300+ Easy Ways You Can Spend Quality Time With Kids
Discover 300 effortless ways to create meaningful moments and spend quality time with your kids in our upcoming blog post.
Everyone tells you that time flies by when you have kids. It’s important to make the most out of the little time you have with young kids and savour the moments because boy do they ever go by quickly.
Motherhood brings out the daily hustle and bustle that can get so exhausting, even the thought of binging shows on Netflix past 9pm sometimes feel like an impossible feat. After hours of driving kids from activity to activity, loads of laundry, meal times, and every other task that mothers endure, quality time with kids could feel out of reach.
Between all the different types of parenting styles we choose to raise our kids with, the one thing they all have in common is; Your kids need to spend quality time with you. Children need to be able to see who you are as a person and not just as their parent who makes their life go around and around.
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Ways To Spend Quality Time With Kids
- Play board games or card games together.
- Go for a bike ride or a walk in the park.
- Have a picnic in your backyard or a nearby park.
- Bake cookies or a cake and decorate them together.
- Build a fort using blankets and pillows.
- Have a movie or popcorn night at home.
- Create a family scrapbook or photo album.
- Explore your local library and choose books to read together.
- Plant a garden or tend to indoor plants.
- Visit a zoo or a petting farm.
- Go on a nature scavenger hunt.
- Have a family art project using paints, markers, or crayons.
- Visit a museum or art gallery.
- Make homemade playdough together.
- Have a dance party in the living room.
- Cook a meal together, and let your child help with age-appropriate tasks.
- Visit a beach or go for a swim in a pool.
- Fly a kite in an open field.
- Build a puzzle as a family.
- Do science experiments or simple DIY projects.
- Go on a treasure hunt in your own home or backyard.
- Have a themed dress-up day or fashion show.
- Attend a local community event or fair.
- Volunteer together for a charitable cause.
- Take a day trip to a nearby town or city.
- Explore a local nature trail or hiking path.
- Watch the stars and identify constellations.
- Make homemade ice cream or popsicles.
- Create a family journal and take turns writing in it.
- Play catch or frisbee at the park.
- Visit a nearby farm and interact with animals.
- Build and launch paper airplanes.
- Have a family spa day with DIY facials and manicures.
- Visit a science center or planetarium.
- Go camping in your backyard.
- Attend a sports game or sporting event.
- Make a time capsule and bury it in the backyard.
- Visit a local historical site or landmark.
- Have a family talent show.
- Go fishing at a nearby pond or lake.
- Create a family playlist and have a dance-off.
- Explore a new hobby or craft together.
- Go on a bike ride and bring along a picnic lunch.
- Visit a local aquarium.
- Have a family game night with various board games.
- Build a birdhouse or feeder and hang it in your yard.
- Attend a storytelling event or read stories together.
- Take a scenic drive and enjoy the view.
- Have a family karaoke night.
- Write and perform a short play or skit as a family.
- Have a family bike race.
- Organize a mini Olympics with fun games like sack races and hula hoop contests.
- Go on a geocaching adventure.
- Visit a local botanical garden.
- Create a DIY science lab at home.
- Build a sandcastle at the beach.
- Have a family talent show with different talents showcased each time.
- Take a family yoga or exercise class.
- Explore a nearby cave or cavern.
- Go on a camping trip in a nearby national park.
- Attend a local theater production or school play.
- Have a family storytelling night around a campfire.
- Visit a historic battlefield or site.
- Go on a scenic train ride.
- Build a miniature model or diorama together.
- Try indoor rock climbing or bouldering.
- Attend a cooking class together.
- Explore a nearby river or go kayaking.
- Have a family fashion show with clothes you no longer wear.
- Create a mini-golf course in your backyard.
- Visit a local science or technology museum.
- Build a bird-watching station in your yard.
- Take a scenic boat ride on a nearby lake.
- Go on a horseback riding adventure.
- Have a family puzzle-solving day with riddles and brain teasers.
- Visit a local fire station or police station for a tour.
- Attend a live music concert or performance.
- Have a family talent swap day where each member teaches something unique.
- Visit a planetarium for a cosmic adventure.
- Go fossil hunting at a nearby dig site.
- Have a family painting or pottery class.
- Take a day trip to a historical reenactment event.
- Attend a local farmers’ market and pick out fresh produce together.
- Create a family time capsule and bury it in a special location.
- Have a family storytelling picnic in the backyard.
- Go on a scenic hot air balloon ride.
- Visit a nearby wildlife sanctuary or preserve.
- Have a family mini-golf tournament.
- Take a scenic helicopter ride.
- Go on a family road trip and explore new places.
- Attend a local cooking or baking competition.
- Have a family book club and discuss books you’ve all read.
- Visit a nearby castle or historical mansion.
- Take a scenic horse-drawn carriage ride.
- Go on a family fishing trip to a remote location.
- Have a family kite-flying competition.
- Visit a local observatory for stargazing.
- Go on a wildlife photography expedition.
- Have a family day of giving, where you volunteer together.
- Take a family pottery class and create personalized items.
- Go on a family bike tour of your city.
- Visit a nearby historical lighthouse.
- Attend a family-friendly outdoor concert.
- Have a family picnic at a nearby waterfall.
- Explore a local cave system.
- Go on a bird-watching hike.
- Attend a live comedy show suitable for kids.
- Take a family pottery wheel class.
- Visit an indoor trampoline park.
- Have a family origami night.
- Go on a scenic paddleboarding adventure.
- Explore a nearby botanical garden at night with flashlights.
- Attend a local food festival.
- Have a family puppet show using homemade puppets.
- Take a family ice skating lesson.
- Visit a local wildlife rehabilitation center.
- Go on a family horse-drawn sleigh ride in winter.
- Attend a storytelling workshop as a family.
- Have a family karate or martial arts class.
- Explore a nearby ghost tour or haunted house attraction.
- Go on a family nature photography outing.
- Visit a local roller skating rink.
- Have a family pottery painting session.
- Take a family circus skills workshop.
- Attend a family-friendly magic show.
- Go on a family rock climbing expedition.
- Explore a nearby historical railroad.
- Have a family woodworking or carpentry day.
- Visit a local model train exhibit.
- Attend a family-friendly improv comedy show.
- Go on a family snowshoeing adventure in winter.
- Explore a nearby butterfly garden.
- Have a family cooking competition.
- Take a family archery class.
- Visit a local historical ship or maritime museum.
- Go on a family fossil-hunting expedition.
- Attend a family-friendly science demonstration.
- Have a family scrapbooking or journaling day.
- Take a family glassblowing class.
- Explore a nearby bird of prey rehabilitation center.
- Visit a local planetarium for a cosmic show.
- Attend a family-friendly theater workshop.
- Go on a family horseback riding tour of scenic trails.
- Have a family dance class.
- Take a family snorkeling adventure.
- Explore a nearby antique store or flea market.
- Attend a family kite-making workshop.
- Go on a family hot air balloon ride.
- Have a family yoga or meditation session.
- Take a family sailing or paddleboat excursion.
- Visit a local indoor rock climbing gym.
- Have a family geology expedition to search for interesting rocks and minerals.
- Attend a family-friendly science fiction or fantasy convention.
- Go on a family wildlife safari in a nearby national park.
- Have a family drumming or percussion circle.
- Visit a local pottery studio to create clay sculptures.
- Explore a nearby planet walk or scale model of the solar system.
- Attend a family astronomy club meeting.
- Go on a family river tubing adventure.
- Have a family game night with classic board games.
- Visit a local botanical garden during a themed event or festival.
- Take a family martial arts or self-defense class.
- Attend a family-friendly circus performance.
- Have a family sushi-making night.
- Go on a family orienteering or map-reading adventure.
- Visit a local horse ranch for a guided trail ride.
- Explore a nearby farm or petting zoo.
- Attend a family archery tag or paintball session.
- Have a family LEGO building competition.
- Go on a family paddleboat or rowboat adventure.
- Visit a local model airplane or drone club.
- Attend a family-friendly medieval renaissance fair.
- Have a family ice cream taste-testing night.
- Go on a family cave tubing or spelunking adventure.
- Visit a nearby beekeeping farm and learn about honey production.
- Attend a family bird-watching workshop.
- Have a family pottery wheel-throwing session.
- Go on a family hot air balloon glow event.
- Visit a local wildlife photography exhibition.
- Attend a family-friendly puppetry or marionette show.
- Have a family glass fusion or stained glass workshop.
- Go on a family treehouse adventure at a local adventure park.
- Visit a nearby glass-bottom boat tour.
- Attend a family storytelling festival.
- Have a family snorkeling adventure in a coral reef.
- Go on a family fishing charter trip.
- Visit a local indoor water park.
- Attend a family escape room challenge.
- Have a family rock painting and hiding day in your community.
- Go on a family jet ski or paddleboarding excursion.
- Visit a nearby sculpture garden or outdoor art exhibit.
- Attend a family-friendly kite festival.
- Have a family paddleboard yoga session.
- Go on a family kiteboarding or windsurfing lesson.
- Visit a local farm-to-table restaurant and tour the kitchen.
- Attend a family drum circle or drumming workshop.
- Have a family glassblowing demonstration and create a keepsake.
- Go on a family spelunking adventure in a wild cave.
- Visit a nearby historic carousel or amusement park.
- Attend a family-friendly circus skills workshop.
- Take a family horse-drawn carriage ride through a historic area.
- Attend a family photography workshop and learn to take great pictures together.
- Go on a family cross-country skiing adventure in the winter.
- Have a family sandcastle-building competition at the beach.
- Visit a local firework show or fireworks festival.
- Attend a family-friendly circus workshop to learn circus tricks.
- Take a family trip to an indoor water park.
- Go on a family paddleboat or canoe tour of a local lake.
- Have a family sushi taste-testing night.
- Visit a nearby cave with glowworms for a unique adventure.
- Attend a family-friendly comedy improv show.
- Take a family hot air balloon ride at sunrise.
- Go on a family rockhounding expedition to find unique stones.
- Visit a local nature reserve and learn about local wildlife.
- Have a family treetop adventure on a zip line or obstacle course.
- Attend a family-friendly magic workshop.
- Take a family ghost tour in a historic area.
- Go on a family spelunking adventure in a guided cave.
- Have a family day at an indoor trampoline park.
- Visit a local butterfly house or butterfly garden.
- Attend a family-friendly juggling or circus performance.
- Take a family stand-up paddleboarding lesson.
- Go on a family outing to a nearby amusement park.
- Have a family cooking class focused on international cuisine.
- Visit a local escape room with a family-friendly theme.
- Attend a family theater workshop to learn acting skills.
- Take a family trip to a natural hot spring.
- Go on a family mountain biking adventure on scenic trails.
- Visit a nearby alpaca or llama farm.
- Attend a family-friendly outdoor movie night.
- Have a family kiteboarding or windsurfing lesson.
- Take a family trip to a nearby botanical garden during a special event.
- Go on a family hiking adventure to find a hidden waterfall.
- Visit a local go-kart racing track.
- Attend a family-friendly pottery painting class.
- Have a family ice cream-making challenge with unique flavors.
- Take a family paddleboard yoga class.
- Go on a family helicopter tour of the local area.
- Visit a nearby bird sanctuary and learn about birdwatching.
- Attend a family circus aerial silks or trapeze workshop.
- Have a family day of rock climbing at an indoor climbing gym.
- Take a family trip to a nearby natural history museum.
- Go on a family fishing excursion on a charter boat.
- Visit a local ropes course for a thrilling adventure.
- Attend a family woodworking or DIY craft workshop.
- Have a family-friendly archery or target shooting lesson.
- Take a family snow tubing adventure in the winter.
- Visit a nearby indoor go-kart racing track.
- Attend a family pottery wheel-throwing workshop.
- Go on a family outing to a local chocolate factory for a tour and tasting.
- Take a family hot air balloon ride at sunset.
- Attend a family-friendly medieval faire with jousting and reenactments.
- Go on a family trip to a wildlife rehabilitation center.
- Have a family day of geocaching or letterboxing.
- Visit a local indoor skydiving facility.
- Attend a family puppetry or marionette-making workshop.
- Go on a family rock climbing adventure at an outdoor climbing site.
- Have a family picnic at a local botanical garden.
- Take a family horseback riding tour along a scenic trail.
- Visit a nearby indoor ice skating rink.
- Attend a family-friendly classical music or orchestra performance.
- Go on a family white-water rafting or kayaking excursion.
- Have a family day at a local arcade or game center.
- Take a family woodworking or carpentry class.
- Visit a local model train or miniature village exhibit.
- Attend a family drumming or percussion workshop.
- Go on a family snorkeling adventure in a coral reef.
- Have a family glass fusion or stained glass-making session.
- Take a family sailing or catamaran cruise.
- Visit a nearby wildlife rescue center and interact with animals.
- Attend a family-friendly historic reenactment event.
- Go on a family paddleboard or kayaking tour of a river or lake.
- Have a family day of soap or candle making.
- Take a family jet ski or wave-runner adventure.
- Visit a local fossil museum or dinosaur exhibit.
- Attend a family-friendly improv comedy show.
- Go on a family horse-drawn sleigh ride in the winter.
- Have a family day of kite-making and flying.
- Take a family trip to an indoor rock climbing and adventure center.
- Visit a nearby natural hot spring for relaxation.
- Attend a family puppet show or theater performance.
- Go on a family outing to a local historic carousel or amusement park.
- Have a family yoga or mindfulness meditation session.
- Take a family trip to an indoor water park resort.
- Visit a local indoor trampoline park with obstacle courses.
- Attend a family archery or bow-and-arrow lesson.
- Go on a family paddleboat or rowboat tour of a scenic lake.
- Have a family day at a local indoor mini-golf course.
- Take a family snowshoeing adventure in the winter.
- Visit a nearby alpaca farm and learn about alpaca care.
- Attend a family magic workshop to learn simple magic tricks.
- Go on a family spelunking adventure in a cave with guided tours.
- Have a family day of roller skating at a local rink.
- Take a family pottery wheel-throwing class.
- Visit a nearby art museum with interactive exhibits.
- Attend a family-friendly astronomy club meeting or stargazing event.
- Go on a family stand-up paddleboard yoga class.
- Have a family day at an indoor go-kart racing track.
- Take a family woodworking or DIY craft workshop.
- Visit a local historical site with guided tours and reenactments.
- Take a family trip to a nearby science center with interactive exhibits and hands-on experiments.
- Attend a family-friendly outdoor theater production in a park or garden.
- Go on a family outing to a local pottery studio for a clay sculpture workshop.
- Have a family day of exploring a nearby coral reef through snorkeling or scuba diving.
Making Memories – Fun For The Whole Family
Creating these kinds of moments and memories, even with a busy lifestyle, can help create an amazing and happy childhood for your children. The quality time with kids doesn’t have to be made up of grand gestures and elaborate situations. As you can see from my list of ideas the simple things are the best things at creating those strong bonds with your kids.
Honestly, I tend to spend most of my quality time with kids at bedtime and on the weekends even though I am a stay at home mom. Life is just so busy and it can be tough to find the moments to truly connect. But it doesn’t mean that I don’t find the moments. I just fit them into little pockets of time and that makes them even more special.
We all want happiness for our kids, and it comes from loving parents who take the time to spend quality time with kids.
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References
- Santiago et al. (2021) found that higher appraisal of financial resources was associated with higher parent-reported family involvement for parents of autistic children, highlighting the importance of family-school partnerships (Santiago, McIntyre, & Garbacz, 2021).
- Kyrkou (2018) emphasizes the lifelong importance of the sibling relationship in families with a child with a disability, suggesting nurturing these relationships supports family quality of life and sets the foundation for healthy adult sibling relationships (Kyrkou, 2018).
- Katz et al. (2018) demonstrate that the quality of marital, parent-child, and sibling relationships can change significantly during the first year of a child’s cancer treatment, indicating the need for family-focused interventions (Katz et al., 2018).
- Yu et al. (2017) propose a role model to understand the complexity in the relationship between aged parents and their adult children, suggesting changes in family roles impact the quality of these relationships (Yu, Miao, Leung, & Salmon, 2017).
- Greenlee et al. (2021) found that lower marital satisfaction predicted impaired child outcomes via its impact on parenting style, emphasizing the interconnection between marital satisfaction, parenting styles, and outcomes for autistic children (Greenlee, Piro-Gambetti, Putney, Papp, & Hartley, 2021).
- Ferreira et al. (2020) explored the reciprocal relations among maternal frustration, children’s self-control, and teacher-child conflict over time, highlighting the impact of work-family conflict on child development (Ferreira, Cadima, Matias, Leal, & Matos, 2020).
- Lee et al. (2016) emphasize the importance of linked lives in family relationships, including how relationships with children interact with and influence the relationship between parents as they age (Lee, Zarit, Rovine, Birditt, & Fingerman, 2016).
- Hajhashemkhani et al. (2015) found significant relationships between children’s wake-up time and family’s responsibility and spiritual growth, indicating how family health promoting lifestyle affects children’s habits (Hajhashemkhani, Dalvandi, Kashaninia, Javadi, & Biglarian, 2015).
I really enjoy spending quality time with my children. There are so many ways as this article points out!
I always make sure we eat as a family. Also, we try to do as much activities as we can as we have busy schedules. At least 1-2 times a week. It also strengthens our bond.
Such a great read! They do grow up fast indeed! When you describe the bustling motherhood daily life that fits my current lifestyle lol I have 2 babies! Shows on Netflix past 9pm is an unrealistic dream for now! When they grow up a bit we´ll get into baking and reading together!
How we choose to spend time with our kids will make an impact on them later in life. I really like your tips, and there are a few that we do already, and will start incorporating more of them.
I like these ideas a lot! More quality time as a family, less screen time that make us all distant from each other. I’ll take some of these tips to help strengthen the relationship with my kids.
Spending quality time is best for a child’s emotional growth. You don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money, go on lavish vacations, or indulge your kid in expensive toys. It is your presence that matters.
I agree that family dinners at the table together are awesome. I do that a few times a week, but we have a hectic sports schedule so we’ve been eating out and on the go a lot. I miss the slower pace.