How to make it more than just the usual pizza and movie night!
Family fun nights are fun but are you stuck in a rut of doing the same thing?
Staying in on a weekend evening is a special time to bond as a family. After a busy week of work, activities, or school it’s nice being together and not have to rush off somewhere. But as wonderful as these times are it’s easy to resort to the same thing over and over. Understandably, you’re exhausted and who has the energy to come up with something new and different?
We took care of that for you! Breathe new life into your next family fun night with these original ideas!
The Best Family Fun Night Ideas
Make it a memorable one! These activities will get everyone laughing, talking, and having a good time.
Scavenger Hunt
Kids love scavenger hunts. There is something about going on a quest like hunting for buried treasure that gets them energized to look for clues all over the house!
You can easily come up with your own clues that lead kids from room to room or you can simply find one to print off (Pinterest is a great place for pre-made scavenger hunts.) To make it more exciting leave an extra special treat with the last clue to reward kids for all of their hard work. Candy, a coupon for an ice cream cone, or little party favors are some ideas.
Put a twist on the traditional scavenger hunt and do an escape room for older kids. An escape room consists of setting up a theme in one room. Everyone works together to find clues and solve puzzles to escape the room within a certain time. Pinterest is another great resource for escape room ideas.
Family Feud
Game night is fun but make it more interesting by playing Family Feud. Using the kid’s version is highly recommended.
Break your family up into teams and see how fast you can guess the answers on the survey. If needed grown-ups can take turns being the host. Make it a fun group experience by playing with another family in-person or via face-timing.
Throwing in a grand prize for the winning team makes it exciting. You can offer small treats or trinkets for the prize.
Baking Factory
Kids love to bake. Set up a baking factory in your own home! Dig out your favorite sugar cutout cookie recipe and put the family to work.
Set up stations like a rolling dough and cookie-cutter station and a frosting and sprinkles station. Or simply make the cookies ahead of time and just do the decorating together.
Use cookie cutters of different shapes and sprinkles of varying colors. Make your own frosting or use store-bought.
Share your goodies with friends or neighbors too! Brighten someone’s day and put together cookie plates to give away.
Science Lab
Did you know your kitchen offers a wealth of ideas for science experiments? Set one up in your home and explore as a family.
Here are some simple yet fascinating science experiments you can do at home.
Oobleck: Kind of slime, kind of solid. Whatever it is, it’s a fun texture to play with! Pour one cup of cornstarch into a mixing bowl. Slowly pour in water mixing as you go. Keep adding more water until the mixture becomes thick (and hardens when you tap on it). Add more cornstarch if it gets too runny, and more water if it becomes too thick.
Pop Pop Fiz Fiz: Place a tall glass or vase on a cookie sheet. Pour in a little baking soda on the bottom of the glass. Slowly add in the vinegar and watch the solution foam up and spill over the top! You can add some food coloring. Or turn it into a volcano by molding playdough around the glass first before adding the elements for the solution.
Tornado In A Bottle: Using a plastic water bottle, fill with water ¾ full. Then add a few drops of dish soap. Next, add a few drops of food coloring. Optional, add in glitter or beads. Screw on the cap. Now give the bottle a swirl. Do you see the tornado? If you want to keep the bottle as a sensory bottle glue the cap on so nothing spills out.
Ultimate Fort
Go on a scavenger hunt and gather up blankets, pillows and boxes. Let the kids climb to attach things to the walls, crawl to build tunnels and pillows to crash in.
Once the fort is built camp inside and play games, tell stories, or have a snack. If you’re up for it have family sleepover inside the fort!
Nature Walk
Take it outside and go for a nurture walk. Check out a nearby trail or just take a walk in your neighborhood.
Make a list of things to find and turn your hike into an “I Spy” game. See if you can find signs of seasons changing. Look for things growing or decomposing. Go out at night and take flashlights. Go to an open field and do some stargazing.
Dance Party
Crank-up your favorite tunes and see who can dance the longest. Spin golden oldies and have a sockhop. Get out a stick and do the limbo. Create your own family dance routine or put on your own dance recital!
Ninja Warrior
Build an obstacle course either indoors or out. Find things to climb, crawl, jump, through. You can use pillows, chairs, tables, hoops, or blankets for indoors. Swingsets, sporting equipment, large rocks or logs can be used for outdoors.
Kids can take turns on the course. Turn it into a race to see who gets the best time. Repeat the course over and over to try to get a personal best.
Bon-Fire
If you have an outdoor fire pit this is a great way to spend time outdoors on a beautiful night. Do the usual marshmallow roasting, catch fireflies, and play flashlight tag. If it is yucky out and you have a fireplace why not have an indoor “bonfire” and roast marshmallows. You can incorporate a camping dinner and roast hot dogs, cook up a vat baked beans, and have an indoor picnic.
Pizza quilt
Grab a cookie sheet, pizza dough, and other ingredients and let each person design their own pizza in each corner of the pan. Let the kids get creative as they want.
Family fun night should be memorable! Try out one or all of these ideas to bond and make memories with yours!