31 Ways to Spend Quality Time with Your Daughter

Ideas to Spend One-on-One Time with Your Kids

I’m always looking for ways to connect with my three daughters in meaningful ways and fill their childhood with magical moments. Each of them told me that spending time with them individually means so much to them, but they each enjoy different things. Here is my list of ways to spend quality time with your daughter. My hope is that these ideas get you thinking about how to create lasting memories for you and your child.

Quality Time is Out-of-the-Ordinary

To make it something special, pick an activity that you don’t regularly do with your kids. Even if it’s just going out for a different kind of food than you normally eat, or taking a picnic to a park you’ve never visited before, making it memorable for them means doing something outside of their ordinary day-to-day routine. My 9-year old loves to play card games, so a couple of times I’ve taken her to Starbucks, and we play gin-rummy while I enjoy a latte and she sips a hot chocolate. It’s truly one of her favorite memories, and doesn’t require very much of me beyond a willingness to spend time with her.

Some of these are simple, no-cost activities like my Starbucks card games trip, and some might take a little more time or investment. Mix and match to suit your family! You never know what activity will make YOUR child’s day.

colorful brick wall behind girl with balloons

Go out for frozen yogurt or ice cream
Who doesn’t love ice cream? Grab a cone or a cup and ask some questions. For question ideas, check out 20 Silly Conversation Starters for Families.
Go to a coffee shop or juice bar for hot chocolate or smoothie
This is a favorite one-on-one outing for one of my girls. She loves to bring a deck of cards and play gin rummy or golf while we sip our drinks. It feels like such a grown up activity for a kiddo to go on a coffee shop date!
Park day
Visit as many parks and playgrounds as you can in one day. My husband used to do this with his family as a kid, so we have continued the tradition, and my kids love it. Explore your neighborhood and beyond and you’ll probably discover a new park to enjoy.
See a local kids theater production
We have had great luck seeing inexpensive theater productions through our local library system. Often local theater groups will perform at a library in our area with ticket prices being as low as $5.
Shop together for a gift for a family member
Encourage your child to think of others and shop together for a sibling’s or grandparent’s birthday gift. You could also shop for a small surprise for someone your child interacts with regularly, like a school bus driver or teacher.
Attend a sporting event
Support your local teams. Go cheer on a high school team at the school your child will attend!
Go for a bike ride
Get active and find a trail or scenic neighborhood to ride around together. Here’s a great list of bike trails from Red Tricycle if you’re in the Pacific Northwest.
Browse a bookstore together
My personal favorite! Pick out a book together. Find a cozy chair and read something new. Maybe you can find a book that would be fun to read aloud together. Here’s an excellent reading list from Mensa for Kids.
Go to a dollar store to pick out a craft supply item
You don’t have to spend a lot – find craft supplies at your local dollar store. Then make something together. Make a wreath, paint a sign, or just grab an intricate coloring book to share.
Paint your own pottery
This costs a little more, but your daughter will love choosing an item to paint and creating a keepsake together.
See a movie together
Go to a luxury theater with recliners and food service for an extra special outing.
Go to a restaurant just for dessert
I am always too full to eat dessert when I eat out, so why not treat your daughter to a special dessert night? Share something decadent and talk about all your favorite things!
Go to a concert together
It doesn’t have to be a headliner – check out free concerts in the park, live music at the library, or local church concerts. Introduce your daughter to music you don’t have on repeat!
Visit a local museum
Look beyond the children’s museum, and take your daughter to an art museum, historical society, or science museum.
Zip line
Do something adventurous together. You’ll make memories she won’t forget!
Take a class together
Joann’s, Michael’s, & Home Depot all have classes specifically for kids. Try a baking class or glass blowing, whatever you think your daughter would enjoy.
Go for a hike
Find a family friendly hiking trail or path and get out in nature. Those of you in the Portland area can find a great list of kid-friendly hikes at PDX Parent.
Browse a local thrift store
Give your daughter a budget and browse for deals. You never know what treasure you’ll find!
Go to a nail salon for a manicure
Your daughter can feel all grown up when she visits the nail salon with you + lots of time to chat!
Bowling
Visit a bowling alley for a fun mother-daughter date. Plenty of laughs and good-natured competition!
Ice-skating or roller skating
Be brave and head to an ice skating or roller skating rink. You’ll have fun learning together, or you can revisit your youthful glory days and show off your moves!
Go out for breakfast
Try a breakfast date for a change from the usual dinner or dessert. Bonus fun if you anonymously pay for a stranger’s meal!
Bake something together
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to spend time together. My girls love to help me in the kitchen. Let your daughter pick a recipe and bake something together. The Artful Parent has a great roundup of ideas for fun in the kitchen together.
Go horseback riding
For those with horse-crazy tween daughters, why not embrace it and do a horse riding date?
Take a class at a rock climbing gym
Be adventurous and try something new together, like rock climbing.

Exercise together – dance, yoga (YouTube has it all!)
Pick a day the rest of the family is gone, and do a fun cardio dance workout together.
Visit a farmer’s market
Buy something neither of you have tried before.
Have a picnic lunch outside
It can be as simple as your own back yard, or head to a park, but pack a picnic basket and blanket and enjoy lunch outside together.
Have afternoon tea
Bring on the cucumber sandwiches and mini quiches – have afternoon tea, complete with dressed-up attire!
Do a spa day
Get pampered together with facials or massages.
Go to a garden center
Pick out some beautiful flowers to plant together.

Free Printable!

Grab a free printable list of these 31 ways to spend quality time with your daughter. Pick one that works for you and schedule a time to make it happen. You won’t regret the time you spend investing in your most important relationships.

Little Moments…Lasting Impact

This list is a tiny taste to help you brainstorm the possibilities for meaningful interactions with your kids. Sometimes you won’t know how much they enjoy or value what you did together until much later. Every once in a while I find something one of my daughters wrote for a school assignment that mentions how much she enjoyed shopping with just me (no siblings) for a new dress, or how much she looks forward to doing a specific activity again. Often they won’t communicate something they have been thinking about until much later. I need to remind myself to be intentional in creating memories, as the little moments can have a lasting impact in their lives.

You can start with these 31 ways to spend quality time with your daughter, but ask her what she would love to do with you; her answers might surprise you. Then, you can make her day!

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