Spending the evening at home provides a good bonding opportunity for the family, saves money over expensive activities and keeps the kids in a comfortable environment. Many activities offer educational benefits for the family. Getting the kids involved in planning the activities makes them more excited to participate. They also get a chance to show their planning skills, giving them a sense of accomplishment.
Crafts
An arts and crafts night brings out the creativity of the entire family. Activities such as painting, collages, holiday crafts and stringing beads work well for kids of different ages. If the kids have different artistic interests, choose two or three activities. Have everyone complete the first craft project before moving on to the next, or create one large family craft project. You might use a large piece of poster board as the base for a family collage--all family members glue on different pictures and craft supplies to make the group collage.
Drama
Dramatic play takes on many different forms. Make-believe or dress-up is popular with kids. Pull out the dress-up clothes and let everyone pick their outfits. Pretend to play house, school, princesses or other make-believe situations the kids create. Set up a pretend restaurant using old takeout menus, set up a grocery store in the living room or pretend to be animals. For older kids, a family skit provides more of a challenge. Help the kids make up the skit and perform it while the video camera is rolling. The recorded skit makes a good addition to the next family movie night.
Games
Game nights work well because you can customize them to fit your family. If you have young children, play Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Memory and other games targeted for that age group. For older kids, play more advanced board games or plan a video game night. A Wii night gets the family active while playing the games. Other options include Charades, Pictionary and active backyard games that involve running or moving around.
Backyard Camping
The backyard makes an ideal location for a family camping trip. No need to pack your bags since you won't be going far. A few pillows and blankets provide an ideal spot to spend time as a family for the evening. Reading books, telling stories, singing songs or playing with favorite toys work well in the tent. When bedtime arrives, everyone gets to sleep in the comfort of their own beds. If the weather is bad or you don't have a backyard, set up a tent inside or throw a sheet over some chairs.
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