08 Oct Family Fun: 5 Things to do With the Kids
Doing fun things as a family is incredibly important.
Everybody is so BUSY in the digital age– and not just adults. With my family specifically, parents are making music, running our own businesses, and maintaining a home. The kids are active in gymnastics, soccer, and scouts—and learning how to navigate the world as a newborn.
Needless to say, scheduling family time is essential to make sure that we’re all connecting, spending quality time together, and getting to have those great family talks.
Do you feel the same way? Not to worry—read on for 5 family fun activities you can all do together to strengthen your family bond.
1. Go to a Concert
For my family, a naturally built-in family event is going to see my husband Kris in concert.
I brought the tiny people to see Daddy play music pretty early on in their lives. Rosie was only about four months old when she first saw Daddy in action at a festival.
At these concerts, I encourage dancing, being silly, and cheering loudly for our favorite guy—and it really encourages camaraderie.
That said, keep in mind that the closer you get to the stage, the louder the music is. If you want to take little ones, you might want to buy your kids protective headphones or sit further away from the stage to avoid potential ear problems- or worse, waking a sleeping baby!
2. Have a Picnic
Sure, toddlers plus restaurants are generally not the most fun combination, but I still love having a change of scenery for dinner some nights.
Our family really enjoys packing a picnic full of our favorite things and taking it to a nearby park (or sometimes even just into the back yard!)
As a bonus, you don’t have to pay $8 for your kids to eat chicken nuggets at a restaurant only for them to decide that they don’t like them anyway. Since you’re in charge of the menu, you can ensure that you have something to please everyone. Less pressure means a happier momma!
Personally, I like to use my Artful Agenda meal tab to plan anything special I want to bring so that I can use it as a reminder when grocery shopping.
3. Be a Tourist in Your Hometown
Another fun family activity derives from thinking about the places YOU recommend to tourists who visit your hometown. I don’t know about you, but even though I know these places, it doesn’t mean that I ever visit them!
Alternatively, you can use websites like Groupon to locate popular hotspots in your area. Did you know that you can search by distance and things to do—and even filter by kid’s activities? Helpful, right?
(For instance, I just found out that there is a sweet reptile convention coming to Nashville in December—hoping we can fit this in for my little nature lovers!)
You can also see whether your region is listed on Kids Out and About. This website gives our family tons of ideas of locations to visit, and it even has input from other parents.
4. Get Artistic
When in doubt, pick an artsy project to do as a family either at home or in the community.
Why? Well, all kids like getting a little messy—and there’s no better way to do this than by creating art!
Some days, this could be something as simple as sidewalk chalk. On others, you could suggest that your little people make drawings or paintings for those whom they love (like Grandma and Grandpa).
Either way, being artistic is a great way to spend time with your family while thinking about the people you love who aren’t as close by!
5. Celebrate the Season
Finally, why not check what’s going on in your region on social media or your local kid’s event website? There are always things going on in our town related to the season.
Fall to my family means that the weather gets a little less hot, which prompts us to have fires outside on our back deck! We love enjoying that space as a family.
What happens in your region during the fall? Apple bobbing? Pumpkin picking?
The trick is to create a seasonal bucket list with your kids (I like to put mine in a list or in my monthly goals section via Artful Agenda). You can then let everyone have input and figure out ways to include each family member’s top activity choices into your monthly schedule!
Planning Family Fun Activities For All
The best family activities are ones that both the parents and kids can enjoy. Planning them can be a bit of a challenge.
Having a Dad who travels a lot for his music tends to complicate things when it comes to us organizing family nights. That’s why I find Artful Agenda super helpful.
Not only can I see everyone’s schedule by syncing their calendars, but I can cross-reference them to pinpoint a time that suits everybody. And then the fun can REALLY begin.
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