Ways to Choose Family Fun
Ways to Choose Family Fun
In order to battle the “I’m Boreds” and to give us a focus, our family makes seasonal Fun Lists! But there are so many creative ways to collectively decide what to do for family fun.
1. Seasonal Lists: I stole this idea from my friend Pam who, during March Break, was always posting pictures and lists of the crazy and fun things she was doing with her kids. This is how I heard about the The Fun List!
Before March Break, Pam and her family would make up a list of all the things that they wanted to do during the week – no matter how crazy, and they would try to do as many as possible. Timbits for breakfast? Why not?
We have adapted this idea and make up a new list every season. All ideas are fair game, as long as they are realistic and safe! Some ideas such as, sleepover at Nana and Grandad’s, make it to every list! Others are seasonal, like sleighrides, beach trips, and raking leaves and jumping in them.
Every season, each boy has to pick a goal that they would like to accomplish. This can be educational, physical, or skill development. This season, Daniel has decided he would like to learn cursive writing while Thomas is going to learn to ride his bike!
Once an activity is completed, we check it off the list. New ideas can be added at any time! But, as Daniel writes, the goal is to have fun!
2. Summer Jar: Tracey and her family have an annual summer jar. She says:
“We sell toys that the kids have outgrown or other things that we no longer use and the kids contribute part of their allowance as well. All the cash goes into our summer fun jar so we have money for incidentals like pool visits, drive-in theatre etc. If we don’t have the money in cash we don’t do it. It helps kids appreciate that money doesn’t grow on trees. They also feel great contributing part of their allowance and more easily part with their toys.”
3. I’m Bored Jar: You can also try making an “I’m Bored Jar”. Write ideas of things to do on slips of paper and put them in a jar. When you are in need of something to do, pull out one of the pieces of paper!
4. Alphabet Fun: When we were kids, this is what our parents did with us. Start with the letter A and think of something to do. The next time, do something with the letter B, and so on.
A = try archery,
B = beach trip,
C = cookout in the back yard
How does your family pick your family fun?
