25 Fun Things to Do at Home with Your Kids

 
As more families each day are staying at home, they may be wondering how to keep everyone entertained and out of a funk. These days, children head straight for their tablets, phones or computers when they’re bored. As a member of your community, some of our employees have come together to share some creative and fresh ways to break those boredom blues with activities everyone can look forward to.

 

Plant a vegetable or flower garden.

Small and large spaces alike can make a great place to grow, nurture and eat delicious veggies; or care for colorful, flowering plants. Growing your own vegetables has turned many a hobbyist into experts. Just make sure if you’re dealing with a small growing area to choose compact, productive plants that take up less space like leaf lettuce, cherry or grape tomatoes, or a favorite herb.

 

Is there a wannabe baker in your family?

Calling all food lovers! Homemade ice cream and yogurt, pancakes and waffles, cut and baked assorted shapes of cookies, should all be on your bucket list. These feel-good sweet treats are perfect smile makers for the whole family.

 

Backyard picnics.

Simply grab an old blanket, walk out the backdoor and dine in the fresh outdoors. Your propane grill can serve up savory burgers and maybe some veggies grown in your own backyard. Not into grilling today? Then just pile up your favorite sandwich mixes.

 

Arts and Crafts.

Engage your creativity with things like building with Legos, painting, sketching, jewelry making, and decorative rock painting. If you’re feeling a creative block, Pinterest your way into something inspiring.

 

 

Got a pool?

A great way to get in some fun exercise while sharing quality time with the family.

 

 

Play a card or board game.

One colleague said that at her house, gin rummy, Yahtzee and backgammon are her family’s go-to games for those precious moments of downtime. With so many games to choose from, there are bound to be at least a few ideal for your family.

 

Play hide-and-seek or tag.

These are perfect games, especially for those with younger children. It’s even more amusing when you get your dog in the action! My colleague’s furry friend has learned to “find it” for assorted family members and toys, providing endless entertainment for all family members while giving their pup a job to do.

 

Play badminton.

If you don’t have a lot of backyard space, forget the net and create your own rules. Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself breaking a little sweat!

 

Frisbee. 

This is another all-time favorite. Even your four-legged friend can participate.

 

 

Scavenger hunts.

Suitable for any age, scavenger hunts are collaborative and fun to put together. Click here for some ideas to get you started.

 

 

“A Day in the Life at Your Job”.

You can even play act the parts!

 

 

Start a collage.

There are endless options to this artistic expression and can include just about anything from personal images, to newspaper clippings, to items in your house.

 

Write a story.

What’s yours? Fiction or nonfiction? Action, Spy Thriller, Mystery, Life Story? It’s your to tell!

 

 

Learn a trick.

Teach yourself or a member of your family something new. Just to name a few, there’s card levitation, rubber band tricks, through-a-cup tricks, hoola hoop, and not forgetting four-legged family members, paw-and-shake, and “find it”.

 

Work a puzzle.

Whether crossword or standard, puzzles are great brain teasers found at assorted levels of difficulty and make time fly by.

 

 

Make a bird house.

Building a bird house can be a pleasurable and rewarding project for the whole family. Easy and inexpensive to make, bird house building provides a great introduction for youngsters in the art of working with tools that also offers tons of lasting, daily enjoyment for connecting with your backyard wildlife.

 

Bird watching in your backyard.

Commonly known as “birding”, this form of wildlife observation is a recreational activity you can do either with the naked eye, through binoculars and/or by listening for bird sounds. Birding has turned many hobbyists into avid enthusiasts, even expert ornithologists. With so many books and online reference guides, you can literally learn about every bird in your backyard. Get the whole family playing a game of “name that bird”!

 

Take a bike ride.

This is a fun way to spend quality time with your family while getting some fresh air and exercise in the process.

 

 

Make puppets and put on a show for the family.

Exercise both the left and right hemispheres of your brain, and have fun thinking out of the box! Let your imagination run free choosing a figure and characters for an infinite number of themes. The internet provides a wealth of options at the touch of a button.

 

Egg coloring.

This is a fun-favorite, and no matter your age, will stir up the fondest of memories. Using this DIY guide you can experiment with color combos and pallets for color-blocked eggs. Or, use your own vivid imagination to conjure up some brilliant eggs!

 

Plan a backyard camping trip.

You can really get into the camping spirit with a tent, sleeping bags, an evening cookout and some S’mores prepared over your propane fire pit.

 

Draw a map and have a treasure hunt.

Every backyard is different which means your treasure hunt will be unique! Explore your backyard to come up with interesting places to hide the clues that ultimately lead to the “treasure”!

 

Chalk your walk!

With sidewalk chalk, you can create positive messages and creative artwork for all the spring walkers to enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

Game of “clean up the house”.

Pick a chore de jour — the family member who gets the most “stuff” wins a prize, and parents get a break from cleaning.

 

 

Learn a new trade.

Learning to do something helps to explore and refine your talents. Whether your interest is in something like sewing, carpentry, model making, pastry making, jewelry making or auto mechanics, this is an opportunity to hone a talent or skill. You may even end up sharing your flare making gifts for family, friends and neighbors.

 

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