Entertaining a Six Year-old

[Shammrog]

As many of you know, I have a six year-old daughter who I just adore. She is wonderful and very bright (probably skipping first grade to go straight to second), despite her paternal genes.

I know from a friend who is a psychiatrist/family therapist that the most determinative factor in how a kid turns out overall is the quality and extent of their relationship with the father. That, and I really just adore and want to spend time with her - whether "playing," going to things, etc. She loves to "play" elaborate fantasy games with her stuffed animals for hours on end. It is tough for me to stay, uh, engaged in this.

Any suggestions on good ways to entertain, enlighten, and spend time with a six year-old (girl)?

[cato]

As many of you know, I have a six year-old daughter who I just adore. She is wonderful and very bright (probably skipping first grade to go straight to second), despite her paternal genes.

I know from a friend who is a psychiatrist/family therapist that the most determinative factor in how a kid turns out overall is the quality and extent of their relationship with the father. That, and I really just adore and want to spend time with her - whether "playing," going to things, etc. She loves to "play" elaborate fantasy games with her stuffed animals for hours on end. It is tough for me to stay, uh, engaged in this.

Any suggestions on good ways to entertain, enlighten, and spend time with a six year-old (girl)?

This may be old hat for you, but my wife and I recently took my neice and nephew to CeramiCafe, one of those places where you paint ceramics and then they fire it for you. The kids loved it (although my neice, who is around your daughter's age, was definitely done after about an hour). It wasn't cheap (you pay for the pieces, everything else is "free"), but it was great fun.

[wilson]

Museums, especially if she's smart and precocious. They often have a "boring" rep, but well-executed facilities can be great fun. I fully believe that I am the person that I am today, doing what I do, in large part because my parents took me to so many museums/historical sites/zoos/etc. as a child. They took me to the Smithsonian as a 4 year-old, and I've pretty much been hooked ever since.
Atlanta alone has a number of good places:
-The Children's Museum: I haven't actually been, because you have to be accompanied by a child to get in, but it has a sterling reputation.
-The History Center: I remember returning to (and loving) the living history portion in the back (the "Tully Smith House," a reconstructed farmstead) for countless school field trips.
-Fernbank: Dinosaurs! Their permanent and temporary collections are great, and the educational curriculum is excellent as well. Plus, you could reward her with IMAX at the end of the visit.
-Zoo Atlanta: A smallish, but very well-respected facility, and a leader in conservation efforts (after admittedly poor performance in the '70s/early '80s).
-World of Coke: Perhaps not your thing, but definitely a cool paean to an Atlanta institution.
-Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield: Even if you're not too jazzed about the history part, it's pretty up there and a nice hiking/outdoor play spot. Plus, it's part of the National Park Service, so it's pretty cheap.

There are others, of course, and presumably you've been to at least some of these. But we truly have some world-class educational facilities in Atlanta, and they all have stuff specifically geared toward people like your daughter. Also, notice that I didn't mention the aquarium. I do think it's pretty cool, but I'm holding off on my next visit for a while until their track record with animal health and responsible practices improves some. Plus, it always seems to be crowded as hell.

[Lavabe]

Museums, especially if she's smart and precocious. They often have a "boring" rep, but well-executed facilities can be great fun. I fully believe that I am the person that I am today, doing what I do, in large part because my parents took me to so many museums/historical sites/zoos/etc. as a child. They took me to the Smithsonian as a 4 year-old, and I've pretty much been hooked ever since.
Atlanta alone has a number of good places:
-The Children's Museum: I haven't actually been, because you have to be accompanied by a child to get in, but it has a sterling reputation.
-The History Center: I remember returning to (and loving) the living history portion in the back (the "Tully Smith House," a reconstructed farmstead) for countless school field trips.
-Fernbank: Dinosaurs! Their permanent and temporary collections are great, and the educational curriculum is excellent as well. Plus, you could reward her with IMAX at the end of the visit.
-Zoo Atlanta: A smallish, but very well-respected facility, and a leader in conservation efforts (after admittedly poor performance in the '70s/early '80s).
-World of Coke: Perhaps not your thing, but definitely a cool paean to an Atlanta institution.
-Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield: Even if you're not too jazzed about the history part, it's pretty up there and a nice hiking/outdoor play spot. Plus, it's part of the National Park Service, so it's pretty cheap.

There are others, of course, and presumably you've been to at least some of these. But we truly have some world-class educational facilities in Atlanta, and they all have stuff specifically geared toward people like your daughter. Also, notice that I didn't mention the aquarium. I do think it's pretty cool, but I'm holding off on my next visit for a while until their track record with animal health and responsible practices improves some. Plus, it always seems to be crowded as hell.
In the fall, you should get an Atlanta Entertainment Book. It'll cut down on the cost of a lot of things on Wilson's list. Also, if you really enjoy any of the items on the list, consider being a tax-deductible member. It helps these places out a lot. Our daughter also appreciates that we continue to give.

I also got hooked on museums at an early age, and look at me now!:rolleyes:

Some thoughts, having gone through all of Wilson's list, having experienced it with my daughter:
1) All the cultural places are mandatory (including CNN). Don't plan on staying longer than 2 hours at any one of them. The GA Aquarium (the world's largest aquarium, they keep telling us) is $$$$. You could always make a fun road trip to the Chattanooga Aquarium.
2) Two places not on Wilson's list: Atlanta Botanical Gardens and Woodruff Arts Ctr: The symphony/ the High/ etc...
3) Fox Theatre: You might catch a traveling company of some good musical. We did CATS (complete with PETA protestors:rolleyes: ).
4) IIRC, there's also a puppetry center downtown.
5) Every single sporting event you can attend, but especially the Thrashers, and the GM-less Hawks. As a Duke fan, do NOT take her to the Thriller-Dome; that was one mistake I'll never do again. (Sorry SupaDave ... it was THAT bad/rude of an experience.)
6) Local high school sports, including soccer, lacrosse, and volleyball. All three of these sports have BIG development programs in Cobb.
7) Emory has a great planetarium that sometimes has special events during both semesters. Also check into Emory's Schwartz Ctr for special events. Emory also does a lot with local youth orchestras.
8) Emory's Carlos Museum. The Tut exhibit. They have a special "Tea with Mummy" set for Mother's Day.
9) BOWL... then bowl some more... then bowl some more.
10) Etowah Mounds, for a day trip.
11) Road trip in the fall to Sanford Stadium, if you can get tickets. Tell her you're off to see folks bark like dawgs all day long. Be sure to wear Black (or red).
12) Check out the few Cobb U-pick-em berry farms. We have a blueberry farm about 10 minutes away.

Above all ... we still tickle fight a lot. That's what dads are for!:D
Cheers,
Lavabe

[Shammrog]

Thanks all! Great ideas.

Any ideas on the day-to-day/play at home thing? That is where I have the most trouble...

[aimo]

Thanks all! Great ideas.

Any ideas on the day-to-day/play at home thing? That is where I have the most trouble...

Personally, I could spend HOURS with the Fisher Price playsets. No, really. I could.

Get her doing something with crafts. Something that takes some concentration.

[2535Miles]

Thanks all! Great ideas.

Any ideas on the day-to-day/play at home thing? That is where I have the most trouble...
When I was a camp counselor for 6 - 9 year olds, we used to try and get the kids involved with as many hands-on activities as we could. Try to keep it simple so you don't lose focus (kids and adults both suffer from this).

I remember making play-doh when I was kid and I absolutely loved it. Cover the house in plastic and make "mystery matter". Mix water, corn starch and food coloring and then play around with it. Keep tons of finger paint, modeling clay, building blocks, tinker toys laying around. Make stuff and proudly display it in the house.

My brother and I also made a treasure map for his son when he was young. Buy a favorite toy and stash it in the house or yard, and then create a treasure map. Tear the cushions off your sofa, grab a sheet and build a fort, heck build two forts. String together some tin cans between the forts and make a phone.

If it involves making a mess, do it. Follow your kid's lead, they'll tell you what they like and what they don't like. To quote Yogi Berra: "You can observe a lot by just watching."

[ugadevil]

Thanks all! Great ideas.

Any ideas on the day-to-day/play at home thing? That is where I have the most trouble...

Are you into video games at all? I would recommend a Nintendo Wii, if you think she'd be interested in that. There are some nights when my entire family (mom, dad, brother, and grandparents) will all sit around and play bowling on the Wii.

Also, I always enjoy going to different state parks in the North Georgia area. Some of them have good casual hiking trails where really all you're doing is going on a walk through the woods. If you're free for a longer drive, I've heard the Little Grand Canyon in Lumpkin, Georgia is a great place to go visit.

[Lid]

I have a six-year-old too (also in Atlanta!) and everyone has obviously covered a lot of the kid activities here.

For at home stuff, I second the crafts. My daughter is VERY into origami. She read the book "Butterflies for Kiri" (can't remember the author, but it's a good one) and that started her down a path of (apparently) no return. It's a great hobby and great for spatial reasoning. She paints and draws a lot, we read together, we cook together (six is definitely a good age to learn how to use little knives), we watch nature shows, she puts on pretend circuses, ballets, etc., for me and most importantly, I make sure she has time to herself, too. Naturally, we have a basketball goal outside (goes down to 8 feet) and we play random outside games a lot, take walks, go to local parks, etc. We also spend time looking at the places in our yard plants would have grown had we not forgotten to water them.

I'm not sure how to respond to the tidbit that fathers are apparently the most important person for a child to have a relationship with. I don't think you need an academic excuse to be involved in your child's life. I'll just leave it there. :)

[allenmurray]

My daughter is getting married next month, so thinking back to when she was six is making me feel really old, but . . .

Don't underestimate the value of her simply tagging along with you as you go about your normal routine. Take her to the hardware store. Take her with you when you go to get your oil changed. Let her help you make dinner. Let her help you with the yard work. And talk the whole time. "See, now they are draining the oil out of the engine. When it gets dirty it can make the car break in expensive ways. So they will recycle the old oil to clean it and put in fresh new oil", blah, blah, blah. Don't make it your job to entertain her - simply make yourself available to her. Her simply being able to be with you while she does what she does and you do what you do is invaluable.

No matter how hard you try (and no I don't want to see you in that dress and those cute Mary-Jane shoes) you can't be a 6 year old girl, and she doesn't really want you to. Just let her handg out with you.

Also, save your newspapers. Why? To put under the playdough. Buy a lot of playdough. It is great stuff.

[ugadevil]

Don't underestimate the value of her simply tagging along with you as you go about your normal routine. Take her to the hardware store. Take her with you when you go to get your oil changed. Let her help you make dinner. Let her help you with the yard work. And talk the whole time. "See, now they are draining the oil out of the engine. When it gets dirty it can make the car break in expensive ways. So they will recycle the old oil to clean it and put in fresh new oil", blah, blah, blah. Don't make it your job to entertain her - simply make yourself available to her. Her simply being able to be with you while she does what she does and you do what you do is invaluable.


That's great advice, even with teenagers. I've worked with high schoolers over the past three years at my church, and that's been the best way to build relationships with them. There's not much need to plan special events, the best way to build relationships has been to hang out with them in their environments or inviting them to be a part of what I do on a regular basis.

[Shammrog]

My daughter is getting married next month, so thinking back to when she was six is making me feel really old, but . . .

Don't underestimate the value of her simply tagging along with you as you go about your normal routine. Take her to the hardware store. Take her with you when you go to get your oil changed. Let her help you make dinner. Let her help you with the yard work. And talk the whole time. "See, now they are draining the oil out of the engine. When it gets dirty it can make the car break in expensive ways. So they will recycle the old oil to clean it and put in fresh new oil", blah, blah, blah. Don't make it your job to entertain her - simply make yourself available to her. Her simply being able to be with you while she does what she does and you do what you do is invaluable.

No matter how hard you try (and no I don't want to see you in that dress and those cute Mary-Jane shoes) you can't be a 6 year old girl, and she doesn't really want you to. Just let her handg out with you.

Also, save your newspapers. Why? To put under the playdough. Buy a lot of playdough. It is great stuff.

Thanks allen - we do that sort of thing a lot. So, maybe I am doing OK after all. She loves to do things and go places with Daddy. :)

[blublood]

Don't underestimate the value of her simply tagging along with you as you go about your normal routine. Take her to the hardware store. Take her with you when you go to get your oil changed. Let her help you make dinner. Let her help you with the yard work. And talk the whole time. "See, now they are draining the oil out of the engine. When it gets dirty it can make the car break in expensive ways. So they will recycle the old oil to clean it and put in fresh new oil", blah, blah, blah. Don't make it your job to entertain her - simply make yourself available to her. Her simply being able to be with you while she does what she does and you do what you do is invaluable.

No matter how hard you try (and no I don't want to see you in that dress and those cute Mary-Jane shoes) you can't be a 6 year old girl, and she doesn't really want you to. Just let her hang out with you.


Absolutely. You don't necessarily always have to be doing the unicorns-and-Barbie thing. When I was that age, my daddy also taught me how to fish, shoot a bow and arrow, work in the garden, etc.... things that helped me understand the masculine world, my dad's world, as well as me inviting him into mine. (which consisted mostly of 10,000 My Little Ponies and their variegated play sets) Obviously, you don't want to force her to be a little adult or communicate that her world is unimportant, but it sounds like you could use a break from stuffed animals every now and then. :D

Also, I think a lot of men want so badly to be good fathers that they get very wrapped up in "what do I have to do?" or "what's best for my baby?" It's not that those are bad questions, but in my opinion what little girls really want to know from their daddies is, "Am I delightful to you?... do you see me and do you like what you see?"

It doesn't really matter if you're having a Barbie party or, heck, digging holes in the ground as long she knows that she is the delight of your heart. That's the strong anchor that will help her through school, relationships with boys, all that stuff that can do so much damage to a little girl later in life.

[TillyGalore]

Thanks allen - we do that sort of thing a lot. So, maybe I am doing OK after all. She loves to do things and go places with Daddy. :)

I love this thread, and think it's great you want to spend as much time with your daughter as you can.

I think allen hit the nail on the head. I loved doing those kind of things with my dad when I was growing up, and at 40 still plan father/daughter things when I'm home. Shoot, I asked him to go with me last summer to the baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. Just wanted to affirm that you are building a wonderful relationship with your daughter that will last a lifetime. Gotta go as I'm tearing up.

[Ben63]

Are you into video games at all? I would recommend a Nintendo Wii, if you think she'd be interested in that. There are some nights when my entire family (mom, dad, brother, and grandparents) will all sit around and play bowling on the Wii.



I'll second that. I regularly babysit a 7 year old girl and before I had a Wii it was hell for 2-3 hours. Now we both have fun, but putting her to be is harder, because I can't get her to stop playing Wii tennis. She absolutely loves it.

[NW Indiana Dukie]

I completely agree with the "helping in day to day or general activities" I have a 5 year old and am currently remodeling our bathroom. She will hold the tape measure or draw a line with the level and is so excited. She is always running to mom and saying: "mommy, mommy I am helping daddy!" The smile on her face is priceless.

Just my 2 cents---being a dad is the greatest gift I have ever been given.:)

[The Gordog]

It's sort of related to what allenmurray wrote, but it is critically important that young children see their parents engaged in meaningful work that they can understand and help with as they get older. This will make them more accepting of the fact that a portion of life is inevitably work that we do with our own hands. Fold the laundry, tell each other stories, sing, tell riddles, ect while doing it. Water the plants, iron your shirts, weed the garden, etc. Let them do other things nearby if the work is not suitable for little hands (like ironing) but they will want to to help so find a way for them to be involved as much as they want to. And when they are old enough to be trusted with the knife (small, not too sharp), or strong enough to lift the big watering can, thier self-esteem will soar.

[CathyCA]

You can read books to her~and not just storybooks that are on her level. You could read chapter books to her. Change your voice for the different characters. Act out scenes from the books.

You could also let take pictures with her. Help her write a story and illustrate it with photos that she's taken with your digital camera. Then, you could put together your own book.

Take her outside and show her how to shoot a basketball. Help her set up ramps for her bicycle and teach her how to jump the ramps. Teach her how to whistle. Take her to a baseball game this summer and explain the rules of the game to her. Do your "guy" things with her. It doesn't have to be dolls all the time. My dad taught me how to do all of those things and how to use a Citizens Band radio when I was 6 years old. I guess C.B. radios are out these days, but the other things were (and still are!) so special to me. I simply enjoyed spending time with him.

[devil84]

Great information on this thread! A couple of random thoughts here:

1. Playdough is an outdoor toy, IMHO. :)

2. Never underestimate how long kids can play with clay, paint, and craft supplies. Great stuff for kids (for BOTH genders, too!).

3. Legos, Lincoln Logs, and other building sets are great for both genders! As they get older, Radio Shack kits for building little robots, radios, and other electronics are great, too.

4. Please teach your daughter to throw, catch, kick, and shoot balls of every kind. She may be a girl, but she'll enjoy the heck out of spending time with you, learning any kind of sport. Don't let her know that there's anything she can't or shouldn't do simply because she's a girl.

5. Put together a puzzle. Play card games. Board games. Video games.

6. Letting her "hang" with you while you run errands, change the oil, do household chores -- excellent advice. Teach her how to use tools, and have her pound nails into a piece of scrap wood while you fix whatever it is you're fixing. As a Girl Scout leader of teen girls for the last 9 years, I know that girls (and boys) are in dire need of someone to teach them how to use basic hand tools. Power tools (cordless drill, small saws) too, though wait til she's a little older than six!

7. Have you ever caught yourself saying, "if she were a boy, we'd..." Well, whatever it is you'd do with a boy, do it with her (reverse that for boys). Gender doesn't matter. At least not at six, yet.

My 19 yo daughter just left on a trip to the beach with two friends from her dorm. This is her first trip without an adult. Because she grew up "hanging" with her mom and dad, she was incredibly prepared. She's all growed up! *sniff* Parenting is the greatest job. :)

[ArkieDukie]

I have a 6 year old niece and spent lots of time with her before moving. She likes to go to movies or watch videos, which gives me an excuse to watch the latest animated flicks. We have spent lots of quality time watching Looney Toons cartoons (mainly Bugs Bunny). Also, her parents are big on doing educational activities with her. For instance, we've been playing Yahtzee to work on math skills. The last time she was at my house we played Scrabble - you can work on both vocabulary and math. I had to help her make words on occasion, but we talked about the meaning of the word I came up with if she didn't know it.

[mpj96]

You know how that cheesy band whose name I can't remember spelled out YMCA with their bodies? 70's band.

You could take pictures of her spelling out H-A-P-P-Y M-O-T-H-E-R-S D-A-Y ! all around the house and yard. This only works once, but it is timely.

[ArkieDukie]

You know how that cheesy band whose name I can't remember spelled out YMCA with their bodies? 70's band.

You could take pictures of her spelling out H-A-P-P-Y M-O-T-H-E-R-S D-A-Y ! all around the house and yard. This only works once, but it is timely.

You're thinking of The Village People. My niece likes that song; we've been doing the YMCA dance since she was a baby. (Yes, we've trained her to like disco music...)

[TheRose77]

Show her the web site FreeRice.com. You and she can work on vocabulary building while feeding children in other parts of the world. And tape a big world map to the wall. My kids loved maps. The older son graduated in '05 summa cum laude from Duke, so I guess we did something right.
And one more thing - sing "fight, fight Blue Devils" early and often.

[CathyCA]

My 19 yo daughter just left on a trip to the beach with two friends from her dorm.

OH*MY*GOSH. That's all. ;)

[DevilAlumna]

It's sort of related to what allenmurray wrote, but it is critically important that young children see their parents engaged in meaningful work that they can understand and help with as they get older. This will make them more accepting of the fact that a portion of life is inevitably work that we do with our own hands. Fold the laundry, tell each other stories, sing, tell riddles, ect while doing it. Water the plants, iron your shirts, weed the garden, etc. Let them do other things nearby if the work is not suitable for little hands (like ironing) but they will want to to help so find a way for them to be involved as much as they want to. And when they are old enough to be trusted with the knife (small, not too sharp), or strong enough to lift the big watering can, thier self-esteem will soar.

Some really good advice, and to echo Tilly, it's making me tear up thinking about my dad. (I was a daddy's girl and proud of it.)

Things I remember doing that may seem mundane:

Nearly every weekend, he was washing one of the cars -- he taught me how to squeeze out a chamois, so he always had a dry one at the ready. (Now, I wash my own car, not every weekend, but I do try to keep it clean enough.)

He taught me how to shine shoes, and would let me "help" by doing the buffing. Similar with ironing once I was old enough (this we would do while watching a Cubs game on WGN, so I also learned about balls & strikes, etc.)

I don't ever recall him "playing" with either my brother or myself (not something he was so comfortable with,) but that's okay -- I had friends and a brother.

Special things that still mean a lot --

My first sporting events -- Nebraska Football and Nebraska Basketball -- going was a dad/daughter treat!

Dad/Daughter dinners -- this was more when I was in 4th-7th grade -- we had our own little date, go out to dinner at someplace (didn't have to be special) once a month or so. I don't even remember what we talked about, but I know he seemed interested in what I had to say, and that was what stuck. Built a good relationship for moving into the high school years, that's for sure.

Good luck with your own dad/daugher relationship, Shamm -- sounds like it is pretty darned good already.

[devil84]

My 19 yo daughter just left on a trip to the beach with two friends from her dorm.
OH*MY*GOSH. That's all. ;)

Oh, don't worry CathyCA -- she's going to some campground in Wilmington. Not a house in Myrtle, like we did! :eek: ;) (I'm trying very hard not to worry. Really I am.)

[aimo]

I also have two older brothers, so growing up I witnessed/participated in lots of "man chores".

Now, as a single female, I can fix a leaky faucet, replace simple electrical fixtures (doorbell, outdoor lamp), check various fluid levels in my car, kill spiders (OK, I still have trouble with that one), refinish furniture, do my taxes, unclog a drain, etc. I learned this by simply being there and watching and listening. And my jump-shot's not bad, either!

Kids are amazingly absorbant, if you give them a chance.

[Shammrog]

I also have two older brothers, so growing up I witnessed/participated in lots of "man chores".

Now, as a single female, I can fix a leaky faucet, replace simple electrical fixtures (doorbell, outdoor lamp), check various fluid levels in my car, kill spiders (OK, I still have trouble with that one), refinish furniture, do my taxes, unclog a drain, etc. I learned this by simply being there and watching and listening. And my jump-shot's not bad, either!

Kids are amazingly absorbant, if you give them a chance.

Hell. That's probably more than I can do...

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

As you think of things to enjoy together, don't underestimate the value of reading to her. I was accustomed to reading to first graders when I was a teacher. Later I became an administrator. It was a surprise to learn that middle schoolers enjoy being read to as well.

Reading to children at different ages is an effective way to introduce good quality literature to them. Look for among winners of the Caldecott Medal for books for younger children. For older children the list of winners of the Newberry Award is a good source. For a more nearly complete list of various award winners check out the American Library Association's web page. http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/literaryrelated.cfm

[BlueDevilJay]

You know how that cheesy band whose name I can't remember spelled out YMCA with their bodies? 70's band.

You could take pictures of her spelling out H-A-P-P-Y M-O-T-H-E-R-S D-A-Y ! all around the house and yard. This only works once, but it is timely.

Holy crap you just made my weekend!!! I was trying to think of something creative to do for my wife for Mothers Day, and that is going to be what I do. Man, amazing idea, I love it. Im going to have to do that tonight before she gets home.

[g_olaf]

Thanks all! Great ideas.

Any ideas on the day-to-day/play at home thing? That is where I have the most trouble...

I know exactly where you're coming from... my daughter is turning 6 this month, I've had the same issue... after 15 minutes, I start to drift. Lego's have really saved me.

[DukieInKansas]

In the fall, you should get an Atlanta Entertainment Book. It'll cut down on the cost of a lot of things on Wilson's list. Also, if you really enjoy any of the items on the list, consider being a tax-deductible member. It helps these places out a lot. Our daughter also appreciates that we continue to give.

I also got hooked on museums at an early age, and look at me now!:rolleyes:

Some thoughts, having gone through all of Wilson's list, having experienced it with my daughter:
1) All the cultural places are mandatory (including CNN). Don't plan on staying longer than 2 hours at any one of them. The GA Aquarium (the world's largest aquarium, they keep telling us) is $$$$. You could always make a fun road trip to the Chattanooga Aquarium.
2) Two places not on Wilson's list: Atlanta Botanical Gardens and Woodruff Arts Ctr: The symphony/ the High/ etc...
3) Fox Theatre: You might catch a traveling company of some good musical. We did CATS (complete with PETA protestors:rolleyes: ).
4) IIRC, there's also a puppetry center downtown.
5) Every single sporting event you can attend, but especially the Thrashers, and the GM-less Hawks. As a Duke fan, do NOT take her to the Thriller-Dome; that was one mistake I'll never do again. (Sorry SupaDave ... it was THAT bad/rude of an experience.)
6) Local high school sports, including soccer, lacrosse, and volleyball. All three of these sports have BIG development programs in Cobb.
7) Emory has a great planetarium that sometimes has special events during both semesters. Also check into Emory's Schwartz Ctr for special events. Emory also does a lot with local youth orchestras.
8) Emory's Carlos Museum. The Tut exhibit. They have a special "Tea with Mummy" set for Mother's Day.
9) BOWL... then bowl some more... then bowl some more.
10) Etowah Mounds, for a day trip.
11) Road trip in the fall to Sanford Stadium, if you can get tickets. Tell her you're off to see folks bark like dawgs all day long. Be sure to wear Black (or red).
12) Check out the few Cobb U-pick-em berry farms. We have a blueberry farm about 10 minutes away.

Above all ... we still tickle fight a lot. That's what dads are for!:D
Cheers,
Lavabe

Was PETA really picketing Cats or was this a joke? If they were picketing, did they have a reason? Were they just concerned that people were playing the roles of the cats and, thus, were depriving cats of work opportunities?