With all of today’s distractions, it is so important to prioritize quality family time. Today we are sharing our favorite and fun family time ideas to help you reconnect as a family this weekend.
We are in need of some serious quality family time lately. When we are travelling we always have a great time and it feels so good to be connected. Sadly we can’t travel year round. I needed to brainstorm family time activities we could do year round.
With school and work we end up getting into a routine and life becomes busy. Our weekends are full of chores and obligations. Unless we plan something, we end up sitting around doing house chores or playing on electronics.
The idea of doing new things and discovering new things is good for us as a family but it is also good for me. I feel like it is easy to get into a family rut of doing the same thing every weekend. This is a good way to keep life new and exciting.
When we lived in Pittsburgh we would get out every weekend and discover something new. Maybe it was the new city or the lack of responsibility but we were always doing something. We were having adventures.
I like the idea of planning something outside every weekend but I knew that our weather would prevent us from being outside every weekend so I focused on ideas for family activities that would connect us, inside or out.
I wanted to make a list of something we could do every weekend that took minimal planning and made it easy for us to spend quality family time together.
Fun Family Time Ideas to Start this Weekend
1. Discover a new breakfast place.
2. Watch the sunset.
3. Walk on the beach.
4. Take a nature hike.
5. Walk around your neighborhood and play I Spy.
6. Visit a National Park.
7. Have a backyard picnic.
8. Go see a movie.
9. Go roller skating.
10. Go ice skating.
11. Visit your local library.
12. Visit your local Science Center.
13. Plan a Free Day.
14. Drive to the next town over and discover a new restaurant.
15. Visit the Zoo.
16. Visit your local animal shelter and donate old blankets.
17. Go on vacation.
18. Visit a new place you have never visited.
19. Listen to fun music and go for a drive.
20. Google your city and top ten things to do and schedule them on your calendar.
21. Plan an overnight in your own town. Enjoy the pool and act like a tourist.
22. Surprise out of town relatives with a visit.
23. Do something you always wanted to do.
24. Visit your local Children’s museum.
25. Visit a Public market.
26. Visit a theme park.
27. Go see a waterfall.
28. Paint a picture together.
29. Go to a waterpark.
30. Have a water balloon toss.
31. Discover a new playground.
32. Play board games.
33. Plan an afternoon movie day.
34. Bake cookies.
35. Attend a sports event.
36. Go out to eat and try a new cuisine.
37. Read a book together.
38. Visit a Historical Site.
39. Go bowling.
40. Have friends over for a dinner party.
41. Participate in a 5k together.
42. Build your town in Legos.
43. Dress up and go out to dinner. (or lunch.)
44. Plan a Mystery Day.
45. Let the kids pick the activity.
46. Go apple picking or any fruit/vegetable.
47. Visit your local track and have your own Olympics.
48. Make Tie-Dye shirts.
49. Visit your local Art Museum.
50. Write and illustrate a story together.
51. Watch the sunrise.
52. Go out for ice cream.
I hope you are inspired to get out there. It may seem odd to schedule in family time but I promise you will not regret it. It will be an activity that you will look forward and help you and your family connect before the busy week ahead.
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Leah has been traveling with her family of 5 since 2012 and sharing her expertise on planning family vacations and visiting theme parks since 2016. Leah has been featured in Visit Rochester, Undercover Tourist, and Home Publications. She has worked with brands like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Hersheypark, Toyota, and various Tourism boards and destinations. Leah creates family travel itineraries based on real trip experiences with her family. Her guides and tips help others plan great family vacations. Learn more about Leah and Five for the Road.
Yes we do too! Fall is a great time to get outside!
I love these ideas! I am always looking for things to do with my kids. Thanks for the list!
Thanks for reading!
Love all of these ideas! I really like the one about discovering a new breakfast spot. We very rarely venture out for breakfast and it would be a nice little treat for everyone.
I’m so happy you liked them!! Thanks for reading!
Great tips here … being outdoors and doing an activity together is one of my favorite things to do as a family 🙂
❥ tanvii.com
Us too! Thanks for reading!
I love that “visit the library” is on your list!
This list is great and inspires me to create my own to capture some moments with my teen before she heads off to college.
Thanks for reading! The time goes so fast with our kids! Have fun!
Thanks for reading! Spending time with family is really the best.
Some great ideas here Leah! I need to get the kiddos out more in our city!
Thank you!! I hope you get out this weekend! It’s so cold here so I am not sure what we are going to do!
Your ideas are so special!! I love being outside and sunsets and exploring! Great list!
Thank you so much for reading! I love seeing the sunset too!
Thank you!
Thank you! Activities do have a special magic to them when the kids are older but the little stage is so amazing!
This is a great list!
Thank you so much! Hope you are enjoying a great family weekend.
I really liked reading this. This is something I’m always trying to figure out, and find balance with since we have a new addition to our family. Such great ideas.
Angela
Thank you so much! It is hard with a change in the family but I hope some of the ideas help you get started.
These are some great ideas. We like going to watch the sunrise at the beach- it’s not only beautiful, but it’s empty so we pretty much have the beach to ourselves (and great parking!) for a few hours. Also, love listening to audio books in the car! Not only do you experience the story together, but the kids are also quiet. Win-Win!
Yes!! Win-win for sure!
I LOVE this! Something for each week of the year!
Thank you! I hope you are getting out there this weekend!
This is such a great list! I love that it can be used pretty much anywhere. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for reading!
Thank you so much for reading! I hear you! It is hard to plan sometimes!
That is how we are too!! Summer is easy…winter takes work!
These are all AMAZING ideas!!! It’s so great to have a list of ideas at hand and ready to go! Quality time is so important!
Thank you!!! I am so happy you are inspired and ready to go!! Have a great weekend!
These are really good family ideas to get everyone up and out of the house.
Thank you! Hope you have something fun planned this weekend!
Thanks! We are trying to really make it a priority. The winter months always get us stuck inside so I’m really trying this year.
Thank you!! I know life gets so busy but its great to have some ideas when you need to get out of the house!
Thank you! I hope you can use them this year.
So many great ideas here! We’re always looking for fun ways to spend time together as a family… I pinned this so that I can refer back to it later. Thanks!
This is a great list! I will have to keep some of these in mind on days when we can’t think of things to do!
Thank you so much!! I am so glad you liked it. I love to travel and wish we could do it full time but the reality is we need to make the time and stuff we can do affordable and fun. I am so happy it inspired you!!