When was the last time you and your kids had fun as a family without turning on the TV? If it’s been awhile, what in the world are you waiting for? Kids grow up faster than you can imagine, so the time to unplug the television and tune into each other is now. In the interest of reviving Family Fun Night everywhere, we’re pleased to present a few engaging activities you can do together.
Bored is not an option
If your kids complain that hanging out with parents and siblings is simply too boring, break out the board games. Classics such as Monopoly, Risk, Candyland and Cooties are sure to be fun for baby boomer parents and a whole new gaming adventure for their kids. These days, too many preteens and teenagers spend an inordinate amount of time engaged with their phone or staring at a television. Playing games together as a family can encourage conversation and human interaction. Plus, it can be a whole lot of fun.
Creative family time rocks
Crafts projects offer a creative way for families to hang out and have fun together. In autumn, gather colorful leaves and let an adult press them between sheets of waxed paper, then let the kids cut them out to make fanciful holiday decorations. In summertime, glue seashells into shadow boxes, then find out their names and label each one. Springtime always surprise with scads of wildflowers. Gather them by day, then have a family fun night making garlands and bouquets.
Turn off the television and turn on your phones. Don’t text, though. This time is about making art as a family. This mandala coloring book app from Google Play offers a selection of lovely geometric patterns along with a rainbow of colors. Have a friendly family competition to see who can color a mandala fastest, and be sure to give a prize to the one who takes the most time to color in a mandala, too.
A Family Fun Night under the stars
On a warm summer night, spread a few blankets on the backyard lawn and look up. There’s a big universe to explore and learning the names of stars, planets, comets and constellations is a wonderful way to begin. Stardate offers a fabulous inventory of free guides to the nighttime sky. Visit their website to find out what’s happening in the sky above your neighborhood, then look for the stars and planets mentioned. If you have a telescope, that’s great, but there are numerous astronomical wonders you can see with your naked eyes.
Pitch a tent, fire up the barbecue and enjoy a happy outdoor gathering with friends and family, says She Knows magazine. Ghost stories told around a campfire can be spooky fun for older kids. Littler kids might fare better in their sleeping bags after a few fun fairy tales.
These days, everyone’s connected one way or another. The trick is to disconnect and enjoy face-to-face family time once in awhile, too.
Freddie Oliver has 3 kids under the age of 10 and enjoys getting everyone involved in some quality family bonding time. He writes about this in his articles.
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