Ideas for your Next Family Night at home
Family time is so important not to lose sight of. I know that with working different hours, sports, homework, and life in general that sometimes days just get away from you. Our lives have become so busy with our schedules. We are pulled in all different directions. It’s necessary to remember that quality family time is essential to keeping families close. Having family nights is a wonderful way to reconnect. Simple and fun family night ideas that you can enjoy together.
By reinforcing these relationships benefit the wellbeing of both parents and children. You have to learn what “quality time” really means. Learning to be in the moment, be together. Being present is the best thing you can do. This will vary in each household.
Whatever you decide is “quality time” make sure to make it a priority for you and your family. Families spend time together differently. While family vacations or staycations are truly terrific but we can’t do that all the time. I say shut off the electronics and talk. It’s necessary that young children see their parents put the phones down and focus on being together.
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“A family that dines together stays together.”
Finding quality time together is difficult with our busy days, but not impossible and completely important. Research has shown the profound benefits of family time. When spending time together with your family it helps build self- esteem. Children also learn positive behaviors from the example of their families. By spending quality time together and discussing your problems of the day will help relieve stress. Even though the teenager in your life might push away family night ideas, ignore the grumbling and soon they will want to join in.
“As you spend more quality time together your family bond builds and becomes stronger.”
As you spend more quality time together your family bond builds and becomes stronger. In addition to eating meals, doing chores and watching a movie together there are alternative activities families can do together. Use this list of activities for family night ideas to get you started.
Having dinner together is not always easy with sports and activities at different times. When it’s possible, have dinner together as a family. On days when we have dinner together when everyone’s home, we make sure to put phones aside and focus on being together. It’s the time when we talk and share about our day. We speak to our son about his school day and we share about our day too.
This past year my child’s school announced a “Family Connect Night” each month. They will not assign homework on these specific nights. They realize how important it is to do special things with your child and escape from the day today. Schedule family time together if you need too. Make a point to be together with each other separate from everyday tasks. Therefore, if you have to schedule it it’s ok. Don’t be hard on yourself. Give your kids something to look forward too. Tell them this weekend we are going to the park, library or even a walk. Children can then look forward to it and be excited about that time. Being together as a family also gets kids talking and will give them memories. Memories are more important than toys.
By setting time aside and not being distracted by calls, tv, video games or phones you are showing what’s important to your children. Children learn they need balance in their lives. When children see their parents setting aside time for what’s important, they learn what to value in life.
Switch taking turns who picks the family activity for connect night. Discuss which activity the whole family wants to do and which activities are parent or kid preferred. By doing something that your child or spouse wants to but you don’t will show love and support for your family members.
Benefits of Family Night
- Builds self-esteem
- Creates positive behavior
- Relive stress
- Builds family bonds
- teaches value
- Creates lasting memories
Spending time together as a family will only benefit you and all your family members. Therefore quality family time brings more benefits than you realize.
Have fun together and go make memories!
Here are just a few suggestions of things to do together as a family.
20 Ideas for Family Activities for family night
1. Cook/ Bake Together –Kids Cooking Set
2. Go on a scavenger hunt
3. Go on a nature walk
4. Play games- Yahtzee
Related Reading for Amazing family board games
5. Take a bike ride
6. Build a fort together
7. Make paper planes
8. Play card games
9. Movie night
10. Go bowling
11. Arts and crafts night
12. Karaoke night- Karaoke Machine
13. Have a picnic
14. Exercise together
15. Minute to Win it Challenges
16. Look at old Pictures
17. Plant new flowers or vegetables
18. Mini golf
19. Eat out- Kids pick the place. Look at local restaurants for kid specials. Texas Roadhouse, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and IHOP all have kids nights.
20. Ice Cream for Dinner- This will become your kids favorite. They think it’s so special because it’s special they are not allowed to do usually.
How do you spend your family nights? What are some fun things that you do together as a family? Comment below and share your ideas.
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We have 4 kids, and I’m always trying to think of some new ideas for activities we can all do together… These are great!
Hello Tracy, I’m so glad you liked the ideas. It’s hard to come up with different things. Have fun together!
Fantastic ideas!
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Thanks for sharing these awesome ideas. I am a new stepmom to a young teen and sometimes it’s hard to find things to do together. She recently started trying to eat healthier, so we have implemented your first tip, cooking and baking together a lot. So far, we have made keto pancakes and bread. The pancakes fell flat, but they were still delicious 🙂 I will definitely try some of the other ideas you recommended. Thanks again!
It’a wonderful that you are baking together. You can build memories and learn to make new things. Try playing around with the pancakes. You might need a more thickening agent and less water. Also, try to let the batter sit a bit before making them. Thinking of ideas for family night can sometimes be difficult. Teens sometimes don’t want to sit and be together with the family and not on their phones, but once they start they too will have fun. Have fun.
This is great!!!! Every Friday night is Family Movie Night in our house!!! I make a homemade pizza, we put on PJ’s, and watch some awesome movie. We’ve been doing this for years. Our son is 12 and always expects FMN on Fridays! 🙂 I hope it stays that way for a long time to come.
That sounds like a fabulous family night. Movies, pizza, and pjs sound perfect to me. Even as your son grows older he stills expects and wants those Friday nights. That’s special and something to cherish.
Family time at night is so important. It actually shows in students academics and how they do in school. Dinner together is one of the most important things. I also love the idea of a scavenger hunt and the minute to win it games.
Yes, dinner is so important. I know that it can’t happen every night with work schedules and sports, but that’s why it’s important whenever you can to make time together. My husband works evenings every other week. So when he’s home we make sure to have dinner together, put the phones away and talk to each other. Kids love the scavenger hunt. It turns a walk into an adventure.
This is a great list of fun, family time activities! I’m always looking for ways to get some quality time in with my kiddos. Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that this list of fun family night activities will help you. It’s hard to always come up with ideas of different things to do together. Refer to this list anytime you are at a loss for what to do.