a class of some sort?

is she old enough to travel somewhere alone? Like for example if she were 12 and had a favorite aunt a flight away? That can be a big marker for a kid.

What a wonderful idea! Mani/pedi, paint your own pottery are two of my DD’s favorites.

How about an iFly experience?

iFly

What about a day for pedicure/manicure if she likes that kind of thing and then lunch and shopping for spring, summer or fall clothes depending on the time of year. Just make a mom and daughter day of it.

Trying to think of things to do that most places would have and wouldn't be so so pricey...

This might be really too little but I don't know what you have near you or how old she is---but maybe ice skating?

If there's a nice hotel or restaurant that offers tea? or even just going for fancy dessert?

There are craft places (sip and paint, eg) that cater to the younger set on school holidays and weekends. She can paint a sign, a canvas bag, a frame...If she is into crafts, she might just love it!

How old is she? There’s a big difference between 9 and 13.

Summer month could be time at a water park or horseback riding.

A throw in month could simply be a gift card at a Mall.

One month might be something where she gives back. Where you take her so you both are doing something for someone else. Like Visit a nursing home, help at the humane society, pick up trash in the park.

I would also add a “pick what you want to do (under whatever amount).

Great idea for a rememberable gift!

A virtual reality experience. My GDG enjoyed a trip to the moon and Mars. You do have to be over 48" tall.

All great ideas! I really appreciate them. Thank you! I wish there was somewhere I could send her that was family on the same continent and not within driving distance. I think she’d really like that, but not ready to send her transatlantic on her own yet.

She’s almost 11 and a Foot above 48 inches so a virtual reality thing would be cool.

Afternoon Tea at the St. Regis in Houston or The Driskill in Austin. Is Schlitterbahn something you already do often?

If you take her camping, you might look at Dinosaur Valley State Park. On the landing page, look at the information about wrangler-assisted trail rides for kids.

One a month is quite a commitment!

How about indoor skydiving?

Does her/your community have a pumpkin fest, “night of a thousand Jack-o-lanterns” type thing? A corn maze? Or pumpkin-picking?

Is there a pick-your-own strawberries or apple farm?

Holiday lights tour or parade?

Go to the diamond park in Arkansas? Attach it to something to do with geology? Or jewelry!

Is she athletic or like sports? Go to a game? With all the food and souvenirs!

How about a giving opportunity? packing meals? Packing backpacks for homeless or foster children? Cleaning out a closet for a local donation?

The state fair!!! I have such fond memories of the Texas State Fair!

Is there an Alliance Française near you? I am giving my granddaughter a class at the one in DC. She will be in the Bébé class for 1-2 year old toddlers (songs, dance, stories, games). I think it will be so fun just to watch! Ha .If she like it, I will keep her enrolled for as many years as she wants. They have classes for all ages of children. Might be fun.

Check out Groupon. They have lots of unique ideas.

I think your gift idea is really lovely.

When my sons were that age we taught them to use mass transit. DH and I are from NYC, but the kids grew up rural. It was important that they feel confident navigating a city transit map, so we let them loose in the NYC subway. We abandoned them at a stop and told them to meet us at X. It was controlled, they were safe, but it empowered them with a life skill.

If your family has never been to a major sporting event, it should be tried. I am not much of a sports fan, but even I can enjoy a 'stadium; experience.

Simple things can be bowling, go carts, snow tubing, ultimate frisbee, square dancing, salsa dancing, zumba, fly fishing, archery.

Boston and walking the freedom trail, or Philly and seeing the Liberty Bell are cool. Washington and the Smithsonion are amazing.

My state has open lighthouse weekend, they issue passports and people see how many they can hit in the weekend.

In Texas, did this as a side trip after a meeting in Dallas, look forward to going back.

https://fossilrim.org/about-us/

https://fossilrim.org/plan-a-visit/lodging/

A cooking class of some type with her mom. You and she could decide together which type food to go and experience cooking.

Along the lines of a cooking class, a cooking skills class. Skills, like knife use, that she can take with her forever.

Or, what about a sewing class?

Is she athletic? I see there is a rock gym in Austin so maybe a rock climbing lesson? A couple of hours at the trampoline park there (Jumpoline). Thinkery looks pretty great if she likes STEM things. I loved, loved, loved watching the bats at dusk at the South Congress Bridge. I see you can watch from kayaks or other types of boats, so there might be boat tours?

Cosmic Mayham Mini golf in San Antonio? It looks awesome! Reviews say it's family friendly, although it does mention a bar.

Because they are so popular in Seattle (and fun) I was looking to see if there were any chocolate tours in any of those 3 cities you mentioned...seems like Dallas has some, but I can't imagine there's none closer. If she likes chocolates, it's really fun to see how they are made in a factory and get some samples, too. Maybe there's a different kind of candy factory besides chocolate?

I just lost a long list of things to do complete with links because I inadvertently navigated away from this page. [AAARRRGGGHHH]

Here is most of what I can remember:

Space camp at the Johnson Space Center https://spacecenter.org/education-programs/explorer-camps/

Lunch with an Astronaut at the Johnson Space Center

A list of things to do in Austin from the University of Texas.

“Explore UT“ looks really interesting. It is March 7, 2020, and it is FREE. Here is the program from last year https://exploreut.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/Explore%20UT%202019%20Program%20PDF.pdf

https://www.mlb.com/astros/community/buddies/opportunities Houston Astros Buddies Club members have some opportunities to do things like run the bases after a game. Plus “randomly chosen” members have some additional opportunities like standing on the field with the team during the National Anthem, etc.

Like Olychick said, bat watching in Austin. I would add doing it from a boat (BYO newspaper to protect your head!)

Easter Egg Roll at the LBJ Library in Austin. Call the library for specifics. The website is clunky. Easter 2020 is April 12.

Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham. They don’t do tours, but they have an observation deck where you can watch production. (Can I come too???)

The City of San Marcos has Youth fencing lessons on Monday evenings, if you are close to San Marcos.

Call you closest Central Market about children’s cooking classes.

Please let us know what you end up choosing. I think this is a wonderful idea!

I think you should include one month where she comes up with the idea. Call it a wild card or your choice or something clever. She might have something always wanted to do. And it might be free!

I so appreciate all the suggestions. And hopefully they'll inspire someone else too for things to do with your children. We have done a lot of the area specific items already, but doesn't mean some couldn't happen again especially if she really liked them. It is funny that iFly was mentioned as she was there Monday for a school field trip and came home and said she wanted her birthday party there.

She is semi-athletic as in only specific sports. We've been to several college sports events, but not paid athlete type events. She is much more interested in seeing women play than men at this point so we've seen the Women's Basketball at UT and several volleyball games there. The sports she likes, besides going to Friday High school football (I think because her friends are there) and other high school women's sports.

She loves rock climbing and that would be a fun one to do at more of a dedicated place vs. Witte Museum and at the trampoline park which is where she'd done it before.

I really like the simpler suggestions too as it would be nice to have some less expensive alternatives too and the simpler things. The mani and pedi are making the list for sure. Going to the mall with a friend with some money is going to make the list too (with me hanging back) as well as ice-skating. I could combine ice-skating and mall since they have ice-skating at the mall in Memorial city. We did that one year for her birthday and she loves it. Bowling is another one that I will put on the list since it is only 30 minutes away so a more simple and not as costly adventure.

I really like the idea of learning to navigate public transit for all children. I knew this by 6 years old. Luckily for her she has that covered as we travel and will use public transit so she can currently navigate Paris and Stockholm. I think once you know one others it is easier. She's also great at navigating large airports.

I think she would love a chocolate tour if I could find one in Austin, Houston, or San Antonio that would be a good one. She has a lot of catching up to do since she's only been able to eat it for a few years due to an allergy.

We've done the cooking class - that is a great idea though and maybe I should look at different options of what is available there. Maybe a baking one with a friend. We have a local store that carries all kinds of kitchen stuff and they have cooking classes. We've done a couple of those together and she's also done the summer camp ones. She really liked it and likes helping to cook.

A sewing class might be just the thing. She really likes to do those things and a friends mom taught her how to make a quilt when she was babysitting her for a few days. I use it on a regular basis and since then she's mentioned it. She's used my machine to make some doll clothes and also sewed some panels to put around the bottom of her loft bed.

She used to love the tea thing, but I'm not sure anymore. Things are changing a bit fast right now. A year ago I would have jumped on that one. Maybe just give her a dinner trip to a favorite restaurant with a friend. Daddy and I can sit at another table. I think she'd like that.

I will also look at other classes like painting, pottery and stuff like those. She really likes that stuff too. Although I think they would work better with a friend of hers vs. me and daddy. I'm not good at that stuff and I prefer more active things and daddy is not interested in these things.

Go-carts I think will make the list as it is something the whole family would enjoy. Need to run some of these things by daddy, but that would be his top choice.

I don't think I'm going to add volunteering to this since it is something we do anyways and it is weekly at the moment, but it is a good suggestion to do with your kids.

All great ideas!

bbstx - we've done the Blue Bell tour before then stopped doing them. At the end you would get ice-cream too. Yes Schlitterbahn already has an annual trip with friends, but there is a closer one we could do that she likes - although she soon is outgrowing it.

If she likes women’s sports see if there’s an LPGA tournament anywhere nearby. In my opinion golf is a great sport for a lifetime. DH and I both wish we had taken it up when we were young. TopGolf is also fun even if you don’t play golf.

When my DD was maybe 10 or 11, she wanted to learn to knit. I had learned when I was around 10 but hadn't done it in years, so I found a woman who did private knitting lessons and we took a couple of lessons together. It was fun.

My DD used to like to get dressed up at that age. For one birthday (her 13th, I think), I took her to lunch at a fancy restaurant in Boston at the top of the Prudential tower -- so we had the fancy lunch and the neat views, she could get dressed up, and the waiters treated her like a princess.

Maybe this isn't quite as enticing when you live in a warmer climate, but when my kids were younger and we were in the midst of a cold New England winter, they thought it was the Best Thing Ever to go to a hotel with an indoor pool for a night.

A few things my kids and their friends really enjoyed at that age.

~ If you have a zoo close by, during the Summer months they often times will have programs to sign your kids up for where they "become" junior zoo keepers for a day or for a M-F week. Each small group is assigned to a different zookeeper and follow him/her around feeding the animals, learning more about them, what an actual zoo keeper does, and the workings of a zoo.

~ Our Aquarium which is attached to the Biopark (zoo, gardens and aquarium down in Albuquerque) has a fun restaurant attached to it, with a huge window wall. You can have lunch or dinner there at tables right in front of it. My kids loved watching the huge sea creatures swim right by. They still do when they're back home here visiting. Do you have something like that near you?

~ And, speaking of Aquariums, your local Aquarium might also do this. The one down in Albuquerque has a few nights a year where you can actually sleep over in front of (another) large window wall in the aquarium itself, and watch the sea creatures from there. I've never done that one, but friends who have enjoyed it. Just bring good ear plugs to block out the giggling when you do want to finally sleep.

~ Our Zoo has nighttime tours to see the animals. It was a big treat for the kids to do that. We included a fun dinner someplace before.

~ Do you have a Natural History Museum? The one down in Albuquerque has/had programs during school breaks where you can sign them up to be junior curators or whatever.

~ A visit to a planetarium might also be fun.

~ My DD absolutely loved having high tea with me at a beautiful tea house I'd heard about. We dressed up nicely and had a wonderful time there. She loved the attached gift shop, too (LOL)!

~ A big but very memorable trip we took DD on, was to Disneyworld, where we stayed at the African Safari Resort. We were able to choose a room overlooking DD's favorite animals, the giraffes. She was beyond happy watching them every morning and evenings when we returned. And, the exhibits, shops and resturants there were wonderfully unique and very enjoyable for us all. Plus, we had free transportation and early entry every morning to one of the Disneyworld kingdoms. I loved not having to drive and park!

Re cooking class, check out Whole Foods, my son and 4 friends s

did a learn to roll sushi class at ours.

Bestyears -- I loved your post about your son's "simple" adventures!!! So sweet, and fun. Especially loved the "explore the attic" one -- whee! (even better if it were Grandmother's attic, I'd think).

This thread is giving me great ideas (thank you, all!!) for my grands, who are pretty much past the toy stage. Money, while welcomed by them, is fine, but doesn't fulfill MY holiday spirit, lol.

Just to provide an update on what we decided on for next year. Some were due to having difficulties finding things such as a one off class - all were multiple times and with over 70 miles away not something I was willing to commit to. Most of the activities except 3 are over 70 miles away too which I felt the need to account for.

I also added disclaimers on when she needed to have things planned/booked. Some are just a few days, a week, and others a few months or more.

January - ice skating with a friend and lunch at Olive Garden (kid loves that restaurant)

February - movie with a friend including lunch, dinner, or snack

March - Aladdin Musical

April - A weekend of camping - location TBD

May - Mani/Pedi with a friend

June - Local waterpark with family

July/August $1000 per person in the family to plan a trip of her choice - Needs to have it planned by April. Figured this way she can learn budgeting, planning, and trade-offs to make. Not sure if the amount will work out or not, but we can always kick in more if it is something we would love to do too. I'm sure she'll find a way to spend every cent. We'll also use it as our family vacation as we hadn't planned on doing any next year. Although I guess camping counts as one too.

September - Bowling with a friend including snacks

October - Mall trip with a friend including lunch at the food court

November - Baking at home with a friend

December - Go-Kart racing with the family

Here's a sample of what the "certificates" look like. I blacked out her name.

Super ideas, @lyfia! I need to save that list for future reference.