Family fun ideas are always a welcome addition to my parenting arsenal. I say arsenal, although lately it feels more like a haphazard knapsack packed by chimps. Am I right?
The past few months have been really tough on parents. And everyone. But let’s talk about parents for a second…
I know many of us have fallen victims to screen time struggles, boredom, and an overall lack of motivation. Heck, I’ve been spending more time watching TikTok videos than blogging lately, and I’ve definitely not felt guilty about it. I’ve needed to mentally check out for a bit, and watching other people do dumb stuff online has been refreshing. Cheap laughs have really been needed lately. Not even sorry about my scroll habits as of late.
Anyway, moving on…
It’s been a trying time for parents. I’m sure many of you are used to being with your children A LOT, but this has been a really long run without many breaks for most of us. It’s draining. Some might call this spring of Corona madness a bit of a killjoy. I’d have to agree.
With that in mind, I’ve been thinking about trying to have more fun at home. Just really doing simple things to help rekindle the fun that’s been sucked out of summer 2020 via canceled-this and closed-down-that.
Family fun is something we try to incorporate into each day, even when it feels like work (like when I’m a crabby, sleepy baby). My husband is terrific at this. He is always teaching, playing, or engaging the kids when he is home. When he is at work, I have a lot of jobs to do, so I sometimes forget to stop and have a little fun.
Why Family Fun Is Important
If you’re looking to build strong family bonds and timeless traditions, look no further than playing together as a family. According to the American College of Pediatricians, family fun has three key benefits: better behavior, less stress, and stronger family bonds. This makes playing together a no-brainer!
Enter Coronapocalypse 2020
So, if you live on planet Earth, you’ve undoubtedly been bombarded with news about the novel coronavirus/Covid 19. As a result of the global efforts to combat this new illness, many families have found themselves at home much more than usual. Not only that, but many families have more time for leisure than ever before.
In the U.S., school, sports, and pretty much every summer festival or gathering has been preemptively canceled. In our state, Ohio, many communities have decided against even opening swimming pools this season. And let’s not forget about 2020’s newest catchphrase, “social distancing.”
With all that is going on, having a few ideas for family fun will definitely help to pass the time. Staying at home doesn’t have to be a total drag!
Simple Ways to Build Family Fun (At Home) into Your Day
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Go for a walk. Take a stroll through your neighborhood. Play Eye-Spy as you go.
Bike ride. I got this bike trailer 10 years ago, and it has held up to all of my four children. I can pull my younger kids in it while my older kids ride their bikes. It was a great investment and an excellent workout.
Sidewalk chalk. Draw some silly pictures or write uplifting messages to your neighbors. We love this big box of sidewalk chalk! It has all.the.colors.
Kickball. We have a simple playground ball, and we love to kick it back and forth. It’s great for the younger ones, and it’s the perfect opportunity to help littles learn to take turns.
Play catch. Pick up that unused mitt and toss a baseball or softball around. We got some of these softer baseballs for the boys in hopes of saving us from any mayhem.
Obstacle course. Use your yard’s landmarks to give challenges. For example, run to the swingset, climb under the slide, run behind the tree, etc. Get creative! We even use sidewalk chalk to make courses on our driveway. My boys love this!
Hide and seek. Classic fun that kids of all ages can enjoy!
Freeze tag. Moms and Dads will need to eat their Wheaties to keep up with the kids on this game!
Simon Says. Take turns letting different family members be Simon. We play a variation I call MOMMY SAYS. The kids think it’s hilarious!
Red Light, Green Light. Even your two year old can learn this game!
Squirt guns. Fill up some of these fun squirt guns and go to war. My boys love to chase each other around, and it helps to keep them cool on the hot days.
Water balloons. If you haven’t spent an hour filling up a dozen water balloons, then you may not fully appreciate how awesome these self-sealing ones are! As an 80s baby, I can’t even imagine how rich the inventor of these water balloons must be!
Races. Running, egg races, relays, etc. Easy and free ways to get moving and have some fun!
Swim and splash. With community pools shut down nationwide, having a small pool in your own yard can be a really great way to keep kids happy and cool. While prices are up due to demand, it may be a worthwhile investment to help stay cool during the hot summer months. And if you’re not comfortable with a pool, check out this awesome splash pad or this water table instead.
Blow bubbles. Even my dog loves it when we start playing with the bubble wands. And my yard has been mowed by a bubble mower for about 10 years now.
Swing. There are so many swings to choose from nowadays! We got a super cool circular swing to hang in our tree that my boys LOVE, a baby swing for our little one, and a hammock swing for me. Everyone loves to spend a little time on the swings.
Mud kitchen. Hop on over to Pinterest and see what these are all about. It’s basically a space and some kitchen utensils for playing in the mud. Ours is pretty simple, but the sky is the limit.
Sandbox. My crew loves to dig in the dirt. We love our sandbox and get use out of it every day. We’ve had this classic turtle for ages, but I have my eye on something a little bit more modern, too!
Get out there and have some fun!
There you have it! My best bets for adding some family fun to your daily routine. It really doesn’t take a lot to have fun with your kids. Usually all they really want is for you to join in and play along. If you’re looking for fresh materials for a backyard, then I hope I gave you some ideas.
Let me know if you have any ideas to add to this list! Drop me an email at ashley@minivansandmayhem.com
