15 Fun At-Home Family Activities

Even though we’re in the heat of summer (literally!), sometimes we need a few fun activities to enjoy at home. Downtime isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially when we’re ready for a break from the hustle and bustle of summer trips, sporting events, and hosting backyard barbecues. Here are a few ideas for you to choose from to enjoy with your family at the comfort of your own Home Sweet Home.

1. Play indoor hide and seek.
   Quick tip: Be sure to set some ground rules on where you can and can’t hide. Boundaries are important, especially for the littles (or the competitive types)!
   
2. Create art with sidewalk chalk! You can make some pretty elaborate sidewalk chalk murals either on your driveway or if you have a retaining wall. If you have some concrete or a fence around you, go crazy! Then you can wash it off with water when you’re finished. Quick and easy clean up!
   Safety tip: Be sure to do this in a safe location. Make sure you stay with your kiddos if there are any vehicles around.
   
3. Set up a tent in your living room and enjoy a camping trip in a controlled environment. You can tell stories and even play some nature music to add to the feel. Grab some pillows, a sleeping bag, and anything else to make it a memorable activity.
   Added Fun Bonus: If you are the adventurous type, move your tent outdoors and enjoy nature!
   
4. Try a new board game. This can be a great bonding experience for the entire family!
   
5. Create arts and crafts out of various household items. Think about some things around the house that could be recycled, such as paper towel or toilet paper rolls, hangers, clothespins, cereal boxes, etc. Get creative!
   
6. Make paper airplanes and see how far you can fly them. You can set up a runway and see whose plane flies the farthest. There are so many different styles of planes to choose from. Check out different styles online to try to make.
   
7. Make a batch of slime! You can get creative from the colors you make to adding different textures.
   Quick tip: Try to avoid doing this activity on your carpet! We want this to be a fun experience. 😉
   
8. Set up an outdoor movie night! Check out our recent blog post, Create an Outdoor Movie Night: Summer Memories Under the Stars, on all the things you might want to use to make this an incredible night from home with your family!
   
9. Make a time capsule or write letters to your future self! You can include newspaper clippings, magazine articles, pictures, etc. What a fun way to document your current situation and bring joy to your family years down the road!
   
10. Try out your green thumb! Try planting some pretty flowers or some vegetables. It’s not only a fun activity at the time to play in the dirt, but it’s a great family experience to see the fruits of your labor.
    
11. Create shadow drawings outside. If it’s a sunny day, grab some toys (animals are the easiest) from the toy box, set up the toys where their shadows land on some paper or poster board, and trace the silhouettes. You can create an entire scene, or you can keep it simple. However long they stay focused and engaged!
    
12. Create an indoor or outdoor scavenger hunt! Just draw or write (depending on the ages of your little ones) a list of items for the family to find. You can find free templates online if you aren’t feeling the creativity or if you need some ideas. Maybe even consider having a prize if they find so many items from the list.
    
13. Try out a new cake or cookie recipe. For an added treat, break out a camera (or your phone) and film your own fun baking show!
    
14. Have a picnic either indoor or in your yard. You can break out a blanket, make some sandwiches, grab some juice boxes, and create some fun memories that your kiddos will cherish (and beg you to do again and again).
    
15. Try your hand at balloon tennis. Blow up a balloon, grab some flyswatters (or if that’s a little outside your comfort zone, then tape some thicker paper plates to popcicle sticks OR you could just use your hands), and try to keep the balloon off of the floor. You can even add difficulty by counting how many times the balloon gets hit back and forth.

Summer doesn’t have to be all go, go, go. If you find that you need a little downtime, but you still want to have some fun, try a few of these activities and create some awesome at-home memories with your loved ones. Have fun!

Looking for fun things to go and do around our area in July? Read Save the Date – Upcoming Events in July.