25 Quality Family Time Ideas Everyone Will Love
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Wondering about how you can spend more time with your loved ones? Check out these 25 quality family time ideas that are sure to bring everyone closer together.
Do your kids love scratch off cards as much as mine do?
No, I don’t let them gamble. But last Christmas, I did purchase an Adventure Journal for our family that has been such a riot. My kids love scratching off the squares to find out what challenge we will tackle together next – usually it’s something I wouldn’t think of on my own, and ends in a lot of laughs!
Sometimes, we just get stuck in a rut and need some new ideas to obliterate boredom in our family routine. If you don’t want to purchase an Adventure Journal (I know they’re not super cheap), I’ve got some great ideas below for spending quality time with your family, making memories, sharing laughs, and bonding for hours.
At the end of the post, I’m sharing a free printable with you that you can turn into your own scratch-off challenge – I’ll show you how!
Quality Family Time Ideas to Try
1. Go for a Hike
Hiking is a great way to get some exercise outdoors and explore some new areas, especially if this activity is new to your family. Check out this post with some great tips for hiking with kids, as well as their links for finding hiking trails near you.
2. Visit Local Parks
One summer we spent each week finding and exploring a new local park or playground. We had a blast, and my kids were rarely bored! This can be fun to do throughout the year. Some parks might have spots to play sports together, or water features that are sure to be a hit during warmer months.
3. Go Roller Skating
Any hidden roller skating talent from back in the day? Show it off for the kids (just make sure to wear appropriate safety gear!). Visit a local roller skating rink for a treat, or find some affordable gear to keep on hand at home for when the mood strikes.
4. Visit an Ice Skating Rink
Similarly, you could visit an ice skating rink. We don’t do this nearly enough, but because of that, my kids always think it is such a treat when we get to go! It’s a wonderful way to spend quality family time together, while gliding around on the ice (or, like in my case, getting a great ab workout trying to balance two kids hanging off of me the whole time).
5. Play Some Board Games
Many nights after dinner, we use this time to play board games together. Even if it’s just for 30 minutes…it’s become such a sweet, quality family time tradition. You could have some educational board games on hand if you want, or just let each family member take turns choosing which game to play.
Some of our favorites: Harry Potter Clue, Monopoly Builder, Life, and Tri-Onimos.
6. Make Art Together
Art doesn’t have to just happen during “homeschooling time”! Browse the local craft store together and pick up some supplies that inspire your kids. Encourage them to be creative. We love using canvas boards to paint our own designs on (and I love these to help me hang up the artwork around the house!).
If your kids are older, they might enjoy going to a painting class or a pottery shop. Making art together is a great way to get in some quality family time.
7. Visit an Arcade
This is always a hit with the kids (and a blow to the budget – but a ton of fun if you can manage it!). Find a local arcade or travel a little further to visit one you haven’t been to before. Your kids will love playing all the different games (and you can get in on the fun and action, too!).
8. Build a Snowman
Now, you might think this is just a winter activity. It sure can be – if it’s snowing near you, you’ve got an easy plan for the day! Get your kids to help rolling snow balls and decorating your snowman with different accessories.
If it’s not snowing (or you don’t live in a place where it snows!), try these indoor snowman building activities for just as much fun.
9. Watch a Movie
This is a weekly must for us, and it truly is a great quality family time activity. We love bonding over our favorite movies and characters! If this isn’t a regular routine for you, I urge you to try it out. Rotate who chooses the movie each week, giving everyone a chance to pick what they want to watch.
10. Grow a Garden
This is not one of my strong suits for sure (we have attempted – and failed – at our garden twice already), but you might have better luck than me! Consider starting one together and cultivate great conversations with your family while planting seeds, pulling weeks, and watering plants.
You might enjoy the School Garden Curriculum if you want to turn this into a great, comprehensive educational experience.
11. Go to the Zoo
It just had to make the list. Take a trip to the zoo with your family and visit all kinds of animals and exhibits. Always a favorite!
12. Visit an Aquarium
Visiting a local aquarium is also a great idea, and a fun learning experience for the kids!
13. Have a Campfire
Nothing cozier than sitting around a firepit in the backyard on a nice night! Bring out some S’mores and you’ll earn major cool mom points from the kids.
14. Go on a Camping Trip
Step away from the typical life for a few days and go on an electronic-free camping trip! I promise you’ll survive and have a great time making memories with your loved ones.
If you’ve never been camping, here are some camping tips to encourage you to give it a try.
15. Go to the Beach
If you’re able to, plan a trip to a beach with your family. Check out this list for the top kid-friendly beaches to visit in the United States.
16. Visit an Amusement Park
Grab some friends and visit a local amusement park for some fun and excitement! There is something for everyone at most parks, including rides for your littlest kids.
17. Go to a Local Farmer’s Market
This is a great way to not only grab some fresh fruits and veggies, but you can also support local small businesses by shopping at Farmer’s Markets.
Check out Local Harvest to find some Farmer’s Markets near you.
18. Go Kayaking
If there is a lake near you, give kayaking a try with your loved ones. It’s a unique way to get in that quality family time, and your kids might discover a new hobby they love.
19. Volunteer Together
Volunteering with your family is a meaningful way to spend time together, but impact the lives of others in a positive way. Check out my series on volunteering with your family to get some great ideas.
20. Play Card Games
Another favorite of ours! We will sometimes substitute our board games for card games. Rummy is a classic, but we love showing our kids how to play games like Phase 10, Speed, and Old Maid.
21. Go on a Picnic
Plan and put together a picnic with your kids. Choose a perfect area to set it up, and enjoy eating lunch together outside.
22. Grab Ice Cream at a Local Ice Cream Shop
Hit up a small-biz ice cream or sno-cone shop, or enjoy Fro Yo together. Let each kid pick out exactly what they want – it will be such a treat!
23. Eat Out at a Restaurant
Take your kids out at a random time to your favorite restaurant. This is fun especially if you don’t go out to eat much. It’s a great way to spend time with your family while enjoying delicious food!
24. Prepare a Meal at Home Together
Invite each family member to lend a helping hand in prepping a meal. Not only is it a great quality family time activity, but it’s a great way to teach your kids how to help in the kitchen.
25. Create Fun Shapes with Clay
Similar to the art suggestion, grab some clay to create fun shapes and different molds together. It will be a great opportunity to talk while you create, laugh together, and admire each person’s individuality in their creations.
Free Family Activity Scratch-Off Card
Remember I mentioned our scratch-off book at the beginning? I thought it would be fun to create a similar concept in printable form that you can use as is, or edit to add your own family fun activity ideas.
Scratch-off cards are really easy to make! All you’ll need is:
- Cardstock (not absolutely necessary, but nice for a sturdy scratch-off card)
- Free printable template (grab below!)
- 1″ Square Scratch-Off Stickers
Simply grab the printable below by entering your information, and I’ll send it to you right away to your email. (Don’t worry – I won’t spam you, you can unsubscribe anytime, all that jazz. But I do share a lot of fun homeschool resources, printables, and exclusives I don’t think you’ll want to miss).
This printable includes two pages: one already filled in with activity suggestions, and one editable blank page you can type or write in your own ideas.
Once you print it out, cover each square with a sticker, then let your kids choose which they want to scratch-off first! (I’d recommend the caveat that you MUST complete the quality family time activity that you uncover – makes it a bit more fun!).
Now that you have some ideas for quality family time, which activities are you going to do first? Which activities will you add to your scratch-off card that weren’t on my list? Let me know in the comments!
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- How To Start A Family Read-Aloud Tradition (and Why You Should!)
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