Posted on 12/01/2017
Even though it can be quite fulfilling (triggering those happy chemicals, again!), not all screen-free family fun has to result in some kind of goal being reached. In fact, some of the most enjoyable family times you can have aren't productive at all — they're just plain fun! To get you started, here are some ideas.
Just-for-Fun Games
From boxed games like " Pie Face" and Pictionary to old favorites like charades and hide-and-seek, we're not really talking about strategy here, just having fun interacting with each other. You know your crew best: Will a sensory element make it more or less fun? Will teams make everyone too competitive and risk possible conflict? A good rule of thumb is that if it gets everyone involved and people are laughing, it's a good pick.
Creative Endeavors
This may or may not be your family's cup of tea, but some families thrive on creativity. Why not come up with a song that's a parody of an old favorite (e.g. this YouTube video) or an outrageous video like this YouTube video, together? If you're not especially skilled or your kids are too young to come up with an entire song or video, you can still play with photo props and print silly pictures or come up with silly code words or nick names for family members.
Neighborhood Festivities
Have you ever gone on a photo scavenger hunt or played "Bigger and Better"? If your family isn't big enough to split into two teams, consider asking some neighbors to play along. The idea of the scavenger hunt is to get various photos from around town. (Here are some ideas to get you started.) "Bigger and Better" involves going door-to-door, asking each successive person for something "bigger and better" than the one before; each team can start with a penny or a rubber band.
Jokes and Tricks
Do you have a "party trick" that you've honed over the years? Maybe it's solving a Rubik's Cube or making balloon animals. Whatever it is, the "skill" should be pretty much pointless, except to surprise and delight. Perhaps your family could learn a new skill from YouTube together one evening or have a certain night planned on which you can demonstrate your new jokes or crowd-pleasing tricks which you've been honing in secret for a week or two.
If these activities seem pointless, well that's okay. If they seem a little silly, even better! The point, remember, is just to get everyone in the family involved and promote fun and family unity. Like many things in life, it's not about the destination, but about the journey. The silly smiles and even the groans will help you create memories that last a lifetime.
Read the Series
• Screen-Free Family Fun: Productivity Edition
• Screen-Free Family Fun: Service Edition
• Screen-Free Family Fun: Educational Edition
• Screen-Free Family Fun: Silly Edition
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