160 Fun Things to Do with Family of All Ages

It’s inevitable—someone in your family says they’re bored and now you’re frantically trying to come up with something fun to do. Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered! For this article, we interviewed professional life coaches and childcare experts to teach you all the best ways to have fun with your family. Whether you’re looking for something to do at home, outside, or for free, keep reading to find a fun and engaging activity for the whole family.

Fun, Family-Friendly Activity Ideas

Parenting & play expert Chelsea Fisher says when your family is bored and restless, you can head to the park, go on color walks (walks where you look for a certain color), or head to the driving range and play a little golf. You can also head to a hotel with a pool, or do things like:

Do something at home, like playing board games, having a movie night, or baking together.
Get outdoors and jump in the pool, play a sport, or go hiking.
Explore your town by visiting a museum, seeing historic sites, or trying a new restaurant.

Section 1 of 8:

Things to Do with Family at Home

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Plan a fun day in with your family. Sometimes, it can be a bit chaotic to try to arrange plans for the whole family. If you don’t want to go out, however, there are still plenty of fun activities you can do from the comfort of your own home. Get creative by playing different games, making fun crafts, or even baking yummy recipes. Here are some examples:^{[1]
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- Have a movie night
- Play board games (Tip: gather a bunch of different games to have a family game night!)
- Play a guessing game (like I Spy or Hangman)
- Play Hide and Seek
- Bake together
- Play The Floor is Lava
- Make a playlist and have a dance party
- Make homemade ice cream
- Play Charades
- Make friendship bracelets
- Make a time capsule
- Race paper airplanes
- Play Bingo
- Have a pajama party
- Have a family talent show
- Make shadow puppets
- Do a jigsaw puzzle
- Build a house of cards
- Put on a play
- Start a family band

Section 2 of 8:

Things to Do with Family Outdoors

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Get your family off their phones and out of the house. These days, it seems like we’re always glued to a screen, whether it’s a phone, a computer, or a tablet. If your whole family is distracted by technology, you may not be bonding as much as you should. To get your family off their devices, childcare and parenting specialist Kathy Slattengren recommends that you “Go for family hikes, go camping, go to the park… If we want our kids off their digital devices, we’ve got to get off ours and go and engage with them.”^{[2]
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Expert Source

Kathy Slattengren, M.Ed.
Parent Educator & Coach

Expert Interview} Here are some examples of fun activities you can do in your own backyard:^{[3]
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- Draw on your sidewalk with chalk
- Fly a kite
- Catch fireflies
- Jump in the pool
- Camp in your backyard
- Walk your dog
- Ride your bikes
- Practice rollerskating
- Play tag
- Play kickball
- Have a water balloon fight
- Plant a garden
- Collect bugs
- Build an obstacle course
- Look for 4-leaf clovers
- Play in the rain (or the snow)
- Build a birdhouse
- Tie-dye t-shirts
- Look for shapes in the clouds
- Have a BBQ

Section 3 of 8:

Things to Do with Family On the Town

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Arrange a fun day in the city with your family. While there are a ton of fun things to do at home, sometimes it’s good to get out of the house. Research your town and other nearby cities to see what kind of fun, family-friendly activities you can participate in. Decide on a budget beforehand so you can plan an exciting day. Here are some examples:
- Go to the mall
- Visit the park
- Visit any nearby historical sites
- Go to an amusement park
- Go to the aquarium
- Go to the zoo
- Try a new restaurant
- Go to the movies
- See a play
- Attend an age-appropriate concert
- Shop at local businesses
- Go to a farmer’s market
- Pick out outfits for each other at the thrift store
- Go to an art museum
- Go to a children’s museum
- Take a walking tour
- Watch a parade
- Attend a sports event
- Go ice skating
- Watch a magic show

Section 4 of 8:

Free Things to Do with Family

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Find some free activities if you’re on a budget. You don’t have to break the bank to have fun with your family. In addition to doing things at home, there are probably a ton of free things you can do around your city. For example, teen life coach Desiree Panlilio says, “Go into the park and play softball or frisbee, or you can just chill out and watch the sunset. There are so many things you can do at a park if you’re on a budget.”^{[4]
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Expert Source

Desiree Panlilio
Teen Life Coach

Expert Interview} Here are some other free, family-friendly activities to try:^{[5]
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- Go stargazing
- Visit the beach
- Go camping
- Have a picnic
- Go on a hike
- Visit a free museum
- Take family photos
- Visit the local library
- Volunteer at a community event
- Watch the sunset or sunrise
- Go kayaking
- Go fishing
- Make up a secret language
- Have breakfast at midnight
- Blind taste-test different drinks
- Use old boxes to make a miniature town
- Learn to juggle
- Say tongue twisters
- Learn a line dance
- Go to the park to get active
- Do a scavenger hunt
EXPERT TIP

Kathy Slattengren, M.Ed.
Parent Educator & Coach
Kathy Slattengren is a Parent Educator and Coach and the Founder of Priceless Parenting. With over two decades of experience, Kathy specializes in helping parents build strong, loving relationships with their children. She has helped thousands of parents around the world through Priceless Parenting's online classes, presentations, coaching, and books. Kathy holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Psychology from The University of Minnesota and a Masters degree in Education and Instructional Design from The University of Washington. Kathy is a member of the National Parenting Education Network, the US Alliance to End the Hitting of Children, the International Society for Technology in Education, and a founding member of Parent Learning Link. Priceless Parenting has been featured on ABC News, Komo News, King 5 News, National PTA, Parent Map, and Inspire Me Today.

Kathy Slattengren, M.Ed.
Parent Educator & Coach

Ask your children what they’d like to do. If your children are old enough, at least four or five, have a family meeting and let the kids have input about what they want to do. Then, make it happen. Planning things out is much better than having no idea what to do with your kids.

Section 5 of 8:

Family Activities for Kids

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Get your kids excited about spending time together. Kids are either very easy to entertain or very difficult to entertain. When thinking of fun things to do with your children, take their ages and personalities into account. Make sure the activity is age-appropriate and something they’ll enjoy. Here are some examples:^{[6]
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- Make slime
- Blow bubbles
- Finger paint
- Play dress up
- Put on a puppet show
- Make macaroni necklaces
- Play with Legos
- Play dolls
- Build a fort
- Make a homemade pizza
- Do pancake art
- Play Simon Says
- Have a staring contest
- Give each other silly hairstyles
- Make a volcano with Mentos and Coke
- Cut out paper snowflakes
- Write and illustrate a children’s picture book
- Play Red Light, Green Light
- Play with shaving cream and food coloring
- Have a watermelon seed-spitting contest

Section 6 of 8:

Family Activities for Teens

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Plan activities your teen will actually enjoy. Every teenager is different, but it’s often hard for parents to get their teen excited about family activities. Get to know your child’s current interests and hobbies. Then, find a way you can enjoy them together. If you’re not sure what your teen will enjoy, Panlilio says to have a discussion with them: “It’s asking them what their interest is, what they are valuing, what’s important to them, and letting them try it without having to commit to it.”^{[7]
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Desiree Panlilio
Teen Life Coach

Expert Interview} Here are some great teen-friendly ideas:^{[8]
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- Tell scary stories
- Make a scrapbook
- Take about the future
- Start a gratitude journal
- Try foods from different cultures
- Take a class together (like painting or photography)
- Tour a nearby college
- Make a t-shirt quilt
- Learn to play a new sport
- Volunteer at an animal shelter
- Play video games
- Get a manicure or pedicure
- Create a vision board
- Make TikTok videos
- Go laser tagging
- Do an escape room
- See who can tell the worst dad joke
- Make a song parody
- Take online personality tests
- Binge-watch a TV show

Section 7 of 8:

Family Activities for Adults

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Spend time with your adult family to strengthen your bond. Once you’re an adult, life often gets in the way and you may not see your family as often as you used to. If you have adult children (or if you’re the adult child), try to plan some fun activities with your family to bond and create new memories. Here are some examples:^{[9]
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- Do yoga
- Attend a wine-tasting event
- Watch old home movies
- Have an at-home spa day
- Play a drinking game (like True American from New Girl)
- Start a book club
- Plan a weekend getaway
- Try a new workout class together
- Go shopping together
- Attend an open mic night
- Watch a comedy show
- Go to a reading by a local author
- Do karaoke
- Visit a brewery
- Take a cooking class
- Look through childhood photo albums
- Go axe throwing
- Go skydiving
- Play trivia
- Attend a murder mystery dinner event

Section 8 of 8:

Fun Things to Do Away from Your Family

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Do something by yourself if you need time away from your family. Even if you’re close to your family, you’ll need some personal space now and then. If you can’t get away from your family altogether, try slipping away to your room or another private area so you can destress. Do something you enjoy by yourself rather than being bored around everyone else. Panlilio says, “Boredom is a choice. You can choose to be bored, or you can choose to be proactive and find something to do that creates stimulation.”^{[10]
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Expert Source

Desiree Panlilio
Teen Life Coach

Expert Interview} Here are some examples of fun, solo activities:
- Read a book
- Do origami
- Call a friend
- Listen to a podcast
- Practice learning a new language
- Journal
- Listen to music
- Write a letter to your future self
- Research your family tree
- Rearrange your bedroom
- Solve a crossword puzzle
- Start a blog
- Draw something
- Learn to knit
- Learn to sew
- Take a bubble bath
- Meditate
- Give yourself a facial
- Start a workout routine
- Write a story

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Tips

If you constantly feel bored, life coach Taylor Rochestie recommends “Writing down and creating lists and goals that you might have for your life… So when you’re less motivated, you have that to rely on.”^{[11]
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Taylor Rochestie
Professional Basketball Player

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