8 Awesome Activities Your Whole Family Will Enjoy
June 17, 2020 | by carol evenson, guest contributor
Families that spend leisure time together develop memories that last a lifetime. There are other benefits to family leisure time, it also creates strong bonds between family members, reduces stress, and creates open and healthy lines of communication. Whether you are looking to enjoy more quality time with your family, or just for some new ideas for the time you already spend together, there is no shortage of great ideas. Here are a few to get you started!
1. Play a Few Card Games
Card games are a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. They teach math skills, matching and strategy all while providing hours of fun and laughter. One of the nicest things about cards is that they are inexpensive and can go just about anywhere with you. Don't worry if you can't find a deck of cards. Grab a nearby tablet or computer and check out electronic versions of favorites like various iterations of solitaire and hearts.
2. Take a Leisurely Nature Walk
Spending time in nature has tremendous benefits for you and your family and walking is a great form of exercise. Put them together and you come up with a wonderful family activity that everyone can take part in. You can take a nature walk in a state or local park, a field near your home or even in your own backyard. In fact, you can turn a walk just about anywhere into a nature walk if you turn the focus to your natural surroundings.
3. Settle in for a Family Movie Night
Sometimes, you really just want to snuggle up under a warm blanket and watch the newest release. Family movie nights can provide a good release from a stressful week. Pop some popcorn, grab the dollar store candy and settle in for the show with the people you love most.
4. Plant a Family-Friendly Garden
Gardening is a great stress reliever, and it encourages spending time outside and physical activity. Plus, as weird as it may seem, lids often enjoy simple gardening chores like weeding. Let everyone pick a type of plant they want to include so they are invested in the effort. If you live in an apartment or you just don't have the space to add a garden, look at starting a small herb or salad garden in a windowsill planter.
5. Break Out the Lawn Games
Sometimes, the best games are the simplest ones. People have been playing lawn games like croquet and horseshoes for generations, and now is a great time to share them with a new generation. Be sure to choose games that are suitable for all players or divide up into teams where abilities even out.
6. Try Your Hand at Geocaching
Geocaching is like a massive high-tech scavenger hunt being played simultaneously by people all over the world. You'll use a GPS-enabled device to navigate to a specific set of coordinates. Once there, you will need to locate the hidden geocache box. You'll have a chance to write your name in the log and exchange a small ticket from it for one of your own that you leave behind. Since there are more than 3,000,000 geocaches hidden throughout the world, there are probably a couple near you right now.
7. Challenge Yourselves on a Magazine Scavenger Hunt
The weather doesn't always cooperate with plans for an outdoor adventure, but that doesn't have to stop you from searching for hidden treasure. In a magazine scavenger hunt, you flip through pages trying to be the first one to spot everything on the list. You can find plenty of premade scavenger hunt lists online that are easily adapted to a magazine format.
8. Go Camping
Camping is an excellent way to enjoy the great outdoors while spending quality time together as a family. If you have never attempted a trip, it pays to do a trial run right in the backyard. Younger kids might even enjoy camping in the yard throughout the summer as a way to test their independence.
Whether you want to go out and get some exercise or stay in on a rainy day, you can have fun as a family. With a little planning, these activities will have you laughing, learning and growing alongside each other as you become a stronger and more resilient family.
