40 Things to Do With Mum

Fun Things to Do with Your Mum

Wine and Cheese Tasting

First up, it’s the classic wine and cheese night. This is a fun thing to do with your mum, as it can be done with ease and in the comfort of your own home. Buy a selection of cheese, pair some wines and rate each one. If you’re more sweet people, swap the cheese out for chocolate like Hotel Chocolat.  

Have a sumptuous lunch date

If mum’s a foodie, make some time in the middle of the day and spend some quality time together over lunch. There’s plenty of venues to host but to really set the tone, make a beeline for Michelin-Starred Marcus Wareing’s flagship restaurant Marcus Belgravia. Dining from a menu meticulously crafted by the culinary mastermind, three dishes of the finest British produce awaits, using ingredients from regions such as Cumbria and Hampshire. 

Go on a spa day

Being a mum’s no easy feat so anything that involves pampering her automatically gets our vote when it comes to activity ideas. We’re pretty spoiled when it comes to spa days, but DoubleTree by Hilton Cadbury House takes the top spot. Award-winning spa and leisure facilities, a 55 minute Swedish full body massage and an exquisite lunch in the Marco Pierre White Italian restaurant are just a few of the things to expect. 

Vineyard Tour

A more sophisticated idea for the drink connoisseur mum is a day at the vineyard. Pretend to be experienced Sommeliers, sipping and sampling a variety of wines. The UK is home to some truly spectacular wineries but none more so than Bristol’s Aldwick Estate. Discover the secrets of Somerset’s largest vineyard, explore the 11-acre site and enjoy a wine tasting session. 

Cooking Class

Cooking may feel like a chore but combining your culinary skills is one of the most rewarding things to do with your mum. Spend the time learning to master one of your mum’s staple recipes or turn to the illustrious Gordon Ramsay Academy to acquire best-kept industry secrets. The evening cookery class incorporates an impressive array of 90 minute themes to choose from and there’s even a host of goodies for you both to come away with. 

Picnic

Keeping on the foodie trend, things to do with mum don’t get much tastier than a picnic. Get a cute wicker basket, fill it up with treats, then go for a little walk until you find the prime spot. Sit down, relax and catch up whilst eating delicious food and soaking up the rays. 

Create your own book club

Simply write down a selection of books you think you’d both enjoy, each month draw one out and that’s the book you read. Set a date for when you aim to finish it and then arrange some time at a coffee shop to discuss it. Perfect for all the avid readers out there!

Catch up over a Sunday roast

We challenge you to come up with something more heart-warming than settling down in a British pub with your mum, enjoying a roast dinner, a crackling fire and some even better conversation. One of life’s great pleasures: keep things simple with a humble pub offering or take things up a notch with the likes of Marco Pierre White. 

Have a movie night

There’s something about a movie night that just never loses its charm. Find a movie the two of you have always loved and just lose yourselves in the story. Of course, it’s only right to have plenty of popcorn to accompany your film. 

Book a weekend getaway

Gone are the days where the thought of going away with your mum enticed a sarcastic eye roll or two. You’ve got a lot of opportunities here to really make this getaway special - an idyllic yet quirky glamping break, a serene spa retreat or an action-packed city hotel break. We’re particular fans of London’s luxurious 5* South Place Hotel, where a stay boasts a five course Michelin-starred dinner, Champagne and the utmost comfort. 

Things to Do with Mum in London

Primrose Hill

Located next to Regent’s Park, Primrose Hill is an idyllic London spot to take your mum to. With sprawling views of London, bring a blanket, some sandwiches and simply soak up the panoramas of the capital’s iconic skyline. 

Sky Garden

Another prime venue for sightseeing things to do with mum is London’s highest public garden, Sky Garden. Surround yourselves with lush greenery, exquisitely landscaped gardens and 360-degree views of the capital. Free-to-enter, pre-booking is essential and there’s plenty of respite spots available too. 

Afternoon Tea

We couldn’t talk about things to do with mum without mentioning this classic: afternoon tea. As luck would have it, London is brimming with mouth-watering afternoon tea feasts and none more extravagant than Fortnum & Mason. Champagne, a choice of exquisite teas and sweet and savoury delights are the order of the day. 

Neverland bar

If tea’s not your thing and you both prefer something a little stronger, London’s Neverland is a truly unique bar. With a seasonally-changing theme, you could find yourselves in a cosy alpine lodge or a tropical beach cabana or surrounded by cherry blossoms. A handmade burger, sweet potato fries and a passionfruit martini will ensure any hunger is satisfied. 

River Cruise

Whether you’re locals, frequent visitors or first timers, take your mum out for the day and be a tourist from London’s waterways. A unique way to soak up the capital’s sights, a river cruise makes for a thoughtful idea that shows going the extra mile. Pair your cruise with afternoon tea, lunch or dinner for that extra indulgence. 

Museum hop

Now here’s a fresh idea: museum hop. In fact, if you don’t normally do this, you can turn it into a regular outing visiting a different one each week. London is notoriously known for its vast array of free-to-enter museums, covering a variety of topics from science to art to fashion and beyond.

West End musical 

All across the year, there are hundreds of West End performances, ranging from old-time favourites to exciting new productions. Why not head to a musical featuring her favourite hits or a side-splitting comedy? To really elevate the experience, make it a special treat by adding a meal out or a glass of fizz. 

Dine at the Savoy

When it comes to dining things to do with mum, a regular restaurant simply won’t make the cut. Luckily, Gordon Ramsay’s prestigious Savoy Grill offers a one-of-a-kind venue to dine in. Three courses of world-class fare are paired with 1920s elegance in the art deco dining room. 

Mr Fogg’s

This whimsical collection of adventurous bars is a certified choice for that unique atmosphere that your mum is sure to lap up. With plenty of locations across London, from Mayfair to Covent Garden to Fitzrovia, set your sights on an epic bottomless brunch, gin tasting or cocktail galore. 

The London Eye

As London attractions go, it’s pretty iconic - the London Eye is one of the most notable features of the capital’s skyline. Experience breath-taking 360 degree views of the capital unfolding beneath you as you enjoy a flight on the world’s tallest cantilevered observation wheel. 

Brunch

Sky Lounge is a stunning restaurant located in The Shard’s Shangri-La Hotel, perfect for a spot of mid-morning bunch with a side of spectacular views. The feast consists of Asian-inspired delicacies, a decadent individual dessert and a glass of Champagne. 

Mother’s Day Activities

• Paint and Sip. Love to get artsy but lack the inspiration? The paint and sip night craze is the perfect thing to do with mum for Mother’s Day. Get the creativity flowing with fizz, transform a blank canvas into a masterpiece and get your brush on together. 
• Floral workshop. If there’s one thing mums universally love, it’s flowers. But we’re here to really elevate and embrace the concept of mother’s day activities. That’s where floral workshops come in - discover the art behind floral design together and make your own beautiful arrangements. 
• Go to the zoo. Day out ideas with mum when you’re an adult aren’t wholly different to being a child. Take a trip down memory lane and spend the day at ZSL Whipsnade zoo, home to over 10,000 animals.

• Hot Air Balloon. Okay so this one’s got to be well-up-there with the most luxurious Mother’s Day activities. Choose a location either nearby or completely new and take to the sky for a spell-binding hot air balloon ride. This idea is guaranteed to see you creating life-long memories. 
• Botanical Garden. Chances are your mum’s definitely complained to you more than once about the importance of fresh air. Prove her right by taking her to one of the UK’s vast array of botanical gardens, filled with beautiful and diverse plant life. 
• Cocktail Masterclass. Shake, stir and blend your way to the most spirited thing to do with mum: a cocktail masterclass. Forgo the run-of-the-mill cocktail making and instead set your sights on Avora, where you’ll forage for ingredients to create three different cocktails in a magical kingdom. 

• Go Karting. Here at Virgin Experience Days, we’re firm believers that no two mums are the same. For the adventurous mums out there, you really can’t go wrong with suggesting go karting. There’s nothing like engaging in a bit of friendly competition,  flying around a circuit in a kart. 
• Helicopter Flight. Keeping the heart-racing theme alive, this next activity is not for the faint of heart. There’s all kinds of sky-high excitement awaiting with helicopter experiences, available across the country -- enjoy a pleasure flight, feel the manoeuvrability of modern aircraft or even get a taste of life at the helm. 
• Rage room. Whether you’ve got grievances with each other or other family members, one of the most therapeutic activities to engage in together is a rage room. Spend 30 minutes venting any anger by smashing, obliterating and destroying a variety of items. 

Things to Do with Mum at Home

• Gardening together. No matter how old we get, gardening together is something we never really grow out of. Provided you have a garden, you don’t need to leave the house for this one and you’ll get to learn so much from her wealth of plant knowledge. 
• Go through family photo albums. One of the more tranquil at home activities is flicking through family photo albums. Take a trip down memory lane, recounting all your favourite outings together. You’re sure to find a few undiscovered gems to grace the family group chat. 
• Have an afternoon tea feast. If mum can’t get out to afternoon tea, she can still enjoy all the frills of the dining tradition. Courtesy of Piglet’s Pantry, she can treat herself to a delectable feast of sweet and savoury treats paired with an extensive selection of teas. 

• Get crafty. Whether it’s candle-making, crocheting or macrame, relive those rainy childhood days you spent crafting together. Bringing pottery to everyone, Sculpd has designed a kit to help you create pottery pieces in pastel hues from home. 
• Have a cocktail night. Forget shouting ‘what’ repeatedly at each other at your favourite cocktail bar and instead enjoy an actual conversation at home with some spirited accompaniments. You can either get creative making your own or get some delivered to your doorstep courtesy of brands like Tapp’d. 
• Cook up a feast. When the outside world isn’t enticing enough to go out for dinner, the two of you can cook up a feast together with a recipe box.
  
• Taking part in a fun and engaging virtual cooking workshop, learn how to create and master delicious dishes from across the world. With everything sent in advance, it’s the perfect at home pastime for food lovers. 

• DIY spa. Who needs a spa when you can just DIY the relaxation at home for half the price? Bring out the towels and robes, light some candles and apply face masks. Simply sit back and make the most of each other’s company. 
• Learn a new skill together. Self-improvement is all the rage right now but imagine the power of motivating each other to continue learning a new skill. There’s a vast array of skills to be learnt from home - from knitting to photography, dog grooming and candle making. 

• Attend a digital event. If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that you don’t need to leave the house to embark on a journey of discovery. There’s truly a treasure trove of virtual events out there - from magic shows to museum visits to musical spectacles. 
• Virtual escape room. Prove what a strong team you and your mum are by taking on an online escape room. Work against the clock to unravel the mysteries hidden within your chosen theme, navigating a series of puzzles. This particular bundle includes: CSI Stranglehold, Sherlock Holmes, Mansion Impossible and Mainstage Mayhem.