Fun Family Activities You Can Do at Home

Time with your family should be enjoyable for everyone. Are you looking for some fun activities for the whole family? Family time is a chance to begin traditions and make memories to last a lifetime. In this article, we will discuss the importance of family time and activities you can do as a family at home. 

Encourages fun for family

Everyone loves a good movie or game night. Also, spending time with your family doing outdoor activities like a nature walk or biking can be entertaining. Besides these things, there are many positive reasons why you should spend time together as a family. 

Provides an opportunity to bond

Spending time with your family is an opportunity to work on your communication skills. Talking about the ups and downs of your day will give your kids a chance to practice listening skills. It’s important for you as the parents to also listen to your kids and hear about their day. This time will provide some possible teaching moments as well. Family bonding time is a chance to create good memories they can treasure forever. 

Teaches the value of family

Quality family time demonstrates to your children that they are valued and that spending time together is a priority. Carving out time to be with your family each week will show how much your value that time. Enjoy good conversation around the dinner table. It’s an opportunity to teach and talk about responsibility, respect, kindness, fairness, and courage. We can all agree that these core values must be taught and encouraged. 

Enhances mental well-being

We are all different. Family time should be a safe place for kids to be able to express themselves. It should be a time where they can ask questions or just tell you about their day. This is a chance to build strong, positive relationships and promote well-being and support. All of this will greatly benefit children’s mental health. During family time, parents can be a sounding board for their kids with any issues or problems that need to be solved. It is important that kids know they can trust and seek advice from their parents when needed. 

Helps a child feel loved

Children need to feel loved and valued. Spending time together will let them know that they are loved. Also, sharing experiences, playing games, and listening to them will solidify in their minds that they are loved. Children who know they are loved are happier and more apt to thrive. Although chores and work aren’t always fun, spending time with your children while doing those tasks is another essential part of showing them they are important. 

Creates a safe space

Creating a trusting atmosphere for children is essential. What better way to do this through family time. The more children can trust their parents, the more likely they are to share about themselves. Spending time together gives kids a sense of familiarity and feelings of being supported. This is a great way for parents to get to know their kids better. 

Reduces stress

The world is full of all kinds of stress. Spending quality time as a family can alleviate the stress. This is a time to talk things out and maybe even brainstorm a solution to a problem that may be causing stress. Face-to-face interaction can actually counteract the flight or fight response. Spending time with family is a natural way to relieve stress. 

Family Activities

Now that we’ve explored the importance of family time, what are some activities you can do together? Are you looking for activities to get out of the cold? Here are some ideas for family time activities.

1. Start an indoor garden

An indoor garden may not be the first indoor activity you think of. However, you can easily turn this activity into a STEM project and learning opportunity. You can give your kids journals and have them take notes on what they’ve planted and the progress of the plants. They can also draw the heights and measure the seedlings as they grow.

2. Play Board games

Breaking out the board games seems like an obvious family activity to do at home. If you’re trying to avoid a ton of screen time good old board games are just the ticket. Get your competitive spirit up and get ready to play. 

3. Bake and decorate

Baking together is a great family activity. You can find recipes online or on Pinterest. Whip up your own dessert bar with some topping essentials like M&M’s, frosting, sprinkles, etc. You can also have a bake off or decorating contest. Use your imagination and have a blast!

4. Do a jigsaw puzzle

Jigsaw puzzles is another old school family activity. Not everyone loves a jigsaw puzzle, but it is a perfect opportunity to work together. You can just leave the puzzle up and find a piece or two as you walk by. If you’re a puzzle lover, it’s likely you’ll spend several minutes or hours working on it. Time flies when you’re having fun. 

5. Build a blanket fort

Building a fort is another simple way to have fun as a family. Grab all the pillows and blankets and create a relaxing space. You can read books, tell stories, play games, or watch a movie. Maybe your fort is a rocket ship or a castle, just use your imagination! 

6. Minute to win it games

Minute to win it games are always entertaining. You may even have a bag full of minute to win it games all ready to play. You have 60 seconds! Ready…set… go!

a) Face the Cookie

Take an Oreo cookie and, with your head tilted back, place it on your forehead. Then attempt to move the cookie down your face from your forehead to your mouth without using your hands. The first one to eat the cookie wins.

b) The Nut Stacker

Take six hex nuts and a bamboo skewer. Then stack the hex nuts on the narrow sides using the skewer. The most stacked hex nuts or the first person to finish in a minute, wins it!

c) M&M Transfer 

Place an eighth to a quarter cup of M&M’s in a bowl for each person. Then take a straw and transfer the M&M’s to a plate by sucking on the straw. No hands! See how many a person can transfer in one minute and you win it!

d) Cup Stacker

Take a stack of twenty-five Solo cups for older kids, and twenty cups for eight years old or younger. Move cups one at a time from the bottom of the stack to the top of the stack. Use a different colored cup on top or mark it with tape or marker to indicate the top cup in the stack. 

Finally, it may seem simple but family time is essential for everyone. Don’t waste any more time! Create a schedule and make family night a weekly gathering. You’ll make lasting memories and traditions. 

By Katie Meyers

Katie Meyers is an SEO Specialist at SEO Design Chicago. Before joining the SEO Design Chicago team, she interned for them, as well as interned as a Content Writer at HZD Creates. Katie is from Washington State and has an AA and a Social Media Marketing Certificate.