10 Fun Family Activities to Do At Home

A day at home can leave everyone wondering what to do next. A few supplies can get you started. Pull out the old photos, clear a space for a game or make something in the kitchen. Here are ten family activities you can adapt to the ages, space and supplies you have.

1. Organize Photo Albums

Remember those childhood photos? Bring them out and sort them together. Ask relatives to name the people and places you don't recognize, and write the details down. You can put the photos in albums as you go, with everyone helping to choose which memories belong together.

2. Watch Home Movies

If your family has old home videos, choose a few to watch together. They might show a birthday or an afternoon you'd forgotten. Let people explain what was happening, and pause when someone has a story to tell. You don't need a professionally edited film for this kind of movie night.

3. Get Gardening Together

Give everyone a job in the garden, from watering plants to pulling weeds. Adults can handle sharp tools, while children do tasks suited to their ages. If you don't have outdoor space, plant something in a pot on a sunny windowsill. You can all help look after it as it grows.

4. Scavenger Hunt

Hide a few small treasures around the house and write clues to lead players between hiding places. Agree on which rooms are part of the game. Younger children can have picture clues or help from a partner. The first team to follow the trail to the final treasure wins.

5. Play Charades

Write movie titles, animals or familiar activities on slips of paper. Divide into teams and take turns acting out a slip without speaking while your teammates guess. Agree on a time limit before starting, and pick clues children will recognize too. You can skip scoring and just play.

6. Outdoor Movie Night

If you have outdoor space and a projector, set up a screen or use a suitable blank wall for a movie night. Choose the film together and bring out comfortable seats and snacks. Keep the equipment dry and follow its instructions for outdoor use. Watch indoors if the weather changes.

7. Make Art Pieces

You don't have to be Picasso to make art together. Put paper, crayons or paints on a covered table and choose a subject, or let everyone make something different. Try drawing family portraits to compare. Give each person room to work, then find somewhere for the finished pieces to dry.

8. Bake Together

Choose a recipe everyone can help with, such as cookies or muffins. Younger children can measure ingredients or stir while an adult handles the oven and hot trays and checks doneness. Check for food allergies before choosing the recipe. Clean up together, then share the finished treats.

9. Solve Puzzles

Remember those giant jigsaw puzzles that seemed to take forever? Choose one that suits your family and spread it on a table you won't need straight away. Find the edges, then sort pieces by their colors or patterns. Everyone can work on a different part, and you can come back to it later.

10. Play Card Games

Bring out a pack of cards and let someone choose the first game. Go Fish and Crazy Eights are options, or you might have a family favorite. Go through the rules and play a practice round for newcomers. When people want a change, let the next person choose what you'll all play.