10 Great Ideas for Fun Family Activities

If you are struggling with time and ways to keep your family together and you are out of ideas, here are some tips on what you can do to make sure you stay close and your children spend time active while developing interests in things other than TV, computer games and social networks.

Bowling

This can be an activity for the entire family and it does not include any preparation nor props.All you need to do is put on some clothes and drive to the closest bowling alley. Your kids should be strong enough to lift the ball, other than that there are no requirements. I suggest forming teams they are comfortable with and shuffling each time you play to avoid creating division within your family.

Sailing

Sailing requires teamwork so it is a perfect activity for the entire family. Your crew can include even the youngest ones as long as you are able to supervise them and everyone is wearing life jackets. Apart from teamwork, your crew will be able to practice mental and dexterity skills.

Family memorabilia

Spend quality family time creating ‘legacy for my future-self’. This is something that your children will be able to appreciate once they grow up and as a bonus, they get to do something special in the present. You can have fun making family videos and gathering material for a family video journal. This is something which can be done daily or on special family occasions. Ask your children to help you gather memorabilia to put in a time capsule and keep it somewhere special. Perhaps you shouldn’t bury it in your backyard in case you move, but either put it in a safe place or bury it in a local forest but make sure you can find it 20 years from now or whenever you set the date. Another thing you can do is plant trees and leave your mark on this planet. Apparently, the tree you plant will produce oxygen you need for your entire life, so in a way, you are investing in your future.

Learn about society, history, and nature around you

This activity has two parts. The first part is selecting the subject you would like to know more about and doing some basic research at home, while the second part involves fieldwork. Visit museums, zoos, important historical sites in your area to get to know it better. Ask your children to keep a diary of what they have seen and learned. They can decorate it with family photos from the ‘field explorations’.

Miniature Golf

Similarly to bowling, not much effort is required on your behalf, apart from a visit to your local miniature golf club. Your children will love the obstacles and find themselves placed in a little fairy tale land. It is actually quite like Alice in Wonderland but with golf instead of croquette.Swingeagle suggests bringing the game up by having a golf coach show your kids a couple of good moves, practicing will make them even more excited about the game.

Treasure hunt

If you want to stay home, but still encourage your little explorers to think, organize a treasure hunt in your backyard and in your house. It will involve some creativity on you’re and your partner’s part but it will be worth the effort. You will raise their curiosity level in your children and you will be able to enjoy seeing what it does to them and how excited they get when they finally reach and share their bounty.

Board Games

Board Games are classic family entertainment and you can play them at home on a rainy day when you cannot enjoy the outdoors. You can dedicate an entire day and organize a tournament with your family friends and their kids. They will enjoy being competitive, however, some children are still not used to losing so make sure everyone gets some sort of prize.

Camping

If the weather forecast predicts that the weekend ahead of you is warm and sunny, it is the perfect time to go on a camping trip. You can go camping even if the weather is not perfect but I would not suggest doing it if your kids are still young. Again, you can ask family friends to join you and you can playfully teach the kids how to survive in the wilderness

Arts and crafts

Every child will enjoy this activity and you won’t be any less excited. There are a number of things you can do during the family hours dedicated to art, you can paint on canvas, vases, wood, make animals out of play dough etc. You can start them on a DIY adventure which will stick with them for life. Teach them how to make holiday decorations, remodel old furniture, make flower pots out of jars etc.

Family dinner

Cook a tasty meal together. Make sure it is something elaborate enough to ensure everyone has a task. Please be aware that your kitchen is a dangerous playground so supervise everything your kids do. You can have one adult leading the process and another one mingling with the kids and overlooking their work. Once you are done you can enjoy your tasty award.

There are plenty of ways you can spend your time as a family. Spending quality time together will bring you closer and ensure your children’s healthy emotional development.