Fun Weekend Activities for Kids

Backyard Campout

• Organize a backyard campout, including a tent, campfire, marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate pieces. Involve your kids in planning and preparing for the campout, so they take ownership of the activity. Ask them to help set up the tent, transfer blankets and pillows outdoors and build the campfire. You can use a manufactured fire pit or a grill for the fire. Have an electronics-free night and take turns telling ghost stories or talking about your kids' interests. Turn the lights off in your house and observe the night sky, so your kids feel like they've left home to experience the outdoors. The goal is to show your children that spending time with them is a top priority, says Jim Taylor, of the University of San Francisco, in Psychology Today.

Fruit-Picking at an Orchard

• Take a day trip and visit a local orchard or farm that's open to the public on the weekends. Depending on your geographic location and the time of the year, you might be able to pick fruit at apple orchards, orange groves or strawberry patches. During the late summer and fall, some farms have pumpkin patches and an assortment of gourds to pick. Enjoy a hay ride or participate in a corn maze if they are available. Allow your children to bring home the fruit or vegetables they picked and eat or display them around the kitchen or yard. An out-of-the-ordinary activity, such as visiting an orchard, shows your children that they're special to you and are worth the time investment, Taylor suggests.

Sporting Event, Concert or Play

• Attend a local high school or community event that's held on the weekend, such as a varsity football game, an evening concert or a play. Check your local newspaper to find out what going on in your community -- some events are free. Visit local church bazaars or community flea markets and give your children a few dollars to hunt for something special. You might even encourage older children and teenagers to buy an item they can fix up or re-purpose. Elementary- and middle-school children might enjoy going to a varsity high school sporting event, knowing they'll eventually attend the school themselves. Discuss as a family what you enjoyed about the community activity.

A Hike and a Picnic

• Go on a hike at a nearby state park and take along a picnic lunch to enjoy as a family. The outdoor activity offers a pleasant change of pace for your kids after they've been cooped up in a classroom all week. Have your kids help you prepare the picnic lunch, so they can include some of their favorite food items. Ask them to help you carry the lunch supplies in their backpacks. Talk about what you see and hear on your hike, such as flowers, leaves, trees, birds, insects and animals. Physical activity is a positive way to bond with your kids and a healthy alternative to sitting around and watching TV.