturday class.

[Lochie]

Thank you so much for these lovely suggestions. I reckon farmers market and scrap book then cooking is a fantastic idea. I just looked up Crafty Cooks and no Saturday class but they do have a Monday class we can all do in Crystal Palace so thanks for that as had never heard of them!

Yes and cinema is a good one, when there are kids clubs. Couldn't believe it when I took my son to see Despicable Me 2 a few weeks ago not realising it was normal prices, and didn't get much change out of a ?20 note!

BST yes I know, crazy think school next year for the boys! Bye bye babies!! :-(