Beyond just sitting down to dinner, it’s important to carve out time in your busy week to do something fun together as a family. You don’t have to spend a lot of time or money; you can use the materials you already have at home to plan some entertaining activities.
Try to designate the same night each week as “Family Night” so that all the kids and adults in your family can plan accordingly and make time for it. View it as a chance to relax and let loose with the people you love most, setting all external stressors aside for a few hours. Here are a few ideas for a weekly family night that we recommend you try:
Play Cards or a Board Game
With all the electronic games on the market, many kids these days grow up without the joy of playing a traditional board game. Wipe off the cobwebs that have been collecting on your old Monopoly and Scrabble games and introduce your kids to some old-fashioned fun. Or, bust out that well-worn deck of cards and teach your younger ones how to play Go Fish and maybe even Poker with the older kids. You can bet with pennies or pieces of candy!
Make Popcorn and Watch a Family Movie
Pick a classic movie that the whole family can enjoy, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Sound of Music. Pull out extra blankets and pillows to make your living room a super comfy movie theater. Try making popcorn the old-fashioned way using oil, kernels, and a pot. Add flavour with butter, salt, or even Parmesan cheese.
Build a Fort
When’s the last time you built a fort? Use chairs, sheets, blankets, couches, and other furniture to create a massive homemade tent for your whole family. Don’t forget flashlights, because it will be dark in there! You can pretend you’re in a secret hideout or in the dungeon of a castle with little ones and create a story about how you got there. Use your imagination!
Make a Yummy Dessert Together
Bake some homemade chocolate chip cookies together or look online for a fun, unique recipe to try. During the summer, you can try concocting your own ice cream, or bake a pie together during the holidays. Don’t forget the milk!
Have a Talent Show
Challenge each member of your family to come up with a talent act for a specified date. It can be anything from singing to dancing to playing an instrument to showing off a painting. Encourage your kids to be creative and to know that the sky is the limit. Bring over a family friend to act as an emcee and show off your skills!
Write and Illustrate a Book
Collaborate on your own short story by writing a chapter each week as a family. Take the effort to type up the story and bind it, but leave space for drawings. Allow your kids to illustrate your adventurous tale, then laminate the pages to protect them from damage. Put the book on your coffee table as a reminder of your collective literary talent and a final product that your family can be proud of.
Tell Scary Stories
Challenge your fearless kids to come up with the spookiest story they can, then share them in the living room with flashlights and the lights off for an extra-creepy twist. If you have a fire pit in the backyard, this may be the perfect time to roast S’mores while trying your best to scare each other!
Get creative and think of your own ideas based on your family’s interests. Plan a few weekend days to go do something fun outside, like having a picnic or flying a kite. Or even take one of these nights as a planning time to hear what ideas your kids have for future vacations or day trips. It’s all about having fun and taking the time to enjoy life!
