Fun Family Activities at Home

Family activities at home protect the budget while providing an opportunity for bonding. The interests and personalities of family members guide the planning. Choose a variety of activities, allowing each family member to contribute. Take the opportunity to learn new things about each other and expand your horizons as individuals and as a family.

  1. Cooking

    • Gather in the kitchen to cook a meal together. Family cooking teaches kids basic kitchen safety and cooking skills while allowing the family to bond. Schedule regular family cooking nights and try a new recipe each time. Create a family cookbook with the new recipes everyone likes so you can find them easily later on. Let the kids help plan the menu and shop for ingredients to give them ownership over meal time.

    Crafts

    • Organize a craft night for the family. Select two or three craft projects or let each child plan a craft for the family. Organize all of the required materials in advance to make the craft night run smoothly. Select a different kind of craft each time. Consider making crafts related to holidays or items that double as gifts.

    Garden

    • Plan a family garden for an ongoing activity to enjoy together. Select a plot in the backyard or plant an indoor garden if space is limited. Determine the fruits, vegetables and flowers to include. Research the best plants for your climate. Include the entire family in the garden area preparation and plant care. Harvest the fruits and vegetables and incorporate them into meal planning for the family.

    Movie Night

    • Modify a traditional movie night by showing home movies. Kids enjoy watching themselves on the big screen, making this a fun family activity. Gather lots of pillows and blankets to create a comfortable viewing spot on the floor. Enjoy popcorn and other favorite movie snacks. Watch the videos and reminisce about family events. Pull out photo albums for additional memory-sharing opportunities.

    Family Scrapbook

    • Create a scrapbook as a family. Determine the theme, such as a recent family vacation or holiday. Select the pictures to be used. Adhere the pictures to the scrapbook pages. Embellish the pages with stickers, tickets from activities and other souvenirs. Place the pages inside a scrapbook and display it for visitors. Create a series of scrapbooks to document your family history.

    Backyard Camping

    • Set up a tent in the backyard for a family camping event. Grill dinner, using the heat from the coals to roast marshmallows for s'mores. Set up a telescope to study the stars. Sing campfire songs, use a flashlight to make shadow puppets or tell scary stories during the evening. Create a tent indoors using chairs and blankets if backyard camping isn't an option.

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