14 Ideas for Family Night

 

 We love having a family night.  Friday nights in our family consist of homemade pizza, stove popped popcorn, and a movie.  Our selections range from Disney to old sports movies to horse movies with an occasional nature movie tossed in.

But every once in awhile, family night needs a little shake up.  We need something new.  So here are 14 Brainstormed, Super Fun, Fantastic Ideas for Family Night:

1. Movie Night--Of course, this if our favorite.  Our usually consists of pizza and popcorn.  But maybe your tradition includes a bowl of ice cream.  Or fresh cookies.  Whatever it is, make it special.

2. Dance session--Crank up the music and dance till you fall on the floor.  Then listen to some great music together.  Mix up the genres and expose your kids to new styles.  Then catch your breath and dance some more.  Giggle and laugh and break loose.

3. Ice Cream and cookies--Maybe it's cookies and ice cream around the table or picnic style on the floor.  Or a buffet of flavors and toppings.  Talk about your week.  Sweets create a bonding experience and open up conversation.

4. Serve others--Search out opportunities to serve together.  Sort clothes at a pregnancy center, serve meals at a homeless shelter, or hand out coffee.  Make sure you debrief with your kids afterwards.  This will open up your kids to so many life lessons.

5. Board Game night--Who doesn't love a night of Monopoly and Scrabble?  There are so many games to accommodate a variety of ages and interests.  This is a great idea for laughing together with your kids.

6. Bike Rides--This is a great time of year for getting outside in the evenings and taking a walk, or better yet a bike ride.  We're finally getting to the age where the kids can all ride and we're having a great time together.

7. Rollerskating--While I have yet to get my husband on skates, the kids and I have had a blast rollerskating together.  It's a fun way to be active together and there's nothing like rollerskates to keep you from taking yourself too seriously.

8. Camp fire with s'mores--Get a fire pit in the backyard.  Doesn't have to be anything too fancy.  Stock up on graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows.  Nothing says family time like a s'more.

9. Campout in the living room-- Whether you pitch a tent or just pull out the sleeping bags, be sure to make shadow puppets with the flashlights, snuggle in together, and tell ghost stories.

10. Host a potluck--Why not host a potluck night with a couple of other families?  Invite some families for dinner or dessert.  Family night can be laughing with other moms and dads.

11. Extended family dinner--On that note, invite the grandparents, aunts, uncles, the whole lot.. sometimes you just need to interact with the larger family.  And an extended family dinner is a great invitation for your kids to serve and learn from other generations.

12. Play restaurant--My kids have a play kitchen that they love.  But even a few little kitchen items like these felt foods can provide hours of entertainment.  Let them serve you for a change.  You'll be surprised how much they remember from their own eating out experiences.  Have fun with it.  Make a poster for the restaurant, change up the decor, and assign jobs.  This one's sure to provide hours of fun.

13. Picnic dinner--With the cooler season, it's the perfect time to enjoy a meal on the patio.  Just the change of scenery can open up a whole new set of ideas and questions and conversation.  Plus it's a great way to get some fresh air and open moves the fun to playing outside after dinner.

14. Funny pictures/video--Our computer has Photo Booth and my kids love to make funny pictures and movies on it.  It has some great filters and ways to change and distort images.  But they really love it when mom and dad get involved.  Not only is it fun to play with all the settings, but it's even funnier to flip through the photos afterwards.

What about you?

What are your favorite ideas for Family Night?