21 Fun Family Activities Everyone Will Enjoy
The ongoing pandemic has been rough for everyone. There were limits on social gatherings, and many families had to readjust their travel plans.
But, society is slowly returning to normal. So there will be plenty of fun family activities you’ll be able to do without limitations.
Although you may have dealt with financial struggles throughout the pandemic, there is plenty of opportunity for family bonding. The good news is that most fun activities for children are free, and some don’t require leaving the house!
You don’t have to sacrifice safety or be confined by a play structure; you just have to think outside the box. Check out several options below.
1. Play Hide and Seek
Boredom will strike once the kids are out of school. So what better way to get them off their feet than with a series of hiding and seek games?
It’s an excellent way for kids to have fun and safely explore their homes. You may need to set some guidelines if you’re children are a bit younger so no one gets hurt or lost.
Depending on the size of your yard, you can start outdoors first. Then after a few rounds, have your children venture indoors to find creative hiding spots. Who knows, you might find yourself in a crawl space too!
2. Family Biking
Biking is a great activity for family bonding. But it also encourages family exercise.
Before beginning, make sure you have the correct gear. At a minimum, everyone needs to wear a helmet. It reduces the risk of head injuries by 63%.
If you have young children, it would be best to start in a local part or quiet street that doesn’t have much traffic. As they get more experienced, you could venture into other areas to enhance the adventure.
Although each family is different, ideally, you want one adult in the front, kids in the middle, and the other adult as the anchor. It lets children know they’re safe.
3. Enjoy an Outdoor Picnic
There’s nothing like going on a picnic. But instead of packing all the ingredients yourself, get the kids involved.
Have them pack some of their favorite foods and treats. You could also have them pick one of the family’s favorite destinations. However, you might want to supervise the packing, just in case they add something that might widen your eyes.
4. Start a Family Garden
Finding kid-friendly activities can be challenging at times. But one they might find interesting is an outdoor garden.
Start by taking your children to a local gardening store. Then have them pick out the seeds, plants, and equipment for your garden. If your kids have input from the beginning, they’re more likely to tend to the garden throughout the process.
They will need some help planting the seeds. But you can create a schedule where they can check up on the plants and water when necessary. Before you know it, you’ll have a beautiful garden in your yard.
5. Have Reading Time
Although school is over, kids still need to keep their brains sharp. Try to encourage reading time as much as possible throughout the summer. When children read, it benefits them in various ways, such as:
- Increased concentration
- Improved language skills
- Helps develop a bond with their parent
- Supports cognitive development
Reading time doesn’t need to be an all-day affair. Block out one or two hours during the day so you can enjoy some fun activities later on.
6. Visit a Beach
When the weather is warm, and you have no outdoor pool, the beach is your best friend. You can use it as a celebratory treat for your children’s hard work throughout the school year.
Google your local beach, pack your gear, and then hit the road for some fun in the sun. Since you’ll be in the sun for an extended period, make sure you have sunscreen. It helps protect your skin from sunburn.
7. Teach the Kids How to Cook
Once your kids are of a certain age, you can teach them how to cook small meals. It’s great family fun and helps promote a healthy lifestyle in your home.
They can help prepare an old family recipe or find something interesting that involves making dough from scratch. If chopping is necessary, various kid-friendly knives encourage children to practice safe cutting techniques when prepping food.
8. Go Rollerblading
Rollerblading is one of those group activities where you’ll be laughing from the moment you start until you get back home. Someone will inevitably have a moment where they almost fall or fall entirely while trying to be funny.
Before heading out, you’ll need to have a good set of rollerblades. To find the best pair check out these rollerblade reviews from RollerSkateDad.com. You’ll also need a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads.
9. Enjoy a Staycation
Usually, when taking a family vacation, you leave your state for a warmer climate or go abroad. However, have you ever thought about enjoying a staycation?
Staycations are great because they eliminate the hassle that comes with traveling for an extended period. Instead, you can Google hotels and sites in your state and plan a trip around them.
You’ll have just as much fun without the stress. And you’ll still create lasting memories you can talk about for years on end.
10. Create an Obstacle Course in Your Yard
Most outdoor activities with the family lead to you leaving the house. However, you can always bring the fun to your home with an obstacle course in your yard.
It doesn’t have to be anything extensive like American Ninja Warrior (although you could try). Grab a few items from the toy store, such as:
- Hula hoops
- Ropes
- Hurdles
- Targets
Afterward, put together a safe but exciting obstacle course for the family. You can do it tournament style to make it even more exciting and crown a champion at the end.
11. Visit Museums
If your children are into history, museums are an excellent activity you can do together. They’re often filled with spectacular sights and information catered to all ages.
Find various museums in your state and travel around to a few of them. You might even pick up some information you weren’t aware of throughout your travels.
12. Do Chores Together
You’ve probably given this heading a funny look because you know kids don’t like doing chores. But it’s possible to do them in a fun way.
Instead of doing the cliche method that involves bribing them with money, here’s what you do:
- Create a weekly leader board
- Challenge each other to get chores done in a timely fashion
- At the end of the month, see who’s completed the most chores
- The winner decides on an activity of their choice
Not only will it encourage family bonding, but it will also help your kids learn the benefits of keeping their environment clean. Soon enough, your kids will be doing all the chores, and you can sit back and take it easy (which was the plan all along).
13. Play Board Games
Sometimes when your family is home on a Friday night, you might not want to watch something on Netflix. The next best thing is to play a few board games.
They’re great because they teach kids how to be patient, gracious winners and losers, and can also help with cognitive development. Furthermore, it promotes family bonding time, which you can pencil in every few weeks.
14. Watch a Live Sports Game
If your children are interested in sports, take them to a live game. There’s a certain excitement that sports brings out in people.
When you watch your local team on television, and they’re having a good or bad season, it can bring out different emotions. Live games are a different atmosphere because you can see these emotions firsthand.
Of course, it can be disparaging because of the comments and behavior of some of the fans. But it can create memories that your family can share forever.
15. Make a Time Capsule
Making a time capsule is exciting because you mostly see government officials complete this project. However, you can do the same thing in your home.
Compile some objects like old school reports, drawings, and notes to your future self. Then store them in a box and leave them in a cool, dark place.
Contrary to popular belief, burying it in the backyard is not a good idea. It will be exposed to outdoor elements, meaning it will be soggy once you unearth it in a few years.
16. Go to the Movies
A simple but enjoyable family activity is attending the movies. You can even make it an all-day affair by buying tickets to multiple films your family is interested in.
Check your local theatre to see what movies are available and plan your day. If you choose to be there for an extended period, buy tickets online to avoid long lines when you enter.
17. Play Video Games Together
With the advancement of technology over there years, video game consoles have become more realistic. As a result, they garner the attention of children and adults.
You might see games advertised that don’t seem kid-friendly. But that’s far from the truth.
Every console has games that everyone in the family can enjoy. Search online for exciting items, and bring the gaming competition into your home.
18. Create Family Art
If your children show minor signs of artistic talent, cultivate it by having an art night. Grab pens, papers, and art supplies. Then have everyone sit down and draw an object in your home.
You could take it a step further and buy cheaper art utensils and easels to paint the object instead. It’s a healthy activity for young minds because it helps them express their worldview and creates family bonding time.
When you’re done, compare the drawings and have everyone discuss the meaning behind their art. If you’re not the most artistic person, be prepared for a few giggles at your expense.
19. Go for a Nature Walk
Sometimes the simplest activities are the best ones. That’s why you can never go wrong with a nature walk.
Find a local park or walk around your neighborhood. Have your children observe and track any plants or animals they see.
After a few weeks, repeat the same walk to see if anything is different about the area. You could also venture off into new territory and bring a picnic with you to sit down and talk about what you’ve seen as a family.
20. Go Camping
Camping is a great activity because you experience the great outdoors with your family. It’s like an enhanced version of a nature walk, but they’ll sleep overnight in a tent instead of going back home.
You can go to a local campsite. But if you feel that your family isn’t ready for that, you can pitch a tent in your backyard too (yes, it counts).
It might not seem as adventurous because your front door is a few feet away. But you can still keep your children entertained with a flashlight, ghost stories, and a few treats.
21. Do a Puzzle Together
Puzzles can be frustrating when you try and complete them by yourself. However, completing it with the family can be a lot of fun.
Start with a smaller puzzle to see how quickly you can finish it together. Then move on to a bigger and more challenging puzzle to really test the limits of your puzzle skills.
Enjoy These Fun Family Activities
You don’t have to plan the same outings when you want to do something with your family. Pick something from our list of fun family activities and create memories that will last a lifetime.
We hope you’ve learned a lot of information from this article. For related content, feel free to check out our blog.
