For many of us, the 2020 pandemic has turned our lives upside down. Everything has changed, from the way we work to the way we have fun. And among those changes is a shift in the way we spend time with our families.
With typical weekend activities such as going to the movies or out to our favorite restaurant off the table, we have to get creative with our family time.
If you’re feeling a little lost when it comes to planning socially distant activities with your family, we’ve got you covered! Listed below are 6 of the best activities to try with those you love most. With these activities, you might find that you spend more quality time with your family than ever before.
1. Camping
If you and your family are open to spending some extended time in the great outdoors, consider taking everyone for a camping trip on a warm spring or summer’s weekend. Don’t feel comfortable going to a public campground? Camp out in your own backyard!
Whether you’re at a campsite or set up a tent in your backyard, you can spend the night building a fire, roast marshmallows, stargazing, and telling campfire stories.
Thanks to technology, you can take activities such as stargazing to the next level by downloading a start chart or stargazing app onto your phone. With these tools, you and your family can learn about and marvel at the night sky together.
If stargazing isn’t for you, why not give fishing a try on your camping trip? With fishing accessories such as those offered by Xtreme Boat, Inc, you can fish to your heart’s content from your own boat.
2. Hiking
Now, with hiking, you need to be careful not to go to any highly populated trails. But as long as you’re able to keep your distance from your fellow hikers, you’re good to go.
Spending time in nature can be extremely beneficial to both your physical and mental health. It’s also a great way to get exercise and build instill healthy habits in your children at a young age.
The only thing to keep in mind is that you need to bring sunscreen and other protective equipment, such as SPF rated chapstick and hats, to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays.
3. Cooking or Baking
What better way to spend your time than by teaching your children useful life skills while improving your own? Cooking is not only fun but an invaluable skill to have all throughout your life.
With your family, browse the internet for a few recipes to try (to make it more fun, pick both a healthy recipe and a treat). Once you have the necessary ingredients, gather everyone in the kitchen, and get cooking.
The smallest members of your family might not be able to do a lot in the kitchen, but they can begin to learn that cooking is fun. And if nothing else, they can help stir or lick the spoon.
4. Gardening
Gardening is an excellent way to get outside without leaving the safety of your own yard. If you’re looking for family friendly activities that are also enriching, gardening could be your answer.
There are tons of options for starting your own garden. You could plant fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, or a mixture of them all. All you have to do is do a bit of research to determine which plants thrive in your area, as well as the type of light your garden will offer.
Some plants, for example, require full sun, while others prefer shade. If your yard doesn’t offer much in the way of shade, you don’t want to plant flowers that need it.
5. Family Game Night
Getting outside is great, but you can’t spend all of your time outdoors. To keep things fresh, mix in a family game night every now and then. Once a week, sit down with your family for a fun night of board games, card games, even multiplayer videogames.
Depending on the amount of time you have to spend on your game night and the number of people in your family, you might need to switch up how you organize it.
If you have plenty of time, you could let each person in the family pick a game and play them all in one night. For larger families or those more crunched for time, you might need to play one game per game night. In this case, assign each member of the family a day of the month. When their night comes up, they get to pick the game.
6. Have a Staycation
Family game nights are a good weekly activity, but for special occasions, take it up a notch with a complete staycation. Mix a little bit of everything in a staycation – games, cooking, even camping.
There’s nothing more fun than setting up a tent or blanket fort in the living room and spending the night playing games, watching movies, and eating snacks. Make a list of your favorite movies and treats, gather all of your supplies, and hunker down for the weekend with your loved ones.
Bring Your Family Closer With These Socially Distant Activities
Life might not quite be back to normal, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get closer as a family by spending quality time together. On the contrary, in fact, you probably have more time than ever to devote to your loved ones.
With these socially distant activities, you and your family can still have the ultimate spring, summer, or any season, while keeping those closest to you safe and healthy.
Looking for more ideas for making the most out of even the toughest times with your family? Be sure to check out our blog!