How to Plan Family Fun at Home

Most families are hard-pressed for time to spend together. Between your work commitments and your kids’ activities, life seems to run on a schedule. And that’s exactly why you have to actively schedule family fun at home. Pull out your calendar, pick a night, turn off the phones and TV and let the good times roll. And despite what your kids may think, there are plenty of fun things that you’ll all enjoy.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Paper
• Pencils
• Small container
• Movies
• Games
• Junk food

1. Choose a theme. If that sounds like a large task, break it down. Often, a movie makes a great jumping off point to build a theme night around. If you’re watching "Toy Story", for example, tie handkerchiefs around everyone’s neck and whip up a Western-themed dinner.
2. Make it fair. If everyone has a different opinion of what constitutes “fun,” ask them all to write down their ideas on pieces of paper and then toss them into a small container. Ask the youngest family member to pick out one choice and that determines what you’ll do that night. Save the rest of the ideas for the next family fun night.
3. Ensure that everyone gets to play. There are lots of games on the market that include variations for kids and adults. Browse the game section of your local toy store, and pick up something new that young kids, teens and adults can all enjoy playing.
4. Forget nutrition. Like most parents, you probably try to prepare healthy meals most of the time. But on family fun night, dinner might consist of cookies rather than pot roast. And that’s okay. Some of the fun of family fun night would be lost if broccoli was involved.
5. Toss out the clock. Bedtimes are important, but every once in a while it’s okay to move them back. You’ll all have more fun if you’re not constantly watching the clock and counting down the minutes. Wait until a natural conclusion—the end of the movie or when a winner is decided in a board game—to hustle the kids off to bed.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep the “ideas” container in plain view so you and your kids can toss in ideas anytime.
• To make the evening more fun for you, don’t be a slave to the kitchen. Kids—and probably you too—are just as happy with take-out or pizza.
• Enjoying time with your family is undoubtedly your first priority, but your kids may not share your enthusiasm—especially your teens. To cut down on at least some of the grumbling, avoid scheduling a family fun night on an evening when something big is going on in her life. What teen is going to be happy to sit around with her family instead of going to her best friend’s birthday party?